Linux

[Woolie]

Hi, searched the forums and couldn't find anything. I'm thinking of switching to Linux and was wondering if anyone could recommend a good free live CD version of a Linux OS so i don't have to physically install it. Or could anyone recommend a place that tells me how to run Linux and Windows XP at the same time, is it even possible?

Thanks

 

[Spartan Erik]

well what do you mean by same time?
i dont think you can have two operating systems operate at the same time, but you can have two operating systems and choose between one or the other

it is possible for a computer to have dual boot, where you can start up using linux or startup using windows

thats about all i know; im not a linux user, and thats one of the few facts that i know
im quite the coward who doesnt like to tinker around with computers, so im sticking with windows. "dont fix it if it aint broke."

 

[Akkarin]

I recently became interested in Linux and learned quite alot. You can have 2 OS's on the same comp. With a dual boot.
But so far I haven't installed one came accross a couple of problems.

I've tried the following Live CD's:
Knoppix - Really good, full of software.
Ubuntu - Better to install, but very nice and easy for a beginner.

The only problem is that you can't save settings because it's a live cd. You can install Ubuntu onto a hard drive or partition and it'll update itself and download whatever packages you require.

So I recommend you check those 2 out first.

 

[Jake]

ok here we go
knoppix and ubunto live cds are great for beggining you still will not be able to use windows while in linux, but you can pop out the cd and switch to windows

knoppix, ubunto, red hat, fedora, slackware, suse, mandrake, freebsd, and others you cna partition with a windows OS and then you can switch form one to the other that run on the same hard drive, you can also use WINE to use the windows OS inside of linux (so you can use those windows APPS that are not in linux)

also another way is just installing a linux distro and using WINE to emulate windows

i would suggest the first way or the second way for a beginner to see what linux is all about and everything...

 

[Mikek]

To run them at the same time you something like qemu(free and faster the bochs), bochs(free and slow), vmware or virtual pc.

 

[Woolie]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Yeah dual boot was what i was talking about. Id done it with two windows version but i just didn't no if you could do it with Linux and widows. I think i might go and try the Knoppix live CD. Thanks for all you help.

 

[Akkarin]

Here's a really useful link I found. It's a guide on Ubuntu and how-to install and use it.

http://www.paulstamatiou.com/2005/10/24/how-to-ubuntu-linux-for-novices/

 

[komodolinux]

well i have a distro i customised myself.

its called komodolinux.

it is derived from pclinuxos. (a derivative of mandrake.)

you can run the live cd and save settings to a usb key. never tried it myself. once the settings are saved im told you can use them the next time you run the cd.

it has a hard drive installer in it.

PLUS once you have the pc running as you like you can easilly build an image of it and burn that to cd so you then have a live cd with your settings on it. this is handy if your pc dies.