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jjf 09-03-2005 10:09 PM

Linux Newbie: need help burning bootable ISO of SimplyMEPIS
 
Hi, everyone. I teach at a small private school that received a donation of nine PIII / 256 mb RAM machines. We can't afford 9 copies of XP, so we're looking for a free Linux OS distro with an easy to use GUI. After doing some reading here, I chose MEPIS.

So first question: good choice? I get the impression that the geeks are tired of fielding this particular newbie question ("which distribution of Linux..."), but I hope my list of conditions makes it easier to answer:

- easy for middle school kids to use (Firefox & OpenOffice, mostly)
- can run smoothly on PIII / 256mb RAM
- will play nicely with the Linksys router and Windows file/print sharing
- doesn't require me (the de facto network admin) to ever look at a single command line unless a mad fever overcomes me such that I simply must bash the root's shell with my massive manpages (or whatever)
- free

I went to the MEPIS website. Their subscription model confuses me. It appears that it's optional, because their site sends me to the .torrent I need. I download it, and it's a .RAR, not an ISO. Unarchiving it gives me a folder with a number of subfolders (boot, floppies, linux, pkgs). I tried burning the highest level folder to a CD with my burning software (CDBurner XP Pro 3) set to make it a bootable ISO, but there are a number of settings I don't understand. ISO Level 1 vs. Level 2? Emulation Type Floppy, HardDisc (sic), No Emulation (the one I chose)?

I'm about to go try my resulting CD now, but I'm not optimistic. Did I just download the wrong file, and need to go find and download a Mepis 3.3 ISO with a LetMeHoldYourSissyHand.txt help file?

Thanks for your help.

aysiu 09-03-2005 10:23 PM

I don't know why you ended up with a .rar instead of an .iso.
So, when I went to the Mepis downloads page, I clicked on the first mirror site.
Then, I got this screen http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...offtp--ftp.png

At that point, you should right-click and save the first link after the folders (SimplyMEPIS 3.3.1-1.iso). That's the one you should burn as a disc image.

floppywhopper 09-04-2005 06:38 AM

two answers
* personally i would recommend Mandrake, Suse or Ubuntu
I am using Mepis on my computer but .....
but I prefer Mandrake

* anyway to help you burn the iso when you get it
here is a how-to for Nero in windows

Nero
How to Burn a CD using Nero

Version 6 (Ultra)


--- Step 1 Launch Nero.

--- Step 2 Select "Copy and Backup" icon near top right of dialog box.

--- Step 3 Choose "Burn Image to Disc"

--- Step 4 Choose "Image Files (x.nrg;x.iso;x.cue)" from the "Files of type:" drop-down list.

--- Step 5 Navigate to the .iso file. Dbl-click on it or select it and choose "Open" button.

--- Step 6 Choose the "Write Speed" and "Number of copies" values on the Image Recording dialog box. Click Next.

--- Step 7 If you don't have a CD in the drive, Nero will ask you for one. Otherwise, Nero begins the burn process.

--- Step 8 Unless there was a problem, you're done. Nero has a couple of more screens.


Version 5.5 or earlier

--- Step 1 Insert a blank CD into the CD writer

--- Step 2 Launch Nero.

--- Step 3 In the File menu, select "Burn CD image".

--- Step 4 Choose as file type: all files (.), since Nero expects files with the NRG suffix.

--- Step 5 Select the ISO image file

--- Step 6 You will see a dialog box asking if you want to supply detailed image parameters.
(for later versions, these are the default values)

Enter the following parameters:

* Type of image: Data Mode 1
* Block size: 2048 bytes per sector
* File precursor and image trailer: 0 length
* No scrambled and no Swapped.

--- Step 7 Click on "burn". If the program complains that there are errors in the image file, click on the button "Ignore" and launch the burning.



finally where are you and your school
there may be a LUG or someone here near you

floppy

jjf 09-04-2005 07:13 AM

D'oh. I'm an idiot. It is an ISO, aysiu. Apparently when I installed WinRAR, I chose to associate ISO's with it. The icon looks like a RAR, and r-click > properties calls it a "WinRAR file." A short trip to the command prompt reveals it is in fact an ISO.

Thanks for the help. I'll try burning that as an bootable CD.

aysiu 09-04-2005 10:34 AM

Make sure to burn it as a CD image.

You may also want to check Point and Click Linux out in a library or bookstore, and you may want to print out the Mepis user guide. Neither is very comprehensive, but they should give you a good place to start when you're booting up Mepis for the first time.

Majere 10-01-2005 10:13 AM

I suspect my issue will resolve the same answer as the last, however I want to be certain im doing it right before i jump in headfirst. I am planning myself to install mandrake on a system with the following.

Mandrake 2005 LE

PIII 1000mhz
512mb ram
GeForce 4 MX 440
Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI
MSI MS-6309

Im looking to burn my ISO Image (Which also was associated with Winrar)
To a 4.7GB dvd, via nero 6 ultra. So im inquiring first off, is it roughly the same process or is there something else I should be looking into?

My next two questions. I want to install a GUI and be able to use
PPPoE without worrying about downloading or installing any additional software other then what is on the cd. Based on the above hardware..


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