Trying Linux

Discussion in 'Linux, BSD and Other OS's' started by shade46, Feb 6, 2005.

  1. shade46

    shade46 Geek Trainee

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    I just purchased "Kiss the blue screen of death goodbye". Got a whole bunch of errors and a note from a penguin about two processors when I tried to run Knoppix off the CD. Now I am little afraid to just dual boot Mandrake, Suse, or some other distro on my new system. I just built it and have not really learned how to use it even in Windows.

    Several points: Can I create documents in Open Office and eMail to my office computer and open them in Word or Windows?

    Does the linux based OS inter-react with the Windows world, (play well with big bullys), or am I going to have to use XP for all my communication with the 95% that still use Windows.

    I don't have another system to fall back on and if mine went down because I got drunk and tried to fix it I would be lost.

    Advice Please!!!!
     
  2. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Can you be more specific about your errors? Also, I have almost the identical system specs as you, and I've had no such problems with Linux. It could just be the way the hardware detection is done in Knoppix, which is pretty unique. I haven't run Knoppix on my hardware, so I'll download & burn it, and see if I can reproduce your problems. In the mean time, try specifying a kernel other than the default one. When the Knoppix boot screen comes up, type: knoppix26 dma ...That'll boot to a bleeding-edge 2.6.9 kernel, and will utilize DMA so your system will run more smoothly. Let me know if it still doesn't work that way. Oh, and make sure you have the latest version of Knoppix. If your book came with a copy, it's completely obsolete.

    With OpenOffice.org, you can save documents in either its native format or as a MS Word document. So, you can open it on any Windows box with Word. OOo's native format is superior, since it's an open XML format as opposed to MS's proprietary garbage, so if you can just run OOo at work it'd be even better. But if you must have Word compatability, it's there and it's just about perfect. Worst case scenario, you can actually run Microsoft Office on your Linux box by using Crossover Office. But OOo is so good, I really doubt you'll want to go that route.

    I'm not 100% sure what you mean, but I run Linux exclusively and I email & chat on AIM, ICQ, Y!, MSN, GaduGadu, Jabber, and IRC with no problems. Remember, Unix/Linux was a full-fledged networking operating system long before Microsoft finally got a clue that networking wasn't just a fad.

    Well, you're certainly more brave and enterprising than most people to take the plunge and go for Linux. "Kiss the blue screen of death goodbye" is a great book to get started with, but I know how scary taking the plunge into a totally new OS can be. Especially when it's on your one and only system! But, it really is worth your investment of time and patience to learn. And I've already put my money where my mouth is, since I abandoned Windows completely quite a while back.

    -AT



    "I shall be telling this with a sigh
    Somewhere ages and ages hence:
    Two roads diverged in a wood; and I -
    I took the one less travelled by,
    And that has made all the difference."

    Robert Frost
    [The Road Not Taken]
     
  3. shade46

    shade46 Geek Trainee

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    Yes it is the CD I got with the book. I'll go on line tonight after work and download the latest version. You answered most of my questions.
    Is OOo on the CD or do I have to find that also.
    I guess I'll have to figure out which distro to go with. How about Mephis? I think that is how it is spelled. I read somewhere that It is user friendly.
    Thanks
     
  4. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    I feel that Mandrake Linux is the most desktop-ready distro at this point. I think of it as a 'better Red Hat'. I'd say Suse is a close second. Mephis is OK, but I can't figure out why it's as popular as it is. To me it's like an inferior version of Knoppix, really. But hey, a lot of people like it, so maybe they know something I don't. If you go with Mandrake or Suse, you'll find that OOo is already included in the distro. Alternately you can download it from, unsurprisingly enough, openoffice.org. It works on Unix, Linux, Windows, and Mac.

    I recommend Mandrake 10.1 Official as of this writing. It includes a great selection of software, has a simple and straight-forward installer, and favors the excellent KDE desktop environment. I also advise that you use the Reiser filesystem, since it performs much better than EXT3 and has been quite solid for me.

    -AT
     
  5. shade46

    shade46 Geek Trainee

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    I went back and tried to load again using knoppix module=vesa. Went more into the load but still froze.

    error:
    insmod:/lib/modules/2.4.20-xfs/kernal/arch/i386/kernal/apm.o: insmod char-major-10-134 failed.

    I have a GiGabyte FX5200 Video card. I read somewhere that somtimes knoppix won't recognise SATA HDD?

    Please help, I'm not willing to go much more into this until I am sure that I won't kill my system.
     
  6. Anti-Trend

    Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek

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    Knoppix recognises SATA just fine, provided you use a 2.6 kernel. As I suggested earlier, when the Knoppix boot screen appears, type knoppix26 dma to specify a 2.6 kernel with DMA.
     
  7. shade46

    shade46 Geek Trainee

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    I have tried to download a newer version of Knoppix and been somewhat confused. What do I download? There are many versions at many different sites. I thought that the newest version @ about 715000Mb would be the one, but it stops loading at about 4% and 1/2 hour later. I have Broadband cable and thought that the download would not take too long. Am I expecting too much?

    I'm very new and willing to learn and try new things. maybe there is a tutorial out there I should read before I go on. The book I bought made every thing seem so easy.

    PS: The version I got with the book won't recognize kernal 2.6, but you already know that don't you?
     

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