Amen on the Arch beginners guide and their wiki also.
They're both hard to beat.
It sounds as if what the OP has, has been hammered pretty good before he got it.
It sounds more like the OP simply needs a useable system installed so he can move forward.
Myself, I would recommend starting out with PCLinuxOS as a decent system to get started and be able to read up more about Linux and get accustomed to it all.
Provided of course the OP has a useable dvd r/w to burn the .iso with.
He then would be better prepared to make more informed decisions.

Randy, most of the available Linux systems use what are called live cd's or live dvd's.
More than likely you have an i386 computer so you would just google to an appropriate site.
Since Arch was mentioned and now PCLinuxOS, you would pick one, read about it and decide what you want.
If you choose Arch, you would have to make a good bit of notes to get it installed.
Download the appropriate .iso [probably i386 or x86, depending on how they have it listed] and burn it to a cd >AS AN IMAGE< not a data file.
Plug the cd into the appropriate coffee cup holder and reboot the system.
You may have to direct your bios to boot to the cd, but we'll hope it will boot to it by itself.
Then follow your notes.
Having another pc to read the directions from would help immensely.
If you choose pclinuxos,, you would download the appropriate ,iso from them.
If I recall correctly, they have a dvd .iso.
I think it's listed as i686.
You would burn the .iso to the dvd,, again, >AS AN IMAGE<.
Plug it in and reboot,, the instructions are provided on the dvd with each step.
It pretty much does everything for you with little more than entering your root/admin password and user name plus password.
At least you would have a useable system to allow you to enjoy things and learn at your own pace instead of a crash course.
If you have to do this from windows, someone else will have to tell you what free program will burn images.
It's been so many years I no longer know.

Note: Most live cd's and dvd's also boot to a fully functional working environment as well depending on the distribution and your experience level, so you should be able to surf or whatever with something like PCLinuxOS.,,, just not at top speed.

Hi! Sorry to take so long to get back with you. My 9.04 has crashed. It won't boot beyond a jumble of colours on the monitor. I've been told that it's a normal boot screen showing too big for the monitor. I took the tower to the Freegeek Columbus lab this afternoon and a couple of computer geeks worked on it for a couple of hours. The verdict was "We don't know." I'm to bring it back tomorrow to wipe the disk and reinstall from scratch.

Right now, I'm on a live 9.04 cd. But my cd-rom won't install it, citing an error at 32% of the download. I should probably just wait until tomorrow for someone to do it who knows what they're doing.

They put in another graphics card; but to my disappointment, took it back out after deciding that the graphics card wasn't the problem. I'm going to suggest that it won't hurt to have a better one.

This sucker has been 75% frustration and disappointment for the whole time I've had it. If I had the money to replace it, I'd throw it out the window. All the text is fine print; I have to click zoom in 8 times to read clearly and then it goes back to fine print every time I go to a new page. "No Squint" won't install because this new (?) cd has obsolete packages and the packages won't update because of other obsolete packages!

I went to Archlinux a few days ago -- I found the article "Arch compared to other Distributions" particularly informative. Would it be practical to dual boot Arch educational purposes and Pclinuxos for more practical reasons? Or Arch and Suse? Or better yet, try 'em all [if I can get 'em free (as in free beer, in this particular context)]. No, I don't have a dvd r/w.

I wonder if the contents of the live disk is "on" my desktop and I can take out the cd and put in another to download? Off I go. Thanks for your attention, consideration, and advice.

Cheers,

R!

At this point in time, that's likely the smartest thing to do. Another smart thing to do would be to get familiar with what the reinstalled system itself offers, before resorting to installing foreign Windows software that requires an emulator, or before installing other distros.

They'll likely reinstall Ubuntu on it, which should be fine. It's as good as any for getting familiar with Linux.

For regular use (IE, surfing the net, reading and writing documents, enjoying multimedia) Linux/Ubuntu will be all you'll need. See this site here to get an idea of some of the programs that are available. Ubuntu would have most of these available for easy installation (from right within Ubuntu). No need to install external (aka source) or foreign (IE, OS-X or Windows) programs. Messing around like that is a sure way to break things.
No, it would not. The most practical thing would be to properly use and get comfortable with the reinstalled system that the FreeGeek Columbus workers set up.

Randymanme,

Very good: reading tutorial is the shortcut to asking many questions.
By the way, Ubuntu has a very capable "proprietary driver" handling application, it is called "EnVy" (not sure of the spelling) but actually it is not located at the Administration Folder, you can go to Menu>Accessories>System or about there. If enVy is not installed you can install it via Synaptic, very easy online installation. EnVy has a two options to Search and Install the correct proprietary driver, it offers a GUI (dialogue popup) and a terminal based command.

hope this helps.

good luck.

That tutorial is over 500 pages long! Some shortcut.

This is all strangely reminiscent of the classic Switch to Linux cartoon.

Hi, everybody,

Yesterday, at the Freegeek lab, the gentleman who told me to come back wasn't able to make it. The other gentleman was of the opinion that it wouldn't ultimately do any good to wipe the disk and reinstall since the problem appeared to be outside of the os. He told me to go to the shelves of completed towers, test a few, and make my selection.

I was taken aback by the variations. I thought they utilized more of a standardized method of operation. Anyway, here's the one I settled on:
Compaq Presario 543OUS series 5000
RAM 256Mb; Clock 1.8 Gb
Hard Drive 30 Gb
16X Max* DVD-ROM; CD-RW
NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver
Ubuntu 8.04; Ff 3.0
Because of the nature of the recycling process, any of that information (other than the last two lines) may or may not be correct.

I went to Alien Dot Net Blog>Ubuntu 8.04 Setup Guide, where it is recommended that I open a terminal and put in Medibuntu Repositories. I pasted the commands into the terminal and here's what I got (seems like I've been in this boat before but what I was advised to do then may not be appropriate now):


~$ sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/`lsb_release -cs`.list --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list && sudo apt-get -q update && sudo apt-get --yes -q --allow-unauthenticated install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get -q update
--15:07:02-- http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list
=> `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list'
Resolving www.medibuntu.org... 87.98.242.110
Connecting to www.medibuntu.org|87.98.242.110|:80...
failed: Connection refused.
~$ sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
--15:13:28-- http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list
=> `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list'
Resolving www.medibuntu.org... 87.98.242.110
Connecting to www.medibuntu.org|87.98.242.110|:80... failed: Connection refused.
~$
Now, what really stands out to me is that Aliencam dot net blog didn't give me those commands, but, rather sent me to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu, and I copied and pasted them right off the page.

Will someone tell me how to get Medibuntu Repositories in my computer?
I got more to ask, but perhaps I should start another thread.

As always, thank you so much for all the help, advice, and community. You're making me feel like I belong.

Warm regards,

Randymanme

Try replacing 'lsb_release-cs' with hardy (see below):

Thank you very much. I looks like it worked; update manager says I have 4 updates regarding Medibuntu -- although they didn't completely go through because of that java error.

~$ sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list && sudo apt-get -q update && sudo apt-get --yes -q --allow-unauthenticated install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get -q update
[sudo] password for freegeek:
--00:25:08-- http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list
=> `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list'
Resolving www.medibuntu.org... 87.98.242.110
Connecting to www.medibuntu.org|87.98.242.110|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 276 [text/plain]

100%[====================================>] 276 --.--K/s

00:25:11 (12.02 MB/s) - `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list' saved [276/276]

Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com hardy/partner Translation-en_US
Ign http://ftp.osuosl.org hardy/ Release.gpg
Ign http://ftp.osuosl.org hardy/ Translation-en_US
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy Release.gpg
Get:1 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy Release.gpg [197B]
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/free Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/non-free Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy Release
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates Release.gpg
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ftp.osuosl.org hardy/ Release
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports Release.gpg
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/main Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy Release [11.7kB]
Ign http://ftp.osuosl.org hardy/ Packages
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security Release.gpg
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://ftp.osuosl.org hardy/ Packages
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy/partner Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed Release.gpg
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy/partner Sources
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/universe Translation-en_US
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy Release
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates Release
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports Release
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security Release
Get:3 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/free Packages [6334B]
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed Release
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/restricted Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/main Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/restricted Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/universe Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/universe Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy/multiverse Sources
Get:4 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/non-free Packages [7345B]
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/main Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/universe Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/universe Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-updates/multiverse Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/restricted Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/universe Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-backports/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/main Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/universe Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/universe Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/restricted Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/main Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/multiverse Packages
Hit http://ubuntu.osuosl.org hardy-proposed/universe Packages
Hit http://apt.freegeek.org hardy Release.gpg
Ign http://apt.freegeek.org hardy/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://apt.freegeek.org dapper Release.gpg
Hit http://web.freegeek.org freegeek Release.gpg
Ign http://web.freegeek.org freegeek/public Translation-en_US
Ign http://web.freegeek.org freegeek/ubuntu Translation-en_US
Ign http://apt.freegeek.org dapper/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://apt.freegeek.org hardy Release
Hit http://web.freegeek.org freegeek Release
Hit http://apt.freegeek.org dapper Release
Ign http://web.freegeek.org freegeek/public Packages
Ign http://apt.freegeek.org hardy/main Packages
Ign http://web.freegeek.org freegeek/ubuntu Packages
Ign http://apt.freegeek.org dapper/main Packages
Hit http://web.freegeek.org freegeek/public Packages
Hit http://apt.freegeek.org hardy/main Packages
Hit http://web.freegeek.org freegeek/ubuntu Packages
Hit http://apt.freegeek.org dapper/main Packages
Fetched 25.6kB in 12s (2059B/s)
Reading package lists...
W: GPG error: http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy Release: The following signatures couldn't be verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 2EBC26B60C5A2783
W: You may want to run apt-get update to correct these problems
Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
The following NEW packages will be installed:
medibuntu-keyring
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
1 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 3448B of archives.
After this operation, 49.2kB of additional disk space will be used.
WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
medibuntu-keyring
Authentication warning overridden.
Get:1 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/free medibuntu-keyring 2008.04.20 [3448B]
Fetched 3448B in 0s (9309B/s)
Selecting previously deselected package medibuntu-keyring.
(Reading database ... 106241 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking medibuntu-keyring (from .../medibuntu-keyring_2008.04.20_all.deb) ...
Setting up sun-java6-doc (6-14-0ubuntu1.8.04) ...
This package is an installer package, it does not actually contain the
JDK documentation. You will need to go download one of the
archives:

jdk-6u10-docs.zip jdk-6u10-docs-ja.zip

(choose the non-update version if this is the first installation).
Please visit

http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/

now and download. The file should be owned by root.root and be copied
to /tmp.

[Press RETURN to try again, 'no' + RETURN to abort]

I install wine.then i execute kmplayer.exe.that installed properly but when i try to ply any song i got message " invalid argument error occurred when creating file graph." please help me how i solve this problum. one another software(.exe file) i install but they also not working properly.

Let me go straight to what I think is your best option: go back to where you got your Kmplayer and get a VLC Media Player. Hopefully, you didn't pay (money) for it.

In this same thread, dezza told me: You cannot install FFDShow to Linux, or .. You probably can, through wine, but it will have no effect .. You can use mplayer, Xine, and many others for viewing video.

i92guboj explained that: I am not sure if FFDShow will work under wine, but, if it does at all, will only be for the windows media players that you run under wine, and not for the linux ones. . . Linux programs have absolutely no means to know that you installed FFDShow. [S/he is referring to FFDShow as an .exe file – meaning that Linux has no inherent way of recognizing any .exe file, Kmplayer included.] From what I gather, that your Kmplayer “ . . . installed properly . . . “ is tantamount to an illusion – as far as your Linux operating system is concerned, it isn't even there; much less “there properly.”

Personally, my experiences with Totem Movie Player have been better than my experiences with VLC Media Player. My advice is to try both of them, and Mplayer, and then hang with the one you like best.

There are so many high quality open source and free source media options at your immediate disposal that the notion of running (or trying to run) an .exe-based media player under Wine on Ubuntu is like a bad joke – (but a funny one, though).

Linux Questions.org is not a proprietary concern – it's all volunteer. But no matter; I can tell you from personal experience that this community (and other similar ones, too) will help you all they can to make your Ubuntu experience a very good one. Go with Linux media options and we'll do all we can to help you get them up and running to all of your hopes and expectations.