Installing Linux On My Pc

okay you do know that Virtual PC is emulating it.. so.. linux gets installed into a "file" on windows or mac for instance.. your not installing it on your harddrive...

you set it up and tell virtual PC that it will be a linux type OS.. so the Image file is set for that type of OS to be installed... secondly.. when you get to the partitioning part of the linux install in virtual PC.. linux has an auto detect feature and will split the Harddrive file into partitions and make the filesystem for you automaticaly on the Image file.. then it goes onto installing the OS in that image file...

-bolero

#24408

You know what you could do, is get a PPC version of Linux. I dont know if you want to give up your OS X space, but its a possibility. I know Mandrake has a PPC version, and Yellow Dog Linux is Red Hat for PPC.

Basically, what Bolero is saying, is to let Mandrake set up the partitions for you. YES, you need partitions (on your VPC image), but Mandrake has an auto partition feature. Mandrake will just detect the Image file as a hard drive, and install to that "hard drive".

#24410

yeah i second the motion to not install through vpc. it'll just make ya think linux is ass slow.

tried it once. took 3 days to install Gentoo. heh

As for how to learn. Mandrake is easy as cake, has a GUI for almost everything it kinda babies ya.

itll at least get you into the inner workings of Bash(the command prompt)

and as others have said, after learning linux ya might wanna check out a BSD variant since ya use OSX.

More Power to Ya. And Good Luck

and as for partitioning. this is what i say

/ = 5gig+

swap = Half yur Ram.

no need to partition off /home and /var ..

so 2 partitions.

Linux Native, 5gig+

Linux Swap, Half Your Ram

#24411

Which mouse should select?

I have a Microsoft intellimouse with a scrool wheel.

Well, I chose USB and can't remember which sub-option. Which one should I choose.

I think I chose the wrong one, because after I made the selection, the mouse won't move. {See following image}:

#24412

use the generic default settings that linux detects.. sicne remember. .virtual pc is emulating basicaly everything

mandrake isnt even using your "real" video card info.. VPC emulates a S3 2meg video card.. so if you have a physical geforce4... you cant select a geforce4 in the list.. because it isnt right

just use the default Ps2 generic

-bolero

#24413

k.. thnx..

also, what about what type of network card?

#24414

like i said.. linux will detetc it for you.. use the default settingas since virtual pc is emulating everything... dont worry it will do it all by it self

(also prepare for a slow slow install and a slow experience in virtual PC.. imo its not worth it, takes like 50 hours to boot.. heh)

-bolero

#24415

oh SH!T!! Now what do I do?

I dont want to lose any information, basically, and I don't want to lose the disk space from that sector if I remove Mandrake..

#24416

okay taha.. like i said.. Virtual pc is CONTAINED inside one file

(i added you on msn.. i can talk to you on there sometime if you want.. can help easier livelyer)

Virtual pc makes a harddisk FILE!... everything is made INSIDE that file.. virtual pc does not effect ANYTHING out side of the file....

use remove Windows..... dont worry.. its all inside a file...

think of it like this... if your that worried.. you cannot delete somthing that is running.. nore can you resize windows or remove windows while your in windows using a wndows software.. it contradics it self.... like i said it saves a file and installs linux into that file.. it only modifys the file.. where ever you saved that file on your harddrive..... it does NOTHING to your phyiscal harddrive....

-bolero

#24417

k.. last reply here. I'll be on msn now.

so, which option should I choose then?

by the way, I am really obliged by all your helpfullness guys. Much appreciated.

#24418

choose remove windows

even though windows isnt on the VIRTUAL harddrive.. virtual PC does that so you can install it automatically

basicaly.. after your done installing.. the virtual harddrive file will be over 1gig.. hehe a 1gig file

-bolero

#24420

Good luck!

#24421

TAHA!!!!!!

INSTALL REDHAT LINUX on Virtual PC VERY Carefully!!

It took over 4 hours to install 9.0 on vpc with only 1,386 MB to install!!

remember:

128 MB RAM for Graphical login...

64 or under RAM for text login...

I have wasted over 1/2 a day to do this!!

Sorry this so late!!!

#24440

heh i sugest not using virtual pc at all.. lol

its justoooooo slow.. you can hardly get anything done using it...

-bolero

#24443

I couldnt get to finish Installing on VPC and it wouldnt install in graphical mode. Im runnin duel boot XP/RH9 now.

#24444

Originally posted by MetalMusicAddict@May 4 2003, 09:32 PM

I couldnt get to finish Installing on VPC and it wouldnt install in graphical mode. Im runnin duel boot XP/RH9 now.

ya know what..? I think thats what I'll have to do too.

So did you have to reformat your drive before doing it? Is there a way to keep the existing files unharmed?

#24445

taha... Mandrake can resize your windows side without harming it....

or you can use Partition magic and set it up that way.. its a program in windows you can set up the partitions.. reboot and then it will set them up at boot time then it reloads into windows.... and then you can get linux to install on the already set up partitions

like i said taha.. mandrake will resize windows partitions without harming them.. im here aarnt i ??

-bolero

#24448

I had XP on the 1st partition and then a 2nd fat 32 partition. I used Partition magic to make a swap partition. So my partitions were like this: 1.) 30 gig XP part. 2.) 500 meg swap part. 3.) 8 gig linux part. I installed RH9 on the 3rd partition and used the 2nd as the swap. I use GRUB as a boot loader and set it to the XP partition as the default when I installed RH9.

#24449

Originally posted by bolero@May 4 2003, 09:48 PM

taha... Mandrake can resize your windows side without harming it....

or you can use Partition magic and set it up that way.. its a program in windows you can set up the partitions.. reboot and then it will set them up at boot time then it reloads into windows.... and then you can get linux to install on the already set up partitions

like i said taha.. mandrake will resize windows partitions without harming them.. im here aarnt i ??

-bolero

LOL.. of course you are buddy..

So which option should I choose in the partitioning option to achieve what you stated?

1)Remove Windows

2)Use existing space left by Windows (or something like that)

3)Advanced partionting (or something like that..)

#24453

Choose Use Exisisting Space by Windows. Then it should give you a slider where you can change your NTFS partition size. Make sure you've defraged and scandisked your XP Partition (from windows of course) before you attempt to do that.

And during install, choose to write LILO to the MBR. its the best way to do it. And you can always restore your MBR in an emergency.

#24454

kewl... I think thats what I'll do..

#24459

HELP!!

I was installing Mandrake, and all was fine. Everything was fast, everything was smooth..

then I set the monitor settings and look what happened!

Before:

After

I guess I selected the wrong screen Hz or whatever.

So how can I fix it? How do you change the display settings in KDE??

#24485

dammit.. I think I'll just do a complete installation..

But before I do that, I have a few questions for you Linux gurus: (they might sound stupid, but I'm not willing to take chances)

1) If I use Partition-Magic, is there any risk of damaging my drive?

2) My brother says there could be problems with some games if I install another OS.

3) If I choose to remove Mandrake, will the gained disk space be usable by XP?

4) Is it possible to make XP the default boot OS, and if so, how?

once again, thanks for your help!

#24502

1. i have no clue, i just used the windows disk partitioner. it has worked fine for over 8 months.

2. i dunno what he is talking about. all my games work fine.

3. yes, you just delete mandrake and format the partition you had for linux as a fat32 or ntfs drive. *WARNING*when you are setting mandrake up, make sure you GO INTO EXPERT INSTALL MODE. because, if you dont, you will have NO way of telling mandrake not to install ITS boot loader over the windows one. make sure you do taht. otherwise, if you dont, and you delete mandrake, you wont have a boot loader and you wont have a way to get into windows. lol. i know this from personal experience.

4 Yes, like i said above, make sure to go into expert mode and tell mandrake NOT to install a boot loader and to use a floppy.

if you had red hat 9 it would be alot easier because it asks you no matter which mode you are in. (about the boot loader)

i have both, i prefer RH over mandrake.

#24528

1) partition magic is perfectly okay i used it 5 times my harddrive is fine.. but id rather use the mandrake installer to resize it.. feels more secure for me in a way.....

2) what is your brother talking about? he knows nothing.. LoL im joking... but no another OS wont effect it

3)you can uninstall mandrake using partition magic if you wish.. thats the easiest way to get rid of the parttiotn and give that space back to XP.. its easy that way

4) you can have XP boot first or how ever you want with Lilo boot list manager.. or with a boot disk to boot linux.. how ever you want

contact me by msn bud i can help you out more there!! (bolero_dan@hotmail.com)

-bolero

#24555