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Linux!
2007-03-27, 2:38 AM #1
Ever since i got this new[ish] comp i have had the old comp laying around doing nothing useful. So now i figure, what the hell lets put Linux on it!

So nerdy people where do i start?
2007-03-27, 2:48 AM #2
i think theres a book in the bible about installing linux.

[edit: i bet google can answer your queries 100x better than a few massassians who find you obnoxious.]
2007-03-27, 2:50 AM #3
Ubuntu is where I started
2007-03-27, 3:09 AM #4
You'll want to know what you're doing when running Linux on such an old computer as yours.
But you could try out Xubuntu or Damn Small Linux. I think both have a live-CD which lets you try them out.
Sorry for the lousy German
2007-03-27, 3:39 AM #5
You want to run Linux? Why?
"I got kicked off the high school debate team for saying 'Yeah? Well, **** you!'
... I thought I had won."
2007-03-27, 6:20 AM #6
Hahaha! You can barely run Windows!
ᵗʰᵉᵇˢᵍ๒ᵍᵐᵃᶥᶫ∙ᶜᵒᵐ
ᴸᶥᵛᵉ ᴼᵑ ᴬᵈᵃᵐ
2007-03-27, 6:51 AM #7
Seriously. Those above speakst yonder truth. You may think you're being down with the kids and all that, but there's no point in installing Linux unless you actually have a use for it. Like running a dedicated server. Or something people use Linux for.
Hey, Blue? I'm loving the things you do. From the very first time, the fight you fight for will always be mine.
2007-03-27, 7:15 AM #8
Originally posted by - Tony -:
Seriously. Those above speakst yonder truth. You may think you're being down with the kids and all that, but there's no point in installing Linux unless you actually have a use for it. Like running a dedicated server. Or something people use Linux for.

Carrying themselves with an unwarranted air of smug superiority? :P
2007-03-27, 7:16 AM #9
Linux users aren't smug.
We're perfect!
Sorry for the lousy German
2007-03-27, 7:28 AM #10
Originally posted by Tiberium_Empire:
Ever since i got this new[ish] comp i have had the old comp laying around doing nothing useful. So now i figure, what the hell lets put Linux on it!

So nerdy people where do i start?


You start by realizing that you will never, ever install linux.

Seriously, you can't even install WINDOWS and you expect to install linux? It's like trying to get my grandmother who thinks Google is the internet to install linux.
2007-03-27, 7:39 AM #11
imsoshort has none of the required knowledge or skills necessary to install or use linux.
2007-03-27, 8:19 AM #12
And that's saying something, considering that Ubuntu is easier to install than XP.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2007-03-27, 8:54 AM #13
When you install Linux the first thing you need to do is to log in as root, open up a command window and type "rm -rf /" (no quotes). This will clean out stuff that might have been left behind during installation.
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2007-03-27, 9:24 AM #14
I contend that ubuntu is easier to install than any version of windows.
2007-03-27, 10:20 AM #15
Well alright Ubunto it is!
And for the people who are asking WHY i would ever install linux. The answer is just for the hell of it.
2007-03-27, 10:31 AM #16
$100 bucks he breaks his new pc permanently.
2007-03-27, 10:57 AM #17
Originally posted by Brian:
I contend that ubuntu is easier to install than any version of windows.

Uh...no? Dude, XP is literally, pop in disk, select partition (delete/repartition if it's not there), and go. Ubuntu isn't easier than that, but it IS easy.
D E A T H
2007-03-27, 11:16 AM #18
Vista was done in 20 minutes. It was awesome.
[01:52] <~Nikumubeki> Because it's MBEGGAR BEGS LIKE A BEGONI.
2007-03-27, 11:34 AM #19
Originally posted by MBeggar:
Vista was done in 20 minutes. It was awesome.


Nice. I've yet to reinstall OSX so I don't know what that's like. I could do with a clean out and now I've got a meaty external drive I can back up all my useful bits and wipe out all the crap I've accumulated...
2007-03-27, 11:42 AM #20
To be fair, the actual INSTALL of Vista was fast, but the proceeding driver hunt, update and configuration is a good 2 hours if you know what you're doing.
2007-03-27, 1:20 PM #21
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
To be fair, the actual INSTALL of Vista was fast, but the proceeding driver hunt, update and configuration is a good 2 hours if you know what you're doing.


I installed mine with no problem, got it up and running in less than 30 minutes, including the install.
2007-03-27, 1:40 PM #22
Ok, so either you have very few device drivers to install, or you didn't understand what he just said.
2007-03-27, 1:46 PM #23
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
Ok, so either you have very few device drivers to install, or you didn't understand what he just said.

He had quite a few devices--the drivers just worked perfectly fine for him.
D E A T H
2007-03-27, 1:53 PM #24
I had to download my Nvidia drivers and my SB Audigy drivers. Beyond that, Vista came device-ready. I'm not sure how someone can spend two hours finding device drivers, unless they're trying to run a 3dfx Voodoo chipset card under Vista.
the idiot is the person who follows the idiot and your not following me your insulting me your following the path of a idiot so that makes you the idiot - LC Tusken
2007-03-27, 2:03 PM #25
Originally posted by Dj Yoshi:
He had quite a few devices--the drivers just worked perfectly fine for him.




Mmm. Some hardware companies actually have Vista drivers ready (Shock / Horror!). Give it 6 months or so and most others will have caught up.

When I tried XP Beta i had exactly no problems with anything - some people are just lucky.
2007-03-27, 2:40 PM #26
Originally posted by Wolfy:
I had to download my Nvidia drivers and my SB Audigy drivers. Beyond that, Vista came device-ready. I'm not sure how someone can spend two hours finding device drivers, unless they're trying to run a 3dfx Voodoo chipset card under Vista.


Yeah... I agree. I call CM Making a bigger deal out of something than it really is on this one. :P
-=I'm the wang of this here site, and it's HUGE! So just imagine how big I am.=-
1337Yectiwan
The OSC Empire
10 of 14 -- 27 Lives On
2007-03-27, 2:41 PM #27
Originally posted by Wolfy:
I had to download my Nvidia drivers and my SB Audigy drivers. Beyond that, Vista came device-ready. I'm not sure how someone can spend two hours finding device drivers, unless they're trying to run a 3dfx Voodoo chipset card under Vista.


1. Video card drivers.
2. Motherboard drivers.
3. Network drivers.
4. Sound card drivers.
5. Ultramon / dualmonitor issue fixes
6. Fixing services like indexing service to be useful
7. Bunch of updates including 2 that require reboots.
2007-03-27, 2:45 PM #28
And your situation isn't the norm. I have a test lab with access to a catalog of around 30 static and 65 revolving machines (meaning 30 stay in there all the time and 65 get updated with different hardware, some new some old) and I'd estimate that 80% of those will install Vista without more than 10 minutes of driver hunting.
-=I'm the wang of this here site, and it's HUGE! So just imagine how big I am.=-
1337Yectiwan
The OSC Empire
10 of 14 -- 27 Lives On
2007-03-27, 2:45 PM #29
Originally posted by Wolfy:
I had to download my Nvidia drivers and my SB Audigy drivers. Beyond that, Vista came device-ready. I'm not sure how someone can spend two hours finding device drivers, unless they're trying to run a 3dfx Voodoo chipset card under Vista.


Exactly! Stock drivers == loose! Shame, wolfy, shame. :gbk:
2007-03-27, 2:48 PM #30
Originally posted by Yecti:
And your situation isn't the norm. I have a test lab with access to a catalog of around 30 static and 65 revolving machines (meaning 30 stay in there all the time and 65 get updated with different hardware, some new some old) and I'd estimate that 80% of those will install Vista without more than 10 minutes of driver hunting.


Never said it was the norm :p

But for my experiences with Vista so far, it really lacks on decent drivers, period. It can take a while to get it to behave in general.

You probably got lucky cause you got to deal with basic desktop systems where the default drivers are fine :p
2007-03-27, 3:15 PM #31
No, you do not want to go to Ubuntu. What you want to do, is run Gentoo, and do a stage 1 installation. That is the best way to go.
2007-03-27, 3:16 PM #32
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
1. Video card drivers.
2. Motherboard drivers.
3. Network drivers.
4. Sound card drivers.
5. Ultramon / dualmonitor issue fixes
6. Fixing services like indexing service to be useful
7. Bunch of updates including 2 that require reboots.

Okay, so counting all the ones that normal people would go through (and I'm being generous considering normal people don't have dual monitors/ultramon), that'd probably take more like 10-20 minutes.
D E A T H
2007-03-27, 4:41 PM #33
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
1. Video card drivers.
2. Motherboard drivers.
3. Network drivers.
4. Sound card drivers.
5. Ultramon / dualmonitor issue fixes
6. Fixing services like indexing service to be useful
7. Bunch of updates including 2 that require reboots.

1. [url]www.nvidia.com[/url]
2. Built-in
3. Built-in
4. [url]www.soundblaster.com[/url]
5. Usually fixed with nVidia driver
6. What?
7. This is probably the longest procedure.

Don't be so hasty to not use the build-in driver provided from Vista. It will probably work just as well as the manufacturer driver.
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2007-03-27, 5:36 PM #34
Originally posted by JediGandalf:
1. www.nvidia.com
2. Built-in
3. Built-in
4. www.soundblaster.com
5. Usually fixed with nVidia driver
6. What?
7. This is probably the longest procedure.

Don't be so hasty to not use the build-in driver provided from Vista. It will probably work just as well as the manufacturer driver.


2. It booted, but that was about it. I had no acceleration.
3. No, I definitely didn't have my network drivers built in. Hell, they weren't even on windows update.
5. You used nvidia's Vista drivers yet? The control panel and options are laughable.
6. Indexing service, by default, only indexes certain small areas, like your documents and the start menu. However, for those of us who use multiple partitions, drives, or just simply don't put their files under documents somewhere, it will never get indexed.

In addition, the basic power settings are horrid. They include using suspend mode, slower performance settings and such. They work great for laptops, not for PCs.
2007-03-27, 8:43 PM #35
Originally posted by Martyn:
Nice. I've yet to reinstall OSX so I don't know what that's like. I could do with a clean out and now I've got a meaty external drive I can back up all my useful bits and wipe out all the crap I've accumulated...


I helped a friend reformat and reinstall OSX on his first gen Intel based iMac a few months back. Dunno what you've got, but it took us almost an hour before we were up and running again. Though, to be fair, the actual system only took about 30 minutes. The rest was waiting for it to install iLife and the rest of those goodies on the second disc.
"In the beginning, the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move." - Douglas Adams
Are you finding Ling-Ling's head?
Last Stand
2007-03-27, 9:12 PM #36
Originally posted by Martyn:
Mmm. Some hardware companies actually have Vista drivers ready (Shock / Horror!). Give it 6 months or so and most others will have caught up.

When I tried XP Beta i had exactly no problems with anything - some people are just lucky.


The install is long, but you can shorten it by skipping the disc verifications. However, you can leave it completely unattended. It doesn't ask you for locale infomation until the system is rebooted and installed completely, whereas XP asks you these stupid questions during the install.
2007-03-27, 9:30 PM #37
Originally posted by Dj Yoshi:
Uh...no? Dude, XP is literally, pop in disk, select partition (delete/repartition if it's not there), and go. Ubuntu isn't easier than that, but it IS easy.


Sorry I have never installed XP or anything later due to the "activation" requirement. Ubuntu install was a lot easier than dos/win3.1, windows 95, windows 98, windows me, and windows 2000.

Regarding drivers, under Debian, the only drivers I had to go get were nvidia for 3d acceleration and a driver for my laser printer. Everything else was built-in. Granted, I don't have a webcam, a scanner, any fancy usb devices, joysticks, etc.
2007-03-27, 9:42 PM #38
Originally posted by Brian:
Sorry I have never installed XP or anything later due to the "activation" requirement. Ubuntu install was a lot easier than dos/win3.1, windows 95, windows 98, windows me, and windows 2000.

Regarding drivers, under Debian, the only drivers I had to go get were nvidia for 3d acceleration and a driver for my laser printer. Everything else was built-in. Granted, I don't have a webcam, a scanner, any fancy usb devices, joysticks, etc.

Due to the activation requirement...do you even know what that is? Or are you just omgh8socialism on everything that has an online anti-piracy thing? It doesn't even work well against piracy, ironically.
D E A T H
2007-03-27, 9:42 PM #39
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
2. It booted, but that was about it. I had no acceleration.
3. No, I definitely didn't have my network drivers built in. Hell, they weren't even on windows update.
5. You used nvidia's Vista drivers yet? The control panel and options are laughable.
6. Indexing service, by default, only indexes certain small areas, like your documents and the start menu. However, for those of us who use multiple partitions, drives, or just simply don't put their files under documents somewhere, it will never get indexed.

nVidia's drivers for Vista are indeed horrid. They are on my ****-list until I see some fantastic things done for this OS. There is no excuse for BOTH companies lack of Vista preparation.
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2007-03-27, 10:12 PM #40
Ubuntu was pretty easy to install and use (took less time than XP, and I guess it was easier since I didn't have to install drivers and such afterward), but you might want to research the requirements before jumping in. Xubuntu is a derivative that is lighter on resources. Damn Small Linux might be your best bet, but I don't know how the install is on that (the only time I ever tried the computer turned out to have had a completely non-functional hard drive).
Why do the heathens rage behind the firehouse?
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