Alright, I'm thinking about going linux tonight. But the thing is, I want to be able to do it fast. I'm wondering--what's the smallest file I can download to get Debian or Gentoo up and running. I'm talking like a bootdisk, then an online install. Any help is appreciated.

------------------
There is no signature

http://www.knoppix.net

------------------
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
:wq

Online install? I doubt you'll find that. The install would take a long time. I did a Google search for that and came up with nothing. Honestly, your best bet is to download the ISO(s) of what ever distro then burn to CD. Slackware 10 is minimum a disc but you don't get Gnome or KDE.

[Or you can do what GBK said ]
------------------
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.

[This message has been edited by Gandalf1120 (edited July 12, 2004).]

http://slax.linux-live.org/

------------------
When guitars are outlawed, only outlaws will have guitars.

And you could FTP install SuSE 9 if I'm not mistaken. The ISO download for the FTP install is ridiculously small (23 mb).

http://www.linuxiso.org/distro.php?distro=2

------------------
When guitars are outlawed, only outlaws will have guitars.

I've got Slax, but I hear that package management with Slackware is just a *****. I was hoping for Debian or Gentoo (I know Gentoo has partial online install).

------------------
There is no signature

You're not going anywhere fast with Gentoo. As for Debian, GBK posted a link to Knoppix which is Debian-based and is probably your best bet at giving Linux a try without partitioning and setting up a dual-boot (Knoppix runs entirely off a CD without modification to your HDD).


------------------
When guitars are outlawed, only outlaws will have guitars.

I'm ditching windows. Wanting to install Linux as my primary OS, maybe windows later.

------------------
There is no signature

Boot off of a Knoppix CD and HD-install it. Probably the simplest way to get Debian onto your comp.

http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/HdInstallHowTo

[This message has been edited by MaD CoW (edited July 12, 2004).]

I think I will. Well I guess we'll see

------------------
There is no signature

Posting now from Debian, installed from Knoppix LiveCD. I got rid of all traces of windows. Now...after I'm done updating...what to do...

------------------
There is no signature

Congrats. I'm not quite to the point of ditching Windows. You're a far braver man than I.

------------------
Have a good one,
Freelancer

It was surprisingly painless. Knoppix did most of what I wanted, and the rest GBK helped me through. That's why you always have another computer set up for a help line.

------------------
There is no signature

There is a net install of debian, and most other flavors of linux. You just download a boot disk, and I think two driver disks, and then run it. It will detect your network connection and then allow you to select which packages you want to install. Great way to install debian. Knoppix is okay, too

------------------
Brian's Web Log is CLOSED.

Net-installers always seemed kinda silly to me. I want my distro installed today, not 3 weeks from now.

------------------
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
:wq

[This message has been edited by GBK (edited July 13, 2004).]