Linux?

[Rocket2Fun]

Mandrake
or
RedHat
Which one will be easier to use for a beginner, and where can I find a reliable download site. Every site I have tried for either doesn't work for me. All help would be much appreciated.

[hapoo]

Mandrake

[coleslaw]

Mandrake all the way.

[Rocket2Fun]

ok now i really don't know how to use FTP sites
when using the asus ftp site i just copy paste into the folder i want the stuff downloaded too...
is this what i am suppose to do with the download sites you listed... because everytime i try to copy paste it'll run for hours and not do anything
could you explain like step by step what i am suppose to do with a ftp website and how to get the stuff from there to my computer??

[OC]

Go here:
http://www.linuxiso.org/mandrake.html

Click on the two Mandrake 8.0 links to download the ISO files (you may want to use a download manager like GoZilla), then burn each ISO image to a CD. The "install" CD will be bootable. During the installation you will be asked of you have the Extras CD or not.

-OC

[Rocket2Fun]

thanks overclocked
i was having problems dealing with ftp sites
thanks for hooking me up with the http download site

[m0j0]

*always* use an ftp proggy for ftp. i actually use gftp (shaddap!). but ftp through a browser is pure evil. not cool evil, but lame evil.

[Rocket2Fun]

heck yeah...
damn FTP with IE6 was screwing with my mojo
well i got everything now
Does anyone know a good program for dealing with FTP sites?

[purpledemon]

I use this most of the time ...
pretty simple product ..
it is a 30 day trial tho

http://www.vandyke.com/products/securefx/index.html

[purpledemon]

hey ...
just wondering why y'all suggest mandrake ?

ease of install ?
doesnt have the friggin billion rpms ?

[Rocket2Fun]

OH NO!!!!
Is mandrake not easier than Red Hat...
Guys I am new to this... I need the easiest one
will it be Mandrake or Red Hat???

[OC]

Originally posted by Rocket2Fun
OH NO!!!!
Is mandrake not easier than Red Hat...
Guys I am new to this... I need the easiest one
will it be Mandrake or Red Hat???

In my experience Mandrake is much easier to install than Red Hat. I've installed Mandrake 8.0 a few times now to get familiar with it, and my only gripe is that it starts the GUI automatically, rather than giving you a console to log into. Easy enough to change after the install though, so it's no biggie. No support for my Philips Acoustic Edge sound card that I can find though...

For an FTP program, I assume you need a Windows app. I use Gozilla for ftp sites. It's a download manager, but it also comes with a "Leech Files" function that is actually a seperate FTP app, and it works fine. Oh, and it's completely free. You'll be reminded a few times to register and pay (this will make the banner ads go away), but just cancel that and deal with the banner ads, they're not that bad.

-OC

[Rocket2Fun]

Thank you guys... you have all been and are very helpful!!!
GotApex is a great place to learn about almost anything computers!!!

Final question... is there any way to install Mandrake on a NTFS drive without formatting the drive?

[purpledemon]

try using partition magic to set up a linux partition on the fly ...

you dont need to format your drive for this

[m0j0]

i would still use redhat, but then again i am diehard with that. suse is good, too. mandrake started as redhat "with enhancements." i dunno if it still is. it uses rpm, no? and what is this i hear about a million rpms? you just install from a disk like anything else....

for resizing partitions, i would use partition resizer http://members.nbci.com/Zeleps/

[/\/ew \/\/izard]

I believe you'll have to format your hard drive. Linux does not accept the NTFS formatting. For Linux format your drive to be Fat32 and partition away

[m0j0]

Originally posted by /\/ew \/\/izard
I believe you'll have to format your hard drive. Linux does not accept the NTFS formatting. For Linux format your drive to be Fat32 and partition away

he does not have to format the whole drive. just the partition where linux will reside.

and btw, linux accepts ntfs just fine. you can boot using either the nt bootloader, run bootlin, or some other method. it will just take some editing to mount that partition. don't scare the guy away by saying that it doesn't accept ntfs........

[/\/ew \/\/izard]

I stand corrected

[purpledemon]

hi ...
i tried installing mandrake on my home pc ...
pretty clean install ... everything seemed to go smoothly ...
however, startin my computer up is another story altogether ..
if i start up using a window manager .... it just hangs with a blank screen ... no info whatsoever ...
if i select safe_linux ... it goes fine till it says

starting kswapd ..

or something like that
and doesnt go on from there ???

any ideas ?
thanks for the help ..

[m0j0]

how much swap space did you allocate on the hdd? that is a swap daemon starting, so if it hangs on that, i dunno. hopefully you put in at least 2x the swap as you have ram.

if all else fails, you can try doing a linux1 at lilo, then edit the etc/rc.sysinit or /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit to either swapon or swapoff....whichever is the opposite of what it is now. i am not sure which is correct for your setup. here is a url with very little info http://www.europe.redhat.com/documen...t-HOWTO-8.php3 .

[mina2k]

MANDRAKE all the way!!!!!!!!!
Mandrake is easier to install, detects hardware, and is great for a beginner used to windows. They even have HardDrake. This detects and installs everything like the control panel and device manager combined.
http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/doc...ARDDRAKE-START
You also dont need to format your whole hard-drive. Mandrake has a Partition Utility that is really easy to understand and use, it is called diskdrake.
http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/doc...DISKDRAKE-MAIN
I have tried them all and find Mandrake to be the best!

[purpledemon]

thanks for the tips m0j0

hmmm .... i dont remember the mandrake installation asking me for any swap allocation ....
so im not sure what the default is set at ... prolly 2x

its an old crappy computer .... 32 meg RAM and 3 gig hd

i'll try out your suggestions tonight ?
if all else fails ... its redhat time ...

[purpledemon]

damn ... im still stuck at the same spot ..
says starting kswapd and then hangs ...

i tried a redhat install too ... and obviously this is common to all installs ..

im not sure how i can find a way around it ?
maybe an expert install or something ?

[sbp]

Originally posted by Rocket2Fun
Thank you guys... you have all been and are very helpful!!!
GotApex is a great place to learn about almost anything computers!!!

Final question... is there any way to install Mandrake on a NTFS drive without formatting the drive?

and

Originally posted by /\/ew \/\/izard
I believe you'll have to format your hard drive. Linux does not accept the NTFS formatting. For Linux format your drive to be Fat32 and partition away

LOL

[epoxi]

once linux is installed on a win 98 system[dual boot], is there a way to un-install it?

[purpledemon]

i think u can use partition magic and nuke a partition ..

im not sure whether the nexer versions let you merge that into the existing partition or not ?

[Scojo]

It was easier to install Mandrake 8.0 on my box than it was to install Win2k. Consider a Romtec Trios if you want this to go as smoothly as possible. It will let you run WinXX on one drive and Linux on another with Zero problems.

Scojo

[Eugene]

hey guys.

To partition, use partition magic... it has a specific type of partition made for linux. Before u do that, defrag ur harddrive (use norton utilities or something) and make sure all ur stuff is in the front of the drive (it helps if u reformat the windows side..i.e. less junk... what i did). Then partition the HD placing the linux partition BEHIND the windows one (i messed up my comp putting it before... yikes). Make the linux partition at least 1 gig if u want all the apps. Then also make a swap partition at 128 mb size (that's the max size for redhat, i think). Then boot from CD and ur good to go.

My question... I have redhat but xwindows doesn't work. It seems like it's detecting my integrated vid card. NEway, how would I start KDE? I hear it's a better GUI and being a newbie linux user, I'd rather use that... I installed the max amt of apps (both CD's) but not the rpm CD. Is KDE in that? how do i start KDE? Thanks!