Linux Help

[jedi]

I'm not a PC n00b but this one has me stumped.
I've got an older machine running WINDOWS 2000 that I want to use to play with LINUX on it. My goal is to set up the LINUX machine as a spare computer for the kids to surf the net (ie. pbskids.org, youtube.com) & for facebook games (ie. flash based).

I've played with KNOPPIX before and it has saved my bacon recovering files on my other main PCs but figured I give Ubuntu a try.

So I went to the Homepage | Ubuntu website and download the .iso file and burned a CD. The CD is suppose to run either in WINDOWS or be bootable. In windows the ubuntu application starts up and ask if I want to install ubuntu. I tell it yes it says it will restart my system and then it just hangs.

So I shut down, restart the machine go into the BIOS and tell it to boot from CD-ROM first. Start up again, the screen flashes that ubuntu is loading and then a blank screem with the blinking cursors (keyboard wo't type anything).

Try the Knoppix CD and it does work. So what gives? I've build bootable disc before? I re-downloaded the .iso thinking it was a corrupt download and re-burned the CD with a DIFFERENT burn porgram (first one was with NERO, second with infrarecord) and the same results.

Any help please?

 

[toyotaslave]

Sounds like the image was corrupted somewhere in there. If I were to guess I'd say that Ubuntu started installing and got hung up and installing drivers for the peripherals never completed.

If it were mine, I'd probably do a clean wipe of the drive (write all 0s if possible) and try again. If that didn't work, I'd try a different flavor of linux. Still no luck, I'd vbe real tempted to shoot the damned thing. Asking for help is better though.

Curious to see what becomes of this. Keep us posted.

 

[Lucas156]

Did you write it on the correct type of cd? I think you have to write it on a CD-R not CD-RW Sorry I don't know much but have done it a couple times and this is one problem I had.

 

[jedi]

toyotaslave me thinks u r right. The iso file is ONLY 287MB on my HD yet it should be close to 687MB per the download notes. Hum... Something fishy there. I'll try one of the mirror sites to re-download.

BTW I'm burning it to CD-Rs. 2 coasters so far & counting! ROFL!

 

[jedi]

FYI it worked after re-loading the REAL iso file. First one was corrupt.
The install process was very easy and user friendly (no command lines).
Connected the the net and was about to see youtube and pbskids.org videos **AFTER** adding the FLASH plugin for Firefox for Lunix.

Now granted the "task bar" is at the top of the screen and the "X" button to close windows is on the LEFT inside of RIGHT like windows but overall it "looks" the same so I think the kids won't have an issue. Now I just need to go pick up a used monitor I found on craiglist and we are good to go.

 

[NYFelon]

You can head over to gnome-lookdotorg and get some themes which will place the window controls (minimize, maximize, close) on the right hand side if it's going to be a problem. Ubuntu is very user friendly.

 

[revsaxon]

Too friendly if you ask me. Using an operating system should be some work.

Congrats on going linux, even if its is linux lite

 

[jedi]

You can head over to gnome-lookdotorg and get some themes which will place the window controls (minimize, maximize, close) on the right hand side if it's going to be a problem. Ubuntu is very user friendly.

Thanks for the info but it's up and running now.
Youtube videos work
PBSKids Videos/Games work
BirdBig/Elmo & friends website works
Disney Kids website works!

& that is all I needed for this old computer (AMD K-6 CPU, 20 GB HD, and 1GB RAM) to do so the kids stop hogging up mine.

Too friendly if you ask me. Using an operating system should be some work.

Congrats on going linux, even if its is linux lite

Heck no! Because then the user will be asking you a million trillion questions. The OS needs to be like modern day cars. User turns the key and the car starts and you go! To need to worry how the internal combustion engine works, how the oil lubs the metal parts to produce the torque to go, etc...

Now when they get older and the PC does not work. Well I'll them them at that point. Figure it out! Go read up on it to make it work. But for now at age 6 and 3.5 I just need them to stop hogging up my PC with their videos 24/7.

The other reason I wanted a linux box is because I needed a dedicated box in order to be able to do this:
Recover Deleted files from Memory Card « Going GNU

I got a friend that "lost" her images on her PC card. It's not the first time a friend has "lost" files and I've had to recover them. Before I typically just run KNOPPIX but it's a bit slow to run. So figured I should just have a dedicated linux box. Now if I mess up the box oh well no biggie it's just to play anyways. Want to try putting a SAMBA server of it as well and see if I can get that to work.

 

[NYFelon]

Too friendly if you ask me. Using an operating system should be some work.

Congrats on going linux, even if its is linux lite

LOL. Linux snobs are just Apple snobs without the emo haircut and the half-caff skim milk lattes

 

[jedi]

LOL. Linux snobs are just Apple snobs without the emo haircut and the half-caff skim milk lattes

Ouch but that can NOT be true. Linux snobs can't be part of the "apple tree" because they are too cheap to buy an OS and even cheap-o for not buying a premium OS like apples.


BTW when I shut down ubuntu it logs off the desktop and goes to a pink/purple/light neon green (at times) screen that shows the ubuntu name and that it is. The PC won't actually turn off nor will the monitor go on stand by. I take it that is the extend of ubuntu "turning off". I still have to hit the "power button" on the PC to actually turn OFF the machine.

No biggie but found that a bit odd vs the windows shutdown method.

--update--
So for the hard core gamers...

Can it [LINUX] play Far Cry 2? ROFL!!!

 

[revsaxon]

LOL. Linux snobs are just Apple snobs without the emo haircut and the half-caff skim milk lattes

Haha. I just have a rational hatred for Ubuntu. Being forced to make it work in an environment where is was very unsuited will do that to you (its not a server OS. Or it wasnt when I was forced to use it. Anything that breaks on VLANS deserves nothing but contempt).

 

[NYFelon]

Haha. I just have a rational hatred for Ubuntu. Being forced to make it work in an environment where is was very unsuited will do that to you (its not a server OS. Or it wasnt when I was forced to use it. Anything that breaks on VLANS deserves nothing but contempt).

LOL. I hear ya dude. It's basically Lindows (remember that catastrophe?). I like it because it's a good platform to get familiariized with *nix. They have a server distribution available now: No GUI, SELinux autotmatically installed, Samba, Postgre, Wins and DNS configurations. As of right now I have XP pro set up with a few hacks added on. NO simple file sharing, (that "poop:'s for the birds), Everyone has a home partition, with access control lists, plus there's a general storage partition to which everyone has access. I used to host a site, plus gaming on it. But, you and I both know XP was never designed as a server OS. Fortunately I've never run into the 10 connections at once limit XP Pro has.

Meh, like I said, I'm no pro, but I do what I can with what I know. I'm trying to get comfy with *nix flavors so I can migrate over one day. It's just that initial hurdle that I keep stumbling on.