a computer contest question

[Commander]

first to justify why i am posting in the general section:  because it aplies to both windows and linux.  

so, a couple of weeks ago, my teacher signed a few of us for a contest @ a local college.  we are supposed to install winxp and redhat on a pc and configure it the way they want us to.  there were some example configurations that we had to make.  i got most of the except two.

-> configuration of the desktop to boot from the harddisk
-> configuration of the desktop to boot from the cdrom

any help on how i do that would be helpful.  i have no idea how to "configure the desktop" for a booting option. a solution would be apreciated as always!    
thx

[mobrien_12]

quote:Originally posted by Commander - useSuse:
first to justify why i am posting in the general section:  because it aplies to both windows and linux.  

  there were some example configurations that we had to make.  i got most of the except two.

-> configuration of the desktop to boot from the harddisk
-> configuration of the desktop to boot from the cdrom

any help on how i do that would be helpful.  i have no idea how to "configure the desktop" for a booting option. a solution would be apreciated as always!    
thx

Ummmm... I also find this very confusing.  I think they might mean "configure the computer to boot from the hard disk" and "configure the computer to boot from the CDROM".

Well configuring the system to boot from the CDROM is done in the BIOS.

Booting from the hard disk is also done in the BIOS but you must set up a bootloader in Linux or Windows.  This is normally part of the install process.

[xyle_one]

Boot from CDROM...

Could that be something like knoppix, gentoo, or mandrakeMove? They boot and run from cd  :confused:

[Commander]

quote: Ummmm... I also find this very confusing. I think they might mean "configure the computer to boot from the hard disk" and "configure the computer to boot from the CDROM".

Well configuring the system to boot from the CDROM is done in the BIOS.

Booting from the hard disk is also done in the BIOS but you must set up a bootloader in Linux or Windows. This is normally part of the install process.  

that i could do... the grub config from redhat works like a charm.  but the word "desktop" threw me off course.

 

quote: Could that be something like knoppix, gentoo, or mandrakeMove? They boot and run from cd  

i doubt it, they said it was only redhat 9.

here is the site if u want to look @ it.  scroll down to the "Technical Aspects: Part A" table with the points.  it's the 2nd and the 3rd row.  i am worried becasue it has SO much points  

[Fett101]

quote:Originally posted by Commander - useSuse:
here is the site if u want to look @ it.

That... is the oddest thing I have ever seen. Is this supposed to be difficult?

[Commander]

considering there is 30 points on it, and noone i've asked known how to do it... it's either supposed to be hard, or the people running the contest doesnt know what they are talking about.  i dont like my odds in either of them.  

[mobrien_12]

Geez... ok discounting the possibilities that the contest writers are ignorant or have a language problem....

You could create an interpretation that they want a CD rom boot that gets you into the XP or Linux desktop.

If the PC has a CD burner, you could create a
GRUB bootable CDROM

[Refalm]

What a bunch of morons:

 

quote: Version of Linux Operating System to be installed - Linux 9.x

Last time I checked, Linux was at 2.6.4.

[WMD]

I'm sure they meant Redhat Linux 9.x.  

[xyle_one]

THen they should say RedHat 9.x, and not Linux9.x. They come off as ignorant assholes otherwise  

[WMD]

There is/was a banner ad on Netcraft that had "Linux 9.0" in it.  

[Commander]

first of all, they are what u call... assholes.  completely.
my computer screwed up in the middle of the contest for no reason and i lost half an hour.
my friend had it worse, he had to switch comps twice becauase of some hardware problems... he lost more then an hour there.  but none of us(or anyone else whose comps screwed up) got any extra time even though it was their fault...

the campus was filled with XPPROs and i dont think the "professional judes" have ever touched a *nix system before in their life (which i'm sure you all have noticed by the fact that they had redhat and linux confused).

all in all, it was a complete waste of my 7 hours and to all of you:  before you do a contest, make sure THEY know what they are doing.

EDIT: needless to say, i didnt win.  but the first "prize" was 1 year free tuition (there were no other prizes).  even if i won that, i'd think twice before ending up in that place.

[ April 01, 2004: Message edited by: Commander - useSuse ]