Windows Vista Destop

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 26 2006, 07:13 PM) [snapback]277039[/snapback]</div>

It will run without installing, yep. The only way you'll install it to your computer is if you start the installer on the desktop and somehow answer all the questions and go through the entire setup without realising it.

Let me know what you think. Running it from a DVD isn't the best way to get a feel for performance, and it doesn't have *all* the applications that a full install would, but you should get a general idea of what it's all about.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Jun 26 2006, 05:22 PM) [snapback]277086[/snapback]</div>

So I found a blank CD after all. Burned the ISO and ran it in my laptop. It loaded fine and seemed to run, but I could not connect to the internet. When I shut it down and booted Windows, it connected just fine.

The same thing happened with SUSE Linux. Except that SUSE crashed several times also. SUSE was able to go to the internet for its upgrades, but the browser would not connect to the web.

I'm going to wait until I've made a full system image backup of my desktop before I try the kubutu CD on the desktop.

I run a router, but when I bypassed it, SUSE still would not connect. I didn't try bypassing the router with kubutu.

 

you do not need linux classes. just install it a few times break it reinstall it and read. Easy to pick up if you are working with it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jun 27 2006, 04:03 PM) [snapback]277654[/snapback]</div>

It would help if I had some general idea of what to do when the installation won't let me connect to the internet. I.e., if I could actually achieve a fully-working installation. As much as I hate Microsoft, and as buggy and security-flawed and vulnerable as windows is, when I install it, it functions. Linux seems to require some technical knowledge just to get it to function. I don't really mind that. But I'm going to need classes just to install the thing.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 27 2006, 07:15 PM) [snapback]277666[/snapback]</div>

Did you try going to System Settings -> Network? You'll have to click the button on the bottom to go into Administrator Mode, but IMO that's how it should be.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Jun 27 2006, 05:45 PM) [snapback]277726[/snapback]</div>

No, I didn't, because until your post I had never heard of System Settings -> Network. That's why I need to take a class. Next time I try to run the livedisk of Ubuntu, I will go to System Settings -> Network, if I can figure out how to find it. And once I am there, if i find it, chances are I won't know what to do with it. See, I need to learn something about Linux first. That's the difference between Windows and Linux. Linux is clearly the superior system, and Windows is clearly trash. But I can install Windows just by sticking the installation disk into the computer.

Hey, here's a question: I have a 40 GB external USB 2 hard drive that I used to use for backups, until it got too small. Is it possible to install Ubuntu Linux on that, and boot from it when I choose? A dual-boot system, but with the Linux "partition" on a separate, external HD? It would be slower, but would not require me to partition my internal HD.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 28 2006, 09:21 AM) [snapback]277994[/snapback]</div>

Actually, System Settings -> Network is right on the start menu. Just click it, and you'll see the system settings program, which is a cross between the windows and mac control panels. Open it, and then open network. It's self explanatory once you're in there, at least I think it is. You can do pretty much everything from that system settings program.

I'm not sure about installing to an external drive... you'd probably still need a boot manager on your main hard drive. I've never done that myself.

 

daniel, i dont think taking general classes on linux will be effective unless you are going to install and configure a system and live with it. they maybe similiar, but specific config steps vary by version and hardware so general knowledge wont fix a specific problem.

all versions of linux comes with help menus. and i also had problems connecting to the internet with my version of linux too. the version was free and eventually i found out that there were no drivers deveolped yet that would work (had to fumble thru a dozen generic ones first thou)for the modem i was using. so i dumped that version and got another one. that one worked.

you could also look at package deals that come pre configured with support. i know a few that did redhat (this was a while ago) and others and had little computer savy and were able to get it going. they cost a bit, but much less than windows

 

Whooee! I am now logged on using the Konqueror web browser in Kubuntu Linux, run from the livedisk (downloaded free from their web site) on my desktop computer. The laptop would not connect running either SuSE or Kubuntu, but the desktop connected immediately. I never tried SuSE on the desktop, But the livedisk of Kubuntu lets me run it without installing, i.e., it does not affect the installed system.

Gonna play with it for a while to see if it crashes. SuSE crashed several times in the hour or so I had it installed on the laptop.

I looked at the boot order of my desktop computer, but the drives are labelled so cryptically I cannot make much sense of them. I presume that if I could set the Maxtor external drive to be the boot drive, then all I'd have to do is figure out how to install Kubuntu there.

Meanwhile, everything's got teeny tiny type. I think I need to figure out how to change the screen resolution. Gonna do some poking around.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 28 2006, 04:58 PM) [snapback]278214[/snapback]</div>

Right click on the desktop and just select "Configure Desktop", then go to the display tab. Sort of like windows.

For a real treat, stick a usb pen drive or something in. Much friendlier than windows.

 

I agree the classes are generally pretty specific. If you need any help use the Ubuntu/Kubuntu web forums at http://www.ubuntuforums.org/index.php

They are very friendly and helpful. Just don't let them too close to your Prius or they may attempt to replace the OS with Linux.

 

I'm gonna buy a Linux book.

Meanwhile, I asked about installing to an external HD over on the kubuntu forums, and the answer is so involved, I've abandoned that idea. But I am contemplating going ahead and installing to a partition of my internal HD to create a dual-boot system. I'd perfer, however, to run Linux on an entirely separate computer, such as my laptop. But neither SuSE nor kubuntu wants to connect to the internet on my laptop.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Jun 28 2006, 02:34 PM) [snapback]278238[/snapback]</div>

I'm running the livedisk of kubuntu again. Right-clicking the desktop didn't do it, as the configure desktop option had nothing in it about screen resolution. However I did finally find it in Menu > System Settings / Hardware > Display.

I put in the USB pen drive, as you suggested, and found it to be very similar to the behavior in Windows.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 29 2006, 07:41 PM) [snapback]278866[/snapback]</div>

Really? Granted it's been a long time since I've used windows, but I never remembered Windows asking "Hey... this USB Pen drive, you wanna browse it in a new window?". It always sticks it under "My Computer".

Digital Cameras do roughly the same thing... browse it, open it with digikam, do nothing. And so on.

 

Actually, I find the pop-up "Whad you wanna do?" windows kind of intrusive. I'd rather open it when I want to. And using the web browser as the file explorer is going to take some getting used to.

Mainly, though, I use Windows for so much routine stuff that it's a nuisance having to go back and forth. I'd like to get Linux working on the laptop so I could leave Windows running on the main computer until I decide whether or not to switch. But so far, Linux on the laptop just won't connect to the internet.

In fact, as I browse the Linus forums, most of the discussion seems to be arcane and convoluted discussions about how to get the OS to recognize the hardware. Probably great fun for the techies, but daunting to plain folks like me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 30 2006, 12:56 AM) [snapback]278980[/snapback]</div>

Then tell it not to ask you again.

And as far as hardware problem goes... I've never had a problem having my hardware detected.

 

Later on today I'm going to go ahead and install kubuntu on a partition of the laptop. Then at least I'll be able to try to change settings.

You say you've never had problems getting Linux to recognize hardware, but the Linux discussion groups have tons of discussion about different hardware on different computers that is or is not recognized by different distros of Linux; and various solutions, all very arcane from my non-techie point of view.

 

when i installed some versions of linux, i had various hardware issues. this was a few years ago when packaged distros was just becoming popular. mostly video hardware and modems.

but most networking issues are almost always software configuration or bad cabling. in your small setup, cabling is probably not very likely.

one thing that i did that helped a lot was to reformat the computer, install linux first then windows on top. for one thing, linux allows this much easier than vice versa.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Jun 25 2006, 10:22 PM) [snapback]276728[/snapback]</div>

really?

i actually just replaced my laptop with something along those lines, but more basic...
intel core duo processor T2400, 2MB/1.86 GHz/667 MHz
video card with dynamic memory up to 244 MB
100GB HD
widescreen WXGA+ "truelife" display
and while i'm savvy to most of that, there's some that still goes over my head. :lol:

cost me a dollar amount that, by my standards, ain't cheap. but i really enjoy it. i can analyze my data and browse priuschat at the same time, and the thing is still fast

i was considering using vista, because the IT guy mentioned how well it takes advantage of the dual core processors. the downside is that my local network requires me to have XP pro for the network settings. i might look into vista and see what it's all about.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 30 2006, 11:35 AM) [snapback]279103[/snapback]</div>

Oh, I know there can be problems. If you go towards fringe hardware and the like, you will have trouble getting it recognized at times. For me, I have a standard SB live, a Nvidia card (very well supported) and the like, and it all just works.

The most troublesome area, and the area you will see the most posts about, is wireless networking. I'm lucky in that my wireless card is supported out of the box, but I made that a purchase criteria.

Another thing I dig is the file manager. Try browsing an audio CD. If you go into the audio cd, and enter the MP3 folder, you can drag the tracks to your desktop and they're encoded on the fly. It's little things like that which make a very user friendly environment, IMO.