Topic: Linux or XP

[bigguy]

That's what that other partition was for was the swap drive. So do you mean you don't need that partition at all or linux will make it during install.

[butchas]

So a swap drive is just for Linux?  According to this a swap drive cna be a partition or a file.  I do not fully understand this yet.  So is the partition faster?  Can it be used for XP too?

[bigguy]

I don't think it can be used for XP no. Linux does need a swap drive but I have never heard of it being either a file or a partition. I would think the partition is faster.

[butchas]

I agree.  I am thinking of 5 or 6 partitions now:

1.  D: For XP temp and Paging Files.  Approx 8GB, I have 4GB memory
2.  E: Linux swap files.  Approx 4 GB
3.  C: Windows XP.  Undetermined size.
4.  F: Linux.   Undetermined size.
5.  G: Dell Diagnostics boot.  Whatever is the current size allocated by Dell.
6.  Possible GRUB partition?

I assume #3 will have to be C: drive.  Now sure about the rest.

In this link it is mentioned that "For each of /etc, /usr, /home, /boot, /tmp, /var etc - you've to create a separate partition and mount that folder in it.".  Since learning about this is my end game I may try this to begin with.  Now I will need to guess at the sizes and what the etc is.

Furthermore I was looking at a Linux Linux Distribution Chooser site.  It is telling me I need OpenSuSE.  Decisions decisions decisions...
  

[bigguy]

Ubuntu is more user friendly IMHO.

[Talvace]

you only need to make two partitions. The windows partition and the linux partion. In your case three cause want one for dell something or other. Windows will use part of it's own partition for pagefile and linux can use part it's own for swap which can be decided on at install time. I always make sure I have a healthy windows partition on before I make any partition for linux. Thats the way I've always done it. I assume it would work the other way as well, I just have never done that so I can't really say too much on that. I didn't use any swap cause I have 4 gigs of ram and I dont't do anything real heavy in ubuntu (just playing around), If I need swap I can always make some later.

[Talvace]

Furthermore I was looking at a Linux Linux Distribution Chooser site.  It is telling me I need OpenSuSE.  Decisions decisions decisions..

 
I took the same test and got unbuntu,kunbuntu,mandriva,mint,opensuse,fedora (90% which I have ran before). LOL now I'm kinda curious about mint and mandriva.

[butchas]

I just tried installing ubantu and it had a bunch of errors in the end and when I tried to install a firewall it asked me for my password and did not accept it.  Was my password too weak?
 

[Talvace]

did you by any chance put in a user password rather than the password you used for your root account? Have you been able to log on at all? Any changes to the system such as a firewall will require you to input the password for root (similar to administrator in a windows based pc). You would have chosen a password for root and a password for your user account during install.

[butchas]

Thanks.  I wiped it out and reinstalled with a longer password and this time it is working.

[butchas]

Now I have Linux, and I have no idea what I am doing.  First thigns first, now the Flyers lost one I need to find a Linux SopCast app to watch the game online on Monday.   

[Talvace]

Go to: Applications>Ubuntu Software Center>Sound and Video

You Can search, Download and install literally thousands of free open source fully functional apps for ubuntu.

[butchas]

Nice...  Since I put the Pentium in this computer is so much faster than my really old 500Mhz computer.  Thinking about using it as the main computer.  But I need to play with it a while...

What are your recommendations for firewall and security.
 

[Talvace]

only use the router firewall while in ubuntu and no antivirus either. Not to much trouble there, windows is a different story.

[gordo]

I ran linuxPC  on an old small spec tower for well over 6 months, had absolutely no problems with needing anti virus or spyware, like above just used the routers firewall.  Would still be using it,  if my little lad didn't think it needed a cup of juice and poured one over, some got inside. Needless to say he didn't like the fireworks from the tower or from me.

I will be building another one just to run linux on.