No "Install Guide" has worked yet..is there one that does?
 

Hi everyone.

I'm newbie to Linux...but not to tech things of computing.

I want to move from Windows to Linux, but have a growing collection of "ISO" disks and shrinking amount of patience.

The "Guides" to download, burn, install and setup various distros of Linux have so far, only ended in failure.

I have a wife and relatives who use our computers (5 of them) often and I want the basic look and feel of (gasp) Windows...mainly for their sake...but of all the "clear and easy to follow" guides I've tried, none have ended with a working Linux desktop environment computer.

I'm at wit's end. maybe I just can't see the forest for the trees.

Running Windows XP on all but one Vista machine.

I appreciate all the responses I will probably receive, but unless you are "very" experienced in migration from Windows to Linux, for Newbies, thanks anyway.

Everyone with a working Linux machine is, I'm sure, proud of it and the way it operates, but it, unlike all mine, is not like mine, and your success will not translate into success for me.

I have:
wireless networking
Gaming
Photo editing and printing
"Windows only" programs
Children thru Old Farts like me

and those are just the top issues I want to cover with whatever installation of a Linux Distro I get to work.

If I need to supply computer specifics for a better recommendation, I'll do so. The systems are from Quad core AMD to 750/100 processors and mostly from 1.3 Ghz and above.

I'm just frustrated with so many failures.

I'll be forever in your debt if you can help me achieve success.

Elwood Beauchamp

Hi Elwood, welcome to the forums! Please understand it is impossible to help you unless you give more information about what you have tried up to this point. ("I tried everything but nothing worked; what did I do wrong?" is a difficult question to answer.) What difficulties, failures, error messages, etc. have prevented you from using Linux up to this point?

A good first step to get started is to create a "Live CD" of a beginner-friendly Linux "distro" and then boot your computer from that CD to try Linux "with no change to your computer." Just as you would not buy a car without test driving it, so too should you not begin a Linux install until you have used it extensively in Live mode.

Ubuntu is a very popular beginner's distro, and here are instructions for burning and booting an Ubuntu Live CD:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD

If it does not work, please be specific about whatever problem you're having, and I'll do my best to help. :)

I would recommend Linux Mint as an out of the box similar look and feel to Windows. I agree with snowpine however that without knowing where you are getting stuck it is kinda
difficult to help you.

I would probably point out that you may be disappointed (or at least the kids) if you are going to try and run any current games as linux is generally not supported
in the gaming arena.

Most of your other needs will be easily met, but you may require some patience to get some of your Windows only apps working in wine.

"Gaming
Photo editing and printing
"Windows only" programs"

Two of those are a problem. Most gaming can not be done on anything other than windows. Sure there are similar games and some ways to run some programs. There are ways too that can run an xp computer in virtual land with any of a few Virtual Machine applications (along with your copy of windows)

There is also a way to use some of windows programs though a special application called wine and it's commercial version crossover office. There are many windows "like" and clones of windows apps too.

For the most part you may be stuck unless you can get past gaming and windows programs.

Thanks for the helpful replies. I gave it another go, and have OpenSuse 11.3 loaded, updated and running on a Windows hard drive. now just sorting out how to locate and load drivers for anything that may not have been Autoconfiged during setup. OpenSuse really has a comprehensive detection and setup package.

My wireless LAN card is not supported by the mfg. for Linux, however, I was able to enter my LAN vital statistics, and it works perfectly.

If there is a page link for technical info and drivers for various hardware/printers,etc. I would be most grateful.

I have a Compaq Presario 750 Mhz, 100 desktop I am to setup with a Linux Distro, and am open to suggestions. I will have 768K ram and a 4 GB IDE hard drive.

I am looking at DSL distro for that machine...opinions?

Glad you have Linux up and running, hooray!

If by DSL you mean Damn Small Linux, I recommend against it... it is a dead project, last updated 2008. A couple of currently-active projects that target older hardware include Puppy and SliTaz. But you may be able to install even a full-featured distro like OpenSUSE if you choose a lightweight desktop environment like Xfce or LXDE. :)

I can also recommend SliTaz although with these distros I find you will need a little more patience as they generally have less in them, obviously to keep them small, hence
not as full featured as say your OpenSuse install.

On the lightweight desktop side I would also add fluxbox.

Thanks for the tip on DSL...I'll try installing OpenSuse 11.3 on that machine with the lightweight desktop...all I need is Internet access via LAN and Printer access....(internet box for the Grand Kids)