Newbie - Install Help Please

[activethistle]

I'm trying to create Linux CDs for another machine I own, so I can install Linux on its own - to learn.

I dont care which distro I use - I have cable modem so download time is not really an issue.

My question is - What do I need to download? ISOs? Boot Images? etc?? (I am using Nero to burn) How do I get the whole thing together? A walkthrough would be great if ne1 has the time. Ive tried a lot of Linux sites and Newbie sites - but I dont understand most of what they say.

Thanks in advance.

Active.

 

[danielhozac]

Boot disks and ISOs really depends on which distro you choose. //Daniel

 

[flugh]

I like Mandrake for desktop use. Seems to me like it should be good for someone new to Linux. Get download links at:

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/ftpurl.php3

They describe how to burn them using WinOnCD and Easy CD Creator. Shouldn't be much to adapting it to Nero:

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/howtos/iso/howtoisoen.html

--
JR

 

[smah]

Using iso's will probably be easiest. To burn them with Nero, open Nero, File, Burn Image, select the iso. (Or something close to that - I'm not at a machine with Nero right now.) Don't just copy the iso to a cd - you will get a coaster with an iso file.

 

[activethistle]

what about making it bootable? do i need special files?


Active

 

[smah]

When you correctly burn the iso, the cd will be bootable.

 

[zeland]

If your test system doesn't support booting from cdrom drives or you want to install linux through a network (ftp/nfs), then you'll have to create a linux boot disk or a network boot disk. Disk images are available under the IMAGES folder of the first installation CD. A DOS utility called RAWRITE can be found under the DOSUTILS also from the first installation CD to copy the disk images to a floppy or floppies.

 

[activethistle]

I opted for Debian in the end ( any reasons why not?)

OK - I got the ISO - AND I burned it - AND it booted AND went through the install process.

I created 2 partitions
hda1 Boot (type 83 Linux)
hda2 (type Linux Swap)

Installed the base system.

When it got to the end I removed the CD - reset the BIOS to boot from HDD and rebooted.

Now the machine does the initial memory & BIOS checks - then stops dead - black screen - locked Keyboard.

Any ideas?

I've tried repeating the process - but ZIP!

Thanks for any light ne1 can shed.

Active

 

[activethistle]

scratch last post - now installed!!