i currently use windows xp sp2, iam planning to instal a 2nd linux OS. i want one that it is popular,powerful and i can learn from. I have a free version of mandrake from a pc plus mag, what is this like?? will my motherboard,etc drivers work on this OS???
Also is there a 64 bit version ov linux available??

Thank You

What is the version of your MDK?
What is your stuff?
Yes but you should answer the previous questions to us :-)

Howdy,

Mandrake will do fine on most computers. I personally favor Fedora Core 4 but it's all a matter of preference. I would also recommend that someone just starting out pick up Running Linux from O'Reilly Press, as it is an excellent beginners book, walking you through a lot of basic tasks, helping you understand just what's going on. Please keep us updated on your progress. Hope this helps, and best of luck!

i have Mandrakelinux 10.1 Community. iam unsure what version to go 4.
my computer spec is below

also how do i install. ineed to set up dual boot.
the mdk i have is in 3 ISO files, can i just burn these to a dvd them install from there???
Thanks for all you help guys

I advice you to dl a Ubuntu64 version.
You shouldnt meet problem of compatibility, or only with your ATI graphic card.

A dual boot is propose to you during the installation.

The biggest issue is going to be partitioning your hard drive
and the easiest solution is to buy a second drive and install your chosen linux into that.

I have dual booted Windows with Mandrake, Suse, Debian, Ubuntu, Mepis, Xandros and a few others, its not that hard although IMHO Mandrake is probably the easiest to set up as it has a nice gui partition tool called disk drake.

If you have the Mandrake disks already then stick with that
just read the documentation before you do anything

http://doc.mandrivalinux.com/Mandriv.../Starter.html/

floppy

if you have a 64 bit system, then you should probably get the 64bit linux distro. You'd have to check who does one, though I know that mandrake and gentoo both do 64 bit versions.

Then after you've got the ISO's, surf for instructions for whichever burning software you have on the net - most of them have the capablility for burning iso's.

If plan to d/l under windows, you should, ideally, get an md5sum app, theres one here. You should install that, then use it to check the md5sum of each of the d/l'd iso's (get the md5sum file from the mirror). If the md5sum obtained with the app is confirmed by the d/l'd md5sum, then that's checked the integrity of the download (a single character difference can mean the difference of whether you can physically install it or not!).

If you go for mandrake, then you should be able to just boot the disc(s) and it will offer to manage partitioning for you (I understand that that works well). It won't touch the XP other than to shrink it if theres no obvious location/space for the linux install.

The only thing you'll often have to meddle with, is video/graphics drivers (nvidia cards have considerably better support under linux). You can usually find instructions to install them at either the mandriva forum, the mandriva site, the nvidia (or the ATi ???) site or at mandrivausers.org

You will need to have the bootloader install at the first section of the main hard drive - it _WILL_ overwrite the windows one, but should give you a windows boot option (it might not call it XP, maybe something like NT or maybe just windows).

If it does go "pear shaped", then don't panic, just boot the first mandrake/mandriva disc and when it asks what you want to do, you just press the key for advanced/other options, then type rescue and follow the instructions to re-install the windows bootloader (you can also do that the other way).

regards

John

i have got 2 hard drives "Western Digital Raptor 74 x2".

So if i d/load a 64 bit version ov linux MDK if pos (is there one on this website??), put it on to a dvd, then boot from cdrom it will create a partition/s on my 2nd HD and install??
Also can i access the 2nd HD from windows and use it like i would now?

Follow the links from here reg and I'm presuming that the x86_64 bit version will work (dunno, cos I ain't got a 64 bit machine yet!). You should be able to locate a dvd version of it i.e. saves messin' with cd versions on a dvd - the dvd usually has the lot on the one disc.

Guessing, but it should (allegedly) see all the connected hdd's and ask you where you want to put it. I understand that the partitioning facilty is supposed to be pretty good.

Bung the disc in and give it a try - don't forget, if you're downloading/burning under windows, make sure that you search for, download and install the md5summer app first. Then download the iso(s) and the md5sum file. Then run the iso(s) file(s) through the md5summer app, to get a checksum number - which should be the same as the one that you get from the mirror - even a single character error can mean the difference between getting "it" installed and not!

Burn the iso(s) according to any instructions you have for your burning software - if you ain't got any, then theres usually something available on the net (I started doing all my stuff with nero 6 under windows, till I got shot of windows completely).

When it gets to the installing the bootloader section of install, you will have to put it on the first section of the first HDD for it too know to offer you the dual boot, otherwise you have to have a boot floppy/disc of some sort, or mess around with changing the boot order in the bios - all a pain in the ring!

Yes it will overwrite the windows MBR (major boot record). But that don't matter 'cos if you think theres snags, then you can just reboot the disc and when it asks, you tell it you want advanced/other options, then put in "rescue" (no quotes) and then just follow the instructions to re-install the windows bootloader (it also works the other way to reinstall the linux one).

For some "light reading", have a look at the mandriva forum here at LQ, or at mandrivas site, or also there lots of distro specific stuff here

regards

John

p.s. maybe you should put a location, cos sometimes peeple have spare discs etc that they don't mind putting in the post (hell, you never know, there might even be another linux weirdo living next door! I get stacks of help from one of the blokes at work!

ive done a bit ov research and ive come accross Gentoo Linux 64bit thats looks very good.
Is this a goo OS? and is it easy to install??

Well as I say, I've not done any 64 bit stuff.

As too whether it's easy to install - yes but no. Not such an easy question to answer.

Baring in mind, that my system is a pretty straight forward one i.e. single EIDE hard drive, pci graphics/sound/network cards (nvidia graphics, Soundblaster live 5.1 digital and a single port network card (PCWorld) - I've installed it a couple of times and learned that it's quite easy(ish) if it's done as a "Stage 3 + GRP" install - which is, co-incidentally, the quickest way to install it, minimal compiling and the GRP (gentoo reference platform) packages are actually pre-compiled binaries.

I've also found that I had to follow the install handbook _RELIGIOUSLY_ with only a minor deviation in partitioning i.e. the default is /boot, /, swap. I also have a /home so that I can pretty much change distro at will (not going too though as it's been easier to settle on the gentoo this time) and not loose any customisation/data/address book stuff etc etc if I did change (perhaps I should get my stupid head into the routine of backing stuff up).

If you check out all of the possibly relevant gentoo docs, you'll notice that it pretty much supports all the newer type tech i.e. SATA, Raid, etc etc but that may need extra config/compilation - I always use "genkernel" to configure my kernel, quick and easy. I don't know enough about my hardware to feel confident to try manual compilation (also explained in the install guide).

You could part install, and as long as you can follow the bit about booting the install disc and the "chrooting" into the new system until it's bootable from a bootloader (lilo or the gentoo default suggestion of grub), then you can still get to a windows system etc to ask Q's etc.

Or maybe you have something else connected to be able to ask Q's and view the install handbook while you install/build the system (I use my partners laptop, too save me the hassle of printing off too much documentation, or having to get into or out of additional screens to access a text browser until I've got the graphical desktop).

So really, it's still a yes/no answer. It's possible. It will make you learn whats going on "under the bonnet". It's quite easy to manage as a system when it's installed, but yes, I'd normally say that it's better to have some prior experience/knowledge beforehand.

If you're familiar with hardware/systems to a level above the average "joe user" with windows, then fine. You know that the system isn't going to explode if you press the wrong key.

Otherwise, I'd say go for the mandriva to familiar yourself some - don't use it to produce too much data. Then once you feel happy, then give gentoo a try.

As ever, it's up to you.

regards

John

p.s. I can't emphasise enough, that if you did try gentoo, to stick to exactly what the install handbook says.

Hey there,

I have had success twice in setting up a computer with dual-boot OS's....the system I am currently using is an AMD Athlon originally with Win XP Pro, sp-2. In this case I installed a second harddrive(as a slave) and installed Debian Linux (Ubuntu 6.06) on it. It works very well, although you have to choose which OS to boot from a menu that appears with a countdown timer. If you don't pay attention while the timer is counting, your system will choose the Linux OS as default once the timer reaches zero. The first computer that I set up for dual-boot worked just as well, although I believe I had installed Linux on the same drive as Windows XP sp-2. I installed Windows XP first and then Debian Linux, with minimal advice from friends. Never had a problem using dual-boot, and that was my first time doing so. That system eventually malfunctioned due to a bad hard-drive. Any questions when you attempt to install on your system, feel free to ask me. I will attempt to help the best I can.



5knightshade5