Ok soon I shall take that Linuxy plunge, however...

[lazygamer]

In 1 to 5 days I should be taking that plunge. Im sure my bios manual will mention how to boot off of a CD if I can't figure it out.

Now I'd like to give you all thanks for convincing me of the inferiority of MS, and the superiority of Linux. Im quite nervous about the whole jump thing so I just want to confirm.

I want Wind0ze 98 on the C drive for the time being, that means it has to share with Linux. Now I clear it all off(format using standard format stuff, creating one giant paritition) then install windows98. After that, I boot with the Mandrake CD, and there should be an option to make it "adjust" the giant C partition to make a new partition for Linux(while still keeping Windows content) correct?

Ok perhaps that's fine, but what about sizes? 8 gigs of room on my HD, how much should Wind0ze get, how much should Mandrake get? I have 384mb ram and a 433 celeron btw.

One more question, does Mandrake include something that will easily add itself to my current boot menu for windows XP and Windows 98?

Sorry if I already went over some of this stuff, but im just nervous. I REALLY don't wanna be caught with my pants down on this. If Mandrake wants to be silly after booting then fine, im sure we can work on that. I just want it and W98 to happily co-exist together and install correctly.

I don't really know how to format a drive 100%, although i'll be getting some help. Problem is, that help isn't exactly pro-linux(but is far from a windows zombie). My help is very curious about Linux, but has never installed it himself. So it's my job to be the Linux d00d, I just don't want everything to come to a screeching halt.  

[TheQuirk]

I want Wind0ze 98 on the C drive for the time being, that means it has to share with Linux. Now I clear it all off(format using standard format stuff, creating one giant paritition) then install windows98. After that, I boot with the Mandrake CD, and there should be an option to make it "adjust" the giant C partition to make a new partition for Linux(while still keeping Windows content) correct?

Correct. Put in your windows98 CD and say boot from CD (don't pick install). Then type in "fdisk" and delete al the partions (it will tell you how to.)

Reboot again, this time install Windows. When that's done, put in your mandrake CD, follow the onscreen instrucitons, and when you hit the "partioning" part, click expert. From there select the big square and on the left hand there should either be a "rezise" or "properties" button. Click it, and resize it to, lets say, 3 gigabytes? You will then have  alarge "white" square. Create a new partion, about 500 megabytes, and select the type to be "swap." Then create another one with the mount point "/" and "ext3" filesystem. as for the size, it should fill all up the available space (you'll eventually might want to repartion your drive to have a /home partion and a smaller / partion, but not now). Click "write" or whatever the button is, and then select next. You'll be asked to select all the packages you want to install. After it installs the packages, it will ask other questions like your root password. When you're done, it will ask  you if you want to install "graphical lilo," "lilo" or grub. Pick any of them. I prefer grub. Press next, and you're done!

Just to let you know, this is all out of memmory, so maybe the names of the buttons are slighly off.

Edit: This is my 200th post!

[ August 03, 2002: Message edited by: TheQuirk ]

[TheQuirk]

http://mikeshelp.whidbey.com/mdk_entry.html

Really bad screenshots of the installation, but they're step by step. Only problem is the selected "use free space" for the partioning -- at least you'll see everything else..

If anyone else is intrested, that same site has redhat installation screenshots:

http://mikeshelp.whidbey.com/redhat_insta.html

[trc3]

Dont worry lazygamer, I was nervous to, I thought it would be much harder but really it is very easy.  Mandrake is just as easy as any windows to install, just pick your partitions and answer a few questions and then your done. and it takes about half the time winderz does.

[creedon]

quote:Originally posted by trc3:
Dont worry lazygamer, I was nervous to, I thought it would be much harder but really it is very easy.  Mandrake is just as easy as any windows to install, just pick your partitions and answer a few questions and then your done. and it takes about half the time winderz does.

Actually, since about 1999, I've felt that Linux is easier to install than ANY version of Windows.  Partitioning is very straight-forward, and once you're by that the rest is CAKE.  Don't be nervous; the ABSOLOUTE worst case scenario is a re-install; it's just a machine- YOU'RE the boss, not it.

[Kat]

On the Mandrake site, there is a click-thru demo of the installer.  http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/demos/Demo/Mandrake8.2/Install/

Plus, there are two installation classes: Reccommended and Expert.  I reccommend Expert. There is nothing really "expert" about it; it is just more hands on.  Just make sure you write down your hardware info on a piece of paper before you install. And don't be nervous. I installed Mandrake three weeks ago and it was    really easy and painless.

[Bazoukas]

One thing to always keep in mind.

 Linux Is not Windows.

 Unlearn what you learned. Dont go into Linux with a Windows frame of mind.

 Thats what i did and for 2 months straight my head was hurting like shit each time i was using Linux.

 Give your self some time to get used to it.

[ August 04, 2002: Message edited by: bazoukas ]

[choasforages]

go buy a book, linux is getting so damned easy to install, taht when you get it done, you don't know what the fuck to do with your new *NIX on your computer. try to get your parents to pay for half of it. and tell them that you are learning real world information technolgies that is the wave of the future, becuase ibm says so/*it worked in my case*/

and my dad borrows unix books from work. my  prize book is

The UNIX programing environment

by brian w. kernighan
and rob pike

[ August 04, 2002: Message edited by: choasforages ]

[linux-newbie]

Been there, done that so here's the way I recommend.
 
First, how about some more info...
1) do you have Win98 installed now?
2) if so, does it work reasonably well?
3) if "yes" why do you want to format and reload?
4) do you have more than one partition right now?
 
IMPORTANT: does your current hard drive use a "special" drive/partition manager (ie MaxBlast, EZ-install, etc.)? If so, do not pass go, do not collect $200 - post here and I'll try to help.
 
>> If you are going to do a fresh install of Win98, make a boot disk and add FDISK and FORMAT to it. Boot to the disk, run FDISK. DELETE all drives and partitions. CAUTION: this will delete EVERYTHING on your system!!!
 
Next, re-run FDISK and set a primary partition of 1000MB (1GB) which is more than enough for Win98 and a few good sized programs. DO NOT set up any of the remaining space. Reboot and FORMAT C: then load Win98. Set up Win98 as you wish.  
 
If you need help in using FDISK, just ask and I'll help.  Go down to the line "Next, get a soda or cup of coffee..." <<
 
 
To KEEP your Win98 intact -
 
If Win98 is ok to leave, clear out the junk such as temp files, old stuff you don't use, etc. Don't forget to delete all files from "C:\windows\temp" directory!!
 
Empty the RECYCLE bin.
 
Defrag all hard drive partitions (assuming you have more than one partition).
 
Next, set the swap file to a fixed size on the C: drive (such as Min & Max of 64MB). Reboot.
 
In the Control Panel > System > Device Mangler, write down your hardware such as video card, hd, cd, and modem (with COM port setting).
 
Borrow a copy of Partition Magic. Using PM, reduce the size of your C: drive to have 700MB free space (just enough to hold one CD of data - you never know when it comes in handy). If you have other partitions, reduce their size to +100MB each and MOVE the partitions to butt-up to the new C: drive. On the last partition (or the C: drive +700MB if you only have one drive), keep the remaining free space. Do NOT assign to a new drive or as DOS space. This will become your new Linux space.
 
Execute all of the Partition Magic changes. After the reboot, PM should show a large unassigned section of hd space.
 
Next, get a soda or cup of coffee and return to the PC.
 
Insert your Linux CD into the CD-ROM drive. Shut down Windoz. Reboot with RESET or power button and enter your BIOS setup. If you have an entry ADVANCED BIOS FEATURES, go there. Find an entry something like FIRST / SECOND / THIRD BOOT DEVICE. Select the FIRST BOOT DEVICE and change it to CD-ROM. If that isn't an option under FIRST, select FLOOPY DRIVE then go to SECOND BOOT DEVICE and select CD-ROM. Save your changes and the system will reboot using the CD-ROM drive.
 
Answer the few prompts to install Linux using the FREE SPACE on your hd. Select to instal LILO on you boot disk/partition (the C: drive). Enjoy your soda or cup of coffee. Shortly after you are done with your coffee Linux will be installed (30 to 60 minutes tpyical).
 
Enjoy the freedom.
 
Regards,
Linux-Newbie

[Tonerman]

"Select to instal LILO on you boot disk/partition (the C: drive)."

Wouldn't GRUB be more helpful with a dual boot system?  Unless you have winblows configed in some way I never figured out windows will always boot automatically... it's just pushy like that... I never mix the the Linux OS and the winblows trash heap myself.. but my friend did and used LILO and has to use a boot disk for Linux to boot and not Winblows...

or does mandrake not come with GRUB? I use Redhat 7.2 right now.... Nice in my oppinion.. got all of the fun toys like WINE and SAMBA figured out...

[lazygamer]

quote:
Been there, done that so here's the way I recommend.
First, how about some more info...
1) do you have Win98 installed now?
2) if so, does it work reasonably well?
3) if "yes" why do you want to format and reload?
4) do you have more than one partition right now?

1)Yes, and XP(late beta, no MS phone home to install BS).
2)Yes and no. It sucks somewhat, although it doesn't crash every 5, 10, or even 20 minutes. However it seems quite bloated and in-efficient.
3)Well, this helps SAFELY clean out the closets of stuff you can't safely clean or you didn't know needed to be cleaned. This time im gonna try and take better care of it. BTW, XP is being gay.
4)I have two harddrives, 8 gig and 40 gig. 8 gig is C and E. 40 gig is D. XP is on D, Wind0ze 98 is on C.

 

quote:
IMPORTANT: does your current hard drive use a "special" drive/partition manager (ie MaxBlast, EZ-install, etc.)? If so, do not pass go, do not collect $200 - post here and I'll try to help.

No, mine has no partition manager.

 

quote:
If Win98 is ok to leave, clear out the junk such as temp files, old stuff you don't use, etc. Don't forget to delete all files from "C:\windows\temp" directory!!
Empty the RECYCLE bin.
Defrag all hard drive partitions (assuming you have more than one partition).
Next, set the swap file to a fixed size on the C: drive (such as Min & Max of 64MB). Reboot.
In the Control Panel > System > Device Mangler, write down your hardware such as video card, hd, cd, and modem (with COM port setting).

Yah but I like clean slates.  

 

quote:
Borrow a copy of Partition Magic. Using PM, reduce the size of your C: drive to have 700MB free space (just enough to hold one CD of data - you never know when it comes in handy). If you have other partitions, reduce their size to +100MB each and MOVE the partitions to butt-up to the new C: drive. On the last partition (or the C: drive +700MB if you only have one drive), keep the remaining free space. Do NOT assign to a new drive or as DOS space. This will become your new Linux space.
Execute all of the Partition Magic changes. After the reboot, PM should show a large unassigned section of hd space.
Next, get a soda or cup of coffee and return to the PC.

Awww man, do I have to get PM? Can't I just use built in commands?

 

quote:Enjoy your soda or cup of coffee

Coffee/soda r0x0rs!

[voidmain]

If you are going with a clean slate then just install your other OSs without using all of the disk (leave enough free/unpartitioned space on the hard drives for Linux).

[lazygamer]

quote:Wouldn't GRUB be more helpful with a dual boot system?  Unless you have winblows configed in some way I never figured out windows will always boot automatically... it's just pushy like that... I never mix the the Linux OS and the winblows trash heap myself.. but my friend did and used LILO and has to use a boot disk for Linux to boot and not Winblows...
or does mandrake not come with GRUB? I use Redhat 7.2 right now.... Nice in my oppinion.. got all of the fun toys like WINE and SAMBA figured out...

Yes, well im wondering that too. Can a non-wind0ze boot manager shitkick wind0ze and tell it who's boss?  

I think my dual boot option was put on by XP. Although I definitly do not want to have to use a bootdisk just to get into Linux.

[Calum]

well, i find that for a straight dual boot setup, lilo or grub are both more than adequate. I have mostly used lilo with no problems, and am not trying out grub to see the difference.

since everybody else has said almost everything that could possibly be said about dual booting here, can i just show you a picture of my hard drive setup? the first two partitions (windows and linux native) should be about 2.5 gigs on an 8 Gb drive, i'd say, and all the other partitions should be fit into whatever you have left. The swap should be roughly between one and two times the size of your RAM. the more RAM you have, the less likely you will be to need a lot of swap, so you won't likely need more than 500Mb of swap at the most, in my opinion, depending on what programs you plan to run...

[lazygamer]

Oh I love those 0ldsk00l 16 color graphics.  

So Lilo, Graphical Lilo, and Grub. Pros and cons? Woulden't Lilo be best cuz it's graphical?

What about KDE and Gnome, pros and cons? I suppose I can easily try them both.

Now what packages do I want? For one thing, I'll never be running a server. Is there additional descriptions for the packages? Oh and what is individual package selection? Is that taking the pieces you want out of each package?

Now some misc questions

1:Can I tell Linux to forcefully attempt to utilize a resolution at a refresh rate of my choosing. Windows is so fucking gay, I have to have powerstrip just to get a nice refresh rate.

2:Will I ever have to worry about Linux becoming an in-efficient piece of shit needing a re-install?

3 o I need to do a clean install if I want something off the CD that I didn't choose during the installation?

4:Should I give Mandrake corp(or whoever makes mandrake) my personal data? Even though their l33t cuz their Linux, do they really have a right to my mailing address(which no one has ever been shown) or my sekrat spam-free e-mail addy? Part of the reason we get spam is that a whole shitload of companies lie about their "privacy policy".

5 :o k everything set up(well in a few days anyways), what do I do now, in this strange new land? Hop on the net and contact you guys from a Linux run browser? Learn the inner workings of my l33t Li/\/u>< distr0 so I can optimize the shit out of it? Get Half-life working under it? Set up my ICQ under it?

Hehe, Drak X will tell you if you have an easy password, ! Wind0ze never did that.  

If I didn't insert a password for a non-root account, would that simply mean that non-root account had no password? I can see no need to password out non-root accounts, cuz this is a family computer. Heck, im not so sure if I even need a root password. Does that root password simply serve to make me invunerable to hack.. err crackers?(wind0ze will always be super vunerable though) Cuz any damage done locally is pointless, if someone wanted to f0ck me up, they can easily log into wind0ze(locally). Of course, someone fucking up my comp intentionally while im in the other room, just don't see that happening.  

This actually sounds kinda easy.

[ August 06, 2002: Message edited by: lazygamer ]