Linux along with windows

If you're asking these questions, then you're probably a novice to linux.  In that case, I'd recommend downloading a copy of Knoppix from www.linuxiso.org.  Knoppix is an entirely self contained linux distribution (Debian based, I believe) that runs from a Bootable CD.  Run that to get familiar with Linux.  When you're ready, pick a distribution to try (I really like Debian myself) and download it from www.linuxiso.org.  

To install Linux on your computer, you'll need either a new hard disk (recommended) or to repartition your existing one using a tool like Partition Magic or Partition Commander to create empty space for Linux (I recommend at least 20GB for programs, etc).  Once done, you can install linux on the empty space.

Hi,

   I agree with leew, install on another hard disk. It will save you a lot of time and trouble. The price of 80GB hard disk is low now.

   However, you may want to try Fedora Core 2. It's from RedHat which is the most popular distro. So you can get a lot of help
from other people for Fedora/RedHat.

Good luck,

Wesly

Hi,
how do I install the other harddrive along with the existing one. One should be primary and the other should be a secondary slave right. Or how exactly should I do that

thanking you
siddhartha

I don't think it matters all that much.  Use any open IDE line and make sure you set the jumper correctly for the drive (most likely as slave although possibly as cable select (CS)).  You should also note that in somewhat rare cases, you might need to reset the jumper on the existing drive to be master (instead of single drive only).

You should make the Windows Harddrive primary or it might complain and cause more work later
(Maybe other experts can clear this up (If I remember windows checks to see if its on Primary))

I recommend  gentoo www.gentoo.org  (but first get used to linux with knoppix, and read installation mannual Or else you'll be lost)
Fedora isn't bad either

Since I have only used RedHat and Fedora both, I could honestly only recommend Fedora Core 2.  It is very easy to install and can be fairly easy to install on the same hard drive as Windows XP.  You can do what we call a dual boot system where both operating systems could run on the same hard drive.  Then you would have a choice as to what OS to boot to.  You could allow the linux boot loader to give you a list of the 2 operating systems to boot to.  The downside to doing this is that you would have to erase your existing partitions which would cause you to lose your data.  If you do want to do this though, you could first back up any important data from your system, then erase all partitions from your system using a debug script (instructions on running a debug script can be found on http://www.tomscrc.com/os_install.asp at the bottom of that page).  This will erase all data and existing partitions.  Next, you would install linux but you would have to do this without using the entire size of the hard drive.  You would want to leave enough space for the windows installation.  In order to allow one operating system to show options for both OSes, you would have to configure one of the boot loaders to perform this function.  I have set up windows to boot to either OS by first creating a floppy disk that would contain the linux boot sector.  You can find information on doing this at http://www.enterprisedt.com/publications/dual_boot.html.  Doing all this may take some trial and error but if you are successful then you'll be running both OSes from the same hard drive in no time at all.  Again, the important thing is that if you have important data, you will need to back this up first as you will lose everything by performing the methods discussed in this post.  If you have any further questions, please let me know.  I do know more about windows than I do linux so anything beyond installation of linux I may not be able to help you with.

Just because I forgot, to get fedora, you could go to www.redhat.com or you could do a search on google for fedora core 2 download.

turbo - why not get all your linux distros at the link I mentioned before - www.linuxiso.org

Hi,
Thank you for the answers. I have downloaded Knopplix linux onto a CD and am able to boot it from the CD. Can this be used as a long term use. I just need linux so that I can run a software that is just linux based. So can I run this on this CD version of it?

thanking you

siddhartha

Yes, you can run most of Linux softwares on the version of CD.

Wesly

It depends what the software is.  If you get yourself a USB drive of some sort (including a memory card of 128 MB/256 MB, etc), Knoppix can write data to that and you'll be able to install software there and save files.  

Have a look at:
http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.php/id;1650536482;fp;2;fpid;37
http://greenfly.org/talks/knoppix_hacks/nblug.html

Hi,
 Can I use the Cd and load the software into the D drive of the harddisk as the linux os is detecting the D drive of the harddisk.
Please let me know about this

thanking you
siddu

Sure.  You'd just have to enable it for read/write access as Knoppix by default mounts everything Read Only.  (Just right click the disk on the Knoppix Desktop and enable it.  You'll have to know the path to the disk though.  I think it'll start with /mnt but I'm not positive at the moment.

Yes, but I recommend you install the OS on hard disk,too. So you don't need to mount D drive or put in floppy to load the bootup configuration everytime.

Wesly

Yes,
  I can understand that it is good to install linux on harddrive but then I have to delete the information on the disk that is close to 35GB and it will be tough to create a backup for this.

Thats the reason I wanted to do this. and another thing is I have another sun computer which has solaris in it. Can I install linux in it and then use the software

can you tell me which one is advisable

thanking you
siddu

Some linux distros do have versions for sun equipment.  Knoppix isn't one of them as I recall.  Have a look here:  http://www.ultralinux.org/

As your original question, I assume that you have a spare partition for Linux......
IMHO, you can use Partition Magic to resize the Windows partition and give some room (say 10 GB) for Linux.
It will be the easier way to do it.

Linux on Sun hardware? Not recommended.

Wesly

Option 3:
http://gag.sourceforge.net/pics.html

Hi Luxana,
That's a cute boot manager! Nice idea. I wonder if it's based on an existing BM.

Cheers!

Stefan

Hi Stefan,

If BM="BootManager" then
yes :))

It is just looking for boot managers in multiple harddrives or boot(active) partitions. So you still need to install lilo or grub. It is very easy to setup when you have more then one harddrive like in this case.

Hi,
Right now I have a dell system with windows XP on it.
I want to partition it and install linux on the other part.

How do I do it?
Where can I get free edition of linux.

waiting for the reply

\thanking you

siddu
-------------------------------------

1>  Use partition Magic or a Free sofware package  to make free space on your drive.  In short,  you want to make space avail for Linux by shortening the XP /NTFS partition.

FREE:
Ranish Partition Manager
http://www.ranish.com/part/
Partition Resizer
http://www.zeleps.com/
3D Partition Manager
http://www.sofotex.com/3D-Partition-Manager-v.-2.37.10-download_L1884.html
http://www.igd.fhg.de/~aschaefe/fips/

2>
Get your hands on a copy of Redhat 9 or Fedora Core 1 or 2 :
http://freshrpms.net/mirrors/fedora/core2.html

3>  with a Burner, burn the first 3 ISOs .  If you dont have a burner you can buy the CDs  dirt cheap.

4>
 and boot from CDROM
may need to go into the bios to change the boot device to CDROM first.

The selected answer did not address all your questions and made use of comments already made by others (install on another drive).  Please split the points appropriately next time.