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Author Topic: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??  (Read 11283 times)

Ronski

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2014, 09:51:54 AM »

Instead of buying Live CD why not buy a DVD writer? An internal SATA drive is about £12, if it's an IDE drive then they are more expensive,  only one on ebuyer was £35 so might be better getting one off eBay. They are very easy to change.

If you take the side off your pc and you have a small thin cable going to the back of the CD drive and the plug is about 1 cm wide and the power cable plug looks similar then it's SATA. If the data cable is a big plug with loads of cables then it's IDE.  Or just post some pictures and we'd make sure of the type and that it's not a slim or slot loading drive.
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les-70

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2014, 09:52:53 AM »

  In terms of the blind leasing the blind .....   

 I would recommend downloading the Universal USB Installer from pendrivelinux  http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/ and downloading e.g. the latest 32bit KDE linux mint iso http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=153 .  Then create a live usb with the installer and the iso. Best with at least an 8GB usb memory stick - cheap to buy if you don't have one handy.  With an 8GB memory you can choose a persistence space of 4GB which makes for a very usable system.  Works great with my 4 year old PC but just fails while starting on my 9 year old one however.  The benefit of the USB is having a full system with enough memory to make it just like a real install but slower.   The PC may need the setup changing to boot from a usb.

 I would see what the actual linux experts here say before doing this though.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2014, 12:14:25 PM by les-70 »
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geep

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #17 on: April 05, 2014, 09:58:18 AM »

As a fairly simple solution you could download Ubuntu and burn to a CD and try that without changing your computer at all, as per:
http://releases.ubuntu.com/precise/

Cheers,Peter
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MartinGoose

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #18 on: April 05, 2014, 10:26:42 AM »

At the moment, Martin, we don't want S*mum to actually install any version of a Linux kernel based OS on her system but just to try it out and see if it is something that she could use . . .

Hence the recommendation to use either a LiveCD or a LiveDVD:)

You will get a better appreciation of the performance of Linux if you actually install it. As the HD has WinXP on it now and that is 'dead in the water', it will have to be wiped at some stage so why not do it now (after backing up any documents etc)? If Linux is no-go, you have not lost anything as you just wipe the HD again when you install something else.
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Scottiesmum

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #19 on: April 05, 2014, 10:41:34 AM »

Martin, I do appreciate your help  ... but if I can explain quickly  ...  from other posts (you might not have seen) some other members are aware that I'm not too well at the moment .. having a rest from 12 months  of chemo treatment, which could be ongoing  ....  and to be honest I can't cope with anything complicated .. I'm a WUSS   ;D   What appears straight forward to anyone techy is complicated to me  !! so please don't think I'm disregarding your help out of hand.

les_70  ... Oh my goodness that scared me !!!    but thank you .... and Ronski  .. thank you but  :o I can't cope with that.  Peter  now that sounds straightforward  - and I like straightforward  ;D   thank you....

(I could strangle Microsoft   :lol: )


PS  ....  Is this the one I would download    ??  (from  list at the bottom of Peter's link)

 ubuntu-12.04.4-desktop-i386.iso            04-Feb-2014 12:12  731M  Desktop CD for PC (Intel x86) computers (standard download)



« Last Edit: April 05, 2014, 10:45:44 AM by Scottiesmum »
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les-70

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #20 on: April 05, 2014, 12:13:37 PM »

  Sorry to scare but it really is easy to try if you have a usb.  It won't touch the xp system and gives you a real system to try that will save things and boot up when ever you plug the usb in and power up.
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UncleUB

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #21 on: April 05, 2014, 12:41:03 PM »

Have a look here Kate....Not shoes so don't get too excited... :D  :flower:


http://www.thelinuxshop.co.uk/catalog/index.php
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Scottiesmum

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #22 on: April 05, 2014, 02:31:31 PM »

 :lol: @ Unc   ...   you know me don't you  !!

Oh my goodness what a choice  -  I've looked purely at CD's  32  bit   and come up with these 4 choices.   I like the Puppy one   ::) it's the oldest but perhaps I should start with that  ....in fact for that  price I would do what I do  (sometimes) with shoes  !!!  buy a few  !! 

http://www.thelinuxshop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=219

http://www.thelinuxshop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=200

http://www.thelinuxshop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=92

http://www.thelinuxshop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=283



Is there any I should avoid ?         :)
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les-70

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #23 on: April 05, 2014, 03:10:26 PM »

    You don't need to buy anything to try puppy linux.  You can very easily install it in XP and equally easily uninstall it if you don't get on with it.    You just install the exe http://www.mediafire.com/download/2dqndyd8fdc8fdc/Slacko_Puppy_Linux_Non-PAE_5.7.0.exe  i.e. download and click on it! and it will install.  You can't do anything with it while xp is running but when you reboot you will see an extra linux option.  The option and the associated files  install and un-install just like any windows application.  It just adds a folder and a few files to the windows system and the extra boot option.  It does not meddle with XP or disk partitions.

   I fear the first day or so of any linux may be trouble for you but this is really easy to at least try and I recommend the windows installer approach.  See towards the bottom of the page http://puppylinux.org/main/Download%20Latest%20Release.htm
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geep

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #24 on: April 05, 2014, 05:42:21 PM »

Quote
PS  ....  Is this the one I would download    ??  (from  list at the bottom of Peter's link)

 ubuntu-12.04.4-desktop-i386.iso            04-Feb-2014 12:12  731M  Desktop CD for PC (Intel x86) computers (standard download)

Yes.

And I also use Puppy Linux - it's pretty straightforward too.

Cheers,
Peter
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Scottiesmum

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #25 on: April 06, 2014, 10:11:45 AM »

I'd like to thank you all for your replies and help.  Being a WUSS  ;D   I have opted to buy the Live CD  ....  in fact I have bought three ....

I know that I could download and install and I thank you les_70 for your clear instructions .... but to be honest, at the moment, I prefer to be able just to put in a CD and have a play, but once again  many thanks.   

I have chosen, because they are CD's 32 bit ...  Bodhi Linux 2.4.0    Puppy Linux 5.2.8    Knoppix 7.2.0  They all seem to offer different options, and from what I can gather are perfect for  'first timers ' .  They should be here early next week..   I will keep you all informed as to how I get on   -  I know you'll be waiting with baited breath   :D

 Peter    I'm looking forward to the new puppy  ;D 

and  ....  Unc   thanks for the link  - it was the shoes connection that did it   ;D :flower:

Many thanks, I appreciate all the comments.   :flower:
« Last Edit: April 06, 2014, 10:17:45 AM by Scottiesmum »
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roseway

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Re: LINUX - Should I OR Shouldn't I ??
« Reply #26 on: April 06, 2014, 10:27:51 AM »

Good luck :)
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