I purchased an HP Pavilion 752n computer with Windows XP installed on August 8th 2002. I deleted Windows XP and the “D” partition where it resided to eliminate a problem that I was experiencing. I used 'fdisk' obtained from a Windows ME startup disk. Then I purchased a new copy of Windows ME, Linux Red Hat 8.0, Linux Mandrake 9.0 and have unable to attain a satisfactory installation. The problem appears to be related to BIOS. Can anyone offer this newbie some needed help? I have heeded past warnings "Not to upgrade to Linux simply to get rid of Microsoft' but that warning was incorrect. Now I am going to get rid of Microsoft in spite of the fact that I may have lost an expensive computer because I didn't get rid of them sooner.

You really need to give us more info...and, BTW, XP is a whole lot better than ME.

But, back to the problem...
[list=a][*]-1 is to forget Red Hat and cuddle up to the better -USER- OS...Mandrake.[*]-2 Windows needs to be installed first.[*]-3 We need to know exactly what error messages you are getting, and when.[/list=a]

Informed people really don't care for the companies/computers that insert their own prefs...like some of the things they do to tie you to their "Preferred Operating System".

My wife has an eMachines & no matter what OS we put on it, it still comes up with their stupid eMachines splash screen before the OS loads.

Yes!...they screw with their BIOS's.

Sometimes though there is a way to get around it. I am sure I could play with the BIOS and get rid of that stupis splash screen...but it would be too much trouble.

Anyway, I haven't heard anything about HP doing anything to prohibit a Linux Install. It is probably something as simple as disabling the PnP (Plu N Play) in the BIOS.

Have you tried that?

One of those OSes that you obtained should give you an error message of some sort that will give the rest of a clue as to what is preventing you from getting satisfactory results.

More info, please !!

I'd dump Mandy and install RH 8.0! Otherwise the advice is the same.

Actually, try both. Like most of us you will gravitate to one. When you figure out which one that is for you, delete the other one (you won't use it!)

I'm also in the group wondering why you chose Windows Me over XP. I'm not an XP fan, but it is so much better than Me.

To be perfectly honest (as both a 98&Me and Mandy user) you'd have been better off forgetting Me and going with 98SE. Once 98SE is fully patched, it can do all the things Me can do and is more stable.

To reiterate - what errors are you getting?

I've been using windows since DOS 3.2, and followed the progression all the way through.

Till I actually used Win2K & WinXP I didn't have the slightest clue of the difference. As far as I was concerned (for the most part) Windows was Windows.

Thankfully they aren't.

Win2k and WinXP are about 100x more reliable & less likely to crash than Win98 of any flavor.

As much as I hate to say it Win2k & WinXP are amazing.

I used to get the BSOD 2-3 times a day with 98SE (fully patched) but Win2k ran almost 2 months before I got a BSOD.

And trust me...I stress the OS...no matter what it is.

No...not games...many, many programs at once. My tray looks like a zoo; and my taskbar is two lines deep most of the time.

When I am running Windows....

In Linux I am using 4 Desktops all the time. I have 6 browser windows open right now in Opera alone. Gkrellm shows me running 100 processes.

I agree W2K is far more stable than the 95 tree - I assumed that since he had gone to Me rather than W2K that he wanted a non-NT based system.

I personally have to use W2K at work but nonly use Me for 2 programs which aren't on my Linux box. mmmmm, Linux - far more stable than those *other* OSes

I'm stuck DB'ing due to several programs not avail. in Linux.

I am trying to get better TV/video support for my All-In-Wonder card so that I can properly run my Security Camera at night. As it is I have to boot into Windows just before midnight so that my security camera will work.

So far the help I have gotten in Linux is as if I were simply wanting to watch TV. I need to get the TV & SCANTV working properly so I can go on to the next step. Since my card is quite a bit different than the normal TV card, no one seems to have anything that really works very well. Every time I turn around trying to get something to work...another headache erupts.

But...I hope he gets -HIS- headaches worked out.

John Manion, are you still here?

All the opinions about one OS or another notwithstanding, we would like to help you with your problem. But in order to do that, we need a definition of your problem.

What is the error that the BIOS is returning?

Cool! This went from a question about a BIOS error to a debate/discussion on the better version of winbloze. Amazing how some threads take twists and turns.

I'm gonna give a shot in the dark that you just need to change the boot order, to make the CD boot first. If you aren't able to install *any* OS, this would be, to me, the logical problem.

Oh, and btw, XP sucks a$$. Yes it's stabler, but at what price? Not very many older apps works on it without alot of attention (sometimes more attention than it would take to get a winbloze app to run on linux!), it allows users who know JACK about their systems to really dork em up, everyone wants to be an admin on their home systems.

I don't know, I am probably just an unkowledgable person when it comes to win, but I think they haven't progressed ever. It's a continual small improvement, but because of the massive degression, it's still a step backwards with every release.

Cool

...killing time & waiting for Mr. Manion to give us more info.

The thread didn't change, we (I anyway) were just adding some comments in order to keep Mr. Manion's question from falling out of sight.

How many times has one of -YOUR- questions simply fallen out of sight on the forum?

I wonder if he found his problem?

When it comes to Vendow$ as the name applies it a incomplete OS.
BugsR us in vendow$.
The price is too high to allow one OS to dominate the market, you become a slave to them, and they have no incenative to improve and make their product better as a result you just a facelift and nothing more- plus as added benifit they get to see and screw up your computer at no extra charge- just leave it open to them as you agreed to in the EULA.....

ALthough Linux has it problems and short falls it is a much better OS.

And as for ME-- if you are really stupid enough to leave on their more than
a day-- then it your problem...

Have a great day mate.
ikw38

Oh probably at least half, but then I'll give em a bump

I think I am one of the extremely lucky ones who haven't had a lot of questions go unanswered. If you see Mik or linuxcool around the board, they are the main reason for this. They have really done me a great service on here, and have answered some of, what seem to me to be very rough questions, with, what appears to seem to them, the easiest of responses. A much needed asset here if you ask me.



Thanks guys!

John, is it ok if we hijack your thread a bit more?

Cool

Thanks Masterc - You have always been very kind to share your advise many times to this newbie in the Linux world. Always it seemd that you go the extra mile to explain thngs- unlike some who are more concern with coming up with smart rancor- biting rebukes- you just try to answer the questions.
For this I thank you- !!!

Hopefully I can pass the knowlege on to others one day for this is war against a giant that cannot be won without help from all of our friends.

ikw38

Thank you If you are here long enough though, you'll see what I mean. Those 2 are amazing.

Cool