Linux

...not a Mac.

It's another operating system(s) kind of like Windows (in the sense that Windows is an operating system). Except there are many distrobutions, like Ubuntu, Gentoo, Red Hat, etc.

It's kind of hard to use, nothing like Windows usage. But once you learn it...it really has potential.
 
timothyb89 said:
I'm still not totally sure what Linux is.

I read another post, and it said that Linux is free. Is it?
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Yes, you can download it for free, burn it to a CD, and install it on your computer/boot from it like a Windows Operating System CD. At least that's how i installed it.
 
yup linux is free to download. you can also buy it from a distributor but expect to pay a few dollars for packaging etc
 
I use Windows XP Pro. So if I burn it to a CD, and put the disk in a CD drive, the computer will boot with Linux? And if I take out the CD and restart the computer, it will boot with normal windows?
 
timothyb89 said:
I use Windows XP Pro. So if I burn it to a CD, and put the disk in a CD drive, the computer will boot with Linux? And if I take out the CD and restart the computer, it will boot with normal windows?
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...No.

Once you stick it in your CD drive and boot from it, it installs on your Hard drive. After it has fully installed, you dont need the CD anymore. Just like Windows pretty much, it installs on your HDD and you can boot to it without the CD.

However if you run both Windows AND Linux...when you boot you will haev to CHOOSE which operating system to boot to.

Before attempting this i would definetly suggest a bit more research.
 
oh. ok. Thanks. Can you delete Linux after it is installed? I think I might be able to salvage a computer with it, and the uninstall it, if possible

I installed too much on it's hard drive, and it freezes before it starts. So I need to be able to access the hard drive
 
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timothyb89 said:
oh. ok. Thanks. Can you delete Linux after it is installed? I think I might be able to salvage a computer with it, and the uninstall it, if possible
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Yup. you can format and get rid of it just like with Windows.
 
you can just access it and unistall it, easily? I'm getting desperate with the other computer, so I need a way to free up the hard drive
 
timothyb89 said:
I use Windows XP Pro. So if I burn it to a CD, and put the disk in a CD drive, the computer will boot with Linux? And if I take out the CD and restart the computer, it will boot with normal windows?
Click to expand...
yes this can be done if you buy a "Linux Live" cd such as knoppix. it is a fully working linux OS that boots straight off a CD without installing anything (except a swap file to ease up ram - this can be deleted after you boot back into windows)
 
Xelogen said:
yes this can be done if you buy a "Linux Live" cd such as knoppix. it is a fully working linux OS that boots straight off a CD without installing anything (except a swap file to ease up ram - this can be deleted after you boot back into windows)
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ooo, yes this is true. Knoppix can be useful as a non-permanent Linux distro you can try out to see if you like Linux. Recommended for first time Linux users. Forgot about it.
 
timothyb89 said:
are there any free ways? Can I make a startup disk for 1-time use, just to access the hard drive and test Linux?
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downloading knoppix is 100% free but youll need fast broadband and a lot of patience. Search for it on google to find a mirror. If you want to be able to access your HDD id definately advising getting a linux distro that uses IDE instead of KNOME (should say on the site what it uses). IDE intergrates much easier with your windows hardware
 
so this lets you burn a cd that will just start the computer with linux?
Iwant to be able to take out the CD and use windows
 
timothyb89 said:
so this lets you burn a cd that will just start the computer with linux?
Iwant to be able to take out the CD and use windows
Click to expand...
yes you usually would download a single .iso file which you burn to disk. you then put the cd in and restart your comp and it will come up with the Knoppix splash screen instead of windows. itll then identify all your hardware and start up. When your finished using it you just go to "shut down computer" and it tells you when to remove the disk. Next time you start up the comp itll just be the same as always (booting windows etc) as if knoppix had never been there
 
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