HOW DO I INSTALL LINUX!!

[pike168]

(Programmer) May 28, 2003
hi. i have a 1.60ghz, 512MB , 55gb hardrive PC currentley running windows XP i would like to know how to install SuSe8.2 on my PC. i am currentley only using 10gb of my hard drive and i would like to know how to install them both on the same pc without having to resort to buying more software as i am on a very tight budget.i have read that suse8.2 has a option during installation where it automatically patritions your hard drive for your specification, is this true or will i have to go out and buy extra software.I desperatley need help before i go out and buy it.
THANK YOU.

 

[edemiere]

RTFM.

There are a PILE of linux resources on the Internet that you can read that will tell you all the specific details you are asking for.

Rather than me retyping out any of it, I would suggest you go out and search on google.com

Good luck!

 

[phpdude]

1) Install Partition Magic
2) Select Install another os
3) Select Linux
4) Format mode 2
5) reboot and let CD-Rom pick the CD up
6) Select your exesting Linux partition that you created

Note: Not sure what bootload SuSe uses to be carefull or do some checking up or you might loose your Windows partition.

 

[VMPhilosophy]

People always replying RTFM is one of the reasons newbies stop trying learn linux and other non MS operating systems. we should try to be a little more supportive of those who seek answers we may have already discovered ourselves, knowledge is a resource, share the wealth.

phpdude is in the money, also most of latest user friendly linux oses (redhat or mandrake for example) are on bootable cdroms, so you can just pop the first cd in and reboot and the setup can partition the drive for you. make sure there is nothing on the drive that you need before hand because repartitioning and formatting destroys all the data currently on the drive!!

"Did you ever wish a circle was a square, so when land sharks start circling the boarders you can just cut them off at the corners?" - Aesop Rock

 

[edemiere]

"Experience is what you get what you don't get what you expected" --Author unknown

You know, it's one thing to try something, mess it up and then ask for help and its an entire other issue to want spoon fed.

These newbies you refer to that want to try Linux or something, I have to ask them one question:

Do you want a fish or do you want to be a fisherman?

Don't get me wrong, I am all for sharing information, but you gotta do a little on your own and make mistakes and learn from them, that is where you start to build your real knowledge base about anything. Reading resources is valuable too, 2nd only to learning "the hard way"

At least that's just how I see it...

Cheers!

 

[smah]

Also, see his other post thread54-561069

 

[venkman]

Pike-

Suse linux is a bit more difficult to do a "free" install for vs. Redhat and Mandrake. The reason is that suse does not give you the full install on cd images for free. Instead it gives you a small boot disk with which you can run a network install. This is not super easy as you will be required to know things like the linux module you are using for your network configuration and the ip address and full path of the ftp server you want to do a network install from. If you must use Suse as a newbie, I suggest you shell out the cash and buy the cds.... but I would suggest using Mandrake or Redhat (my favorite) instead. On the flip side, I have heard something about suse having something that allows non-destructive resizing of windows partitions, but I know nothing about that beyond the rumor.

VMPhilosopy and edemiere-

I completely agree with VM (in fact in a rambling, ranting, bridge-burning sort of way have already posted this opinion here: thread676-462516 ). edemiere, I see where you are coming from, but I believe linux has a future as a desktop OS. If this is true, it must be easy to install and those of us in the know must provide support for questions that we think are dumb. Your point about "give a man a fish..." is certainly a good one, but not applicable. The problem is that you must first get people in the door before they can begin to learn. That's why programming classes and books always start with "Hello World". They don't start up telling you the basics of variable declaration or assignment (which is probably the first step), because they need you to see an actual program first for you to get an idea of what's going on. Same is true with Linux, in order for people to learn to use Linux on their own, they first have to install it. It's very hard to learn these sort of basics if you don't even know what linux looks like first...especially since a linux installer is just a specialized version of a linux OS anyway. Once they're up in running they can learn all about mkfs and fdisk... but again if this is to be a desktop OS (and you'd be hypocritical for posting in this forum if you didn't think so also), then learning those kind of things should not be neccessary.

-Venkman

 

[STTechnology]

1. Locate Linux CD
2. Insert CD into target machine
3. Start machine
4. Instruct machine to boot from CD
5. Follow on screen prompts

Anything else will need to be a little more specificly asked...

 

[VMPhilosophy]

it is true, i learned by trial and error. for some people that does not always work. some people need to be pointed in the right direction. i wasnt taking a shot at you edemiere, you do make a good point.

"Did you ever wish a circle was a square, so when land sharks start circling the boarders you can just cut them off at the corners?" - Aesop Rock

 

[hoggbottom59]

I agree that's why I've almost given up with Linux because it's a pain in the arse to install whatever anyone says.

I have tried several installs of Mandrake and it gets as far as typing 'LI' of 'LILO' and just hangs. The thing is noone seems to know why this is!

I am thinking of having another try when I reconfigure my computer. The thing is I want a dual-booting hard drive with Win2k and Linux. I want to put all my data on a massive second drive. This second drive I'd like to able to be read by Windows/Linux and Mac.

Probably asking too much - which would be the best hd system to be read by all?? Fat32?

Any help,
Thanks Leon.

 

[phpdude]

NTFS

 

[venkman]

NTFS if all you need to do is read, but linux does not officially support writing to an NTFS partition/drive. It does however support writing to all fat partitions if that's what you're looking for.

I've seen the weird boot error your talking about. Not sure what it is. You might want to try using the windows boot loader instead. Instructions listed here:

http://jaeger.morpheus.net/linux/ntldr.php

http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux/grub-w2k-HOWTO.html

http://www.littlewhitedog.com/reviews_other_00011.asp

-Venkman

 

[hoggbottom59]

Okay, and written to.

Thanks for the help all. I will try these techniques in due course which seem to make more sense of the dual-booting phenomenon.

Leon.