recommendations for a linux distro?
 

Ok...I got a new computer, and everything was great, until I tried installing an operating system.

First, I tried installing windows because I wanted to dual boot with mandrake. Unfortunately, every time I tried to install anything higher than windows 98, the installation was halted and I got the blue screen of death and a message saying that further installation of windows would damage my computer.

After that, I got fed up with windows and decided to screw the dual boot and stick with mandrake only. That didn't work either. After many error messages, it just stopped as well. Now, the only thing that's been able to work on my computer is knoppix, but I want an operating system I can actually install.

So, my question is, can anyone recommend a distro for me? It should be able to run...well..pretty much anything, since I think the problem's with hardware compatibility, or if that's not the case, could someone maybe suggest another reason why my computer doesn't like anything I try to put into it?
Thanks

by the way...

motherboard: k8v se deluxe, sound card's built into the motherboard
cpu: amd althalon 64 3.0 Ghz
hd: maxtor 160 GB 7200 rpm
memory: 512 DDR

Well, knoppix is based on debian. ;)

It all depends on what you like and what you want to do with it.

For overviews and reviews go to Distrowatch

The only two of the *major* distributions I personally recommend to people are Debian and Slackware

Ubuntu is a new distro based on Debian

BTW, this question is asked probably at least once a day on these LQ forums. To find others opinions try taking advantage of the LQ Search feature.

There could be a potential issue with your hardware. Using knoppix, run fsck and see if anything changes
BTW: there is a way to do a Knoppix installation to hard-disk (as opposed to Live CD) if you like the interface.

I ran fsck and the exit code I got was 1.35

Does that mean there's any problems?

lol just realized that 1.35 was the version...nvrmind the last post.

hi,

you have a 64bit CPU (AMD Athlon 64 3.0GHz).
Why don't you give a try to 64bit version of the OS that you want to install?

An "easy" distro, which has a 64 version, is Fedora Core 2
http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pu.../2/x86_64/iso/
ftp://ftp.linux.ncsu.edu/mirror/ftp....e/2/x86_64/iso

SuSE has a 64 bit version too btw

I use Debian, but if you try it, be aware that the stable (Woody, r3) version uses old libraries and packages and you won't be able to use a lot of modern software. I haven't tried the unstable or developement versions.

It's testing and unstable. In my experience testing is more stable than some "stable" versions of some well known distros. The surrent "testing" Sarge, which I gave a link to, is already very stable and is about to go "officially" stable in place of Woody. By the time packages make it to testing from unstable, many of the bugs are already gone.

Thanks for the correction. If I reinstall, I'll try testing.