Linux installation

[Deified]

I am having problems intalling Mandrake Linux 9.0. I'm currently downloading 10.0 but I thought I might try to sort out these problems anyway. When I insert the disk into my drive and choose "boot from cd-rom drive" it opens up the graphical installer splash screen for Mandrake. However, when I hit install it sputters about for a minute with the screen black. Then it stops doing anything at all and I have to turn off my comp to get out. Do have I to partition before I install? Or could it be something else? Any ideas?

[bh_doc]

You will have to partition, but the installer should help you do that. It sounds like something else. It could be that you have a bad image burnt, but I don't know.

[bloodhound]

i am not sure whats wrong. try with 10.1. i had no problems installing that release

[Sayonara]

Sounds like a bad installer or crappy media.

 

Wait for 10 to finish downloading; it's much better anyway.

[Deified]

OK, Thanks guys.

[Silencer]

I've never used the Mandrake graphical installer, but that black screen that "sputters" could very well have been the normal boot procedure.

 

However, after that you should have seen some sort of prompt that takes input. Were you able to type anything, or did ctrl+alt+del at least reboot?

 

If you didn't retry, then go ahead and do that. If it still doesn't work then you probably have bad source media. In that case you might as well download the latest version, since we all know newer is better!

 

Personally, I think Mandrake is a waste. If you want to jump right in, go with Gentoo, Slackware, or Debian. I can help you with any learning curve there might be, and in the long run you will be more l337 than using watered-down Mandrake.

[1veedo]

Fedora and Gentoo are definitely my favorite. FreeBSD is, I've heard, pretty fun as well...though I need to fix my bootloader to get in my newly installed unix OS. lol.

 

Debian has no GUI/ is entirelly text. Do not use unless you know alot about Linux. Slackware is also entirelly text.

 

I had a bad ISO recentally too. Tried burning twice and both time I got the same results. Just try dloading again, finding another miror, etc

 

Or of course use a diferent version.

[bh_doc]

I use and love my Debian install, but I would only recommend it to someone who has already had a bit of experience using Linux. It's quite a "purist's" distro.

[Dave]

Gentoo's quite nice to install, but again, only use that if you've got some experience with Linux.

[bloodhound]

gentoo is a bitch to install.. me and my cousing tried to install on his laptop. went through all that code, and rebooted the computer. and nothing....

[Sayonara]

I just installed an update for Mandrake 10 using a LAN cable, and my WAN card suddenly started working.

 

Buh-byeeee windows.

[Silencer]

I don't see how you can get much more graphical than the Slackware installer, 1veedo. I mean, you have to read what it says, but you still select stuff with your arrow keys and stuff. It looks like a BIOS configuration. It's actualy very simple compared to a distro like gentoo where you have to manually do all the commands to set up your environment, chroot, and copy all the files.

[1veedo]

hm...

 

I was told it was all text. Originally I was planning on installing FreeBSD, Mandrake, Slackware, and Debian along with my already installed fedora.

 

A friend told me not to install slack or debian as they were text bassed...he knows I've been doing Linux for maybe two months now - I always get help from him.

 

I have the ISOs for Slackware so with my now working floppy CD booter I'll install it on the remaining 8G. (I put my /home and a SWAP on a second HD. I really wish Linux distros could share a /home partition...)

[Silencer]

I never split up my directory tree onto different partitions. It's really pointless to me.

 

I would think that you could have them share a home directory though, provided you did have it in a seperate directory. At the very least, you can mount it and then create a link from the mount point to your /home.

 

I highly suggest slackware. It is the best IMO. You should find the setup program quite easy. It just takes you through each portion of the set up, asking questions about what you want and providing various answers that you select with the keyboard. It's also pretty quick if you just do a full install and don't bother to pick and choose your packages. Full install is just about 2 gigs, which is like chump change today.

[1veedo]

Yeah, I always install everything. One time I didn't think I'd want something, and ended up wishing I had it.

 

The only reason I put /home in separate partitions is because if something ever went wrong, all you have to do is specify that partition as your /home mount on install. When it boots, all your configurations, files, etc will still be there. And when you reinstall extra software, most of the time they find their configurations!

 

home can be shared among certain distros but I've heard it's hard to set up. It should just be like "Install has detected that /home is already being used by XXX. Would you still like to use this partition?"

 

Of course, all my files are on a partition I call files. I make tiny home partitions just to use as configuration backups. I find it convenient.

[pulkit]

I recently installed Suse Pro 9.2 on my laptop; it was a breeze and though I find Mandrake and Fedora equally easily to install and configure, I think if had to choose amongst the 3, I would choose Suse. Easy to configure -- Yast is awesome

[Sayonara]

I have fully migrated all my web dev stuff and email accounts etc to Linux now, so it's only Half Life 2, FirstClass and Macromedia Studio that can drag me back to WinXP.

 

Linux is ace.