I'm looking for a GUI version to start on. I've used Windows for many years and have gotten used to it so I would prefer something that has a feel like Windows but would allow me to learn to use Linux. Also appreciated would be a link to a good, free anti-virus app to go with it.
I tried Mandrake in the past with no success. Although it has a GIU front end, after installing programs, I could find no way to see the files that had been installed or even a list of executable programs (similar to the Windoze Start button).
It just seemed to me that it was saying told me, this is your disk data area, everything else is off limits. It's my disk, it doesn't belong to the writers of the OS, therefore, I should have access to ALL areas of it. I had that row with Windows telling me the Program Files folder was off limits to me, even when I upgraded my login profile to Administrator.
I want to to learn how to use it and how the OS structures it's own data areas so I'd want some way to access those areas of the disk as well, similar to accessing the system folders in Windows to learn how things work.
Mandrake seemed OK at first but then it was like the GUI was a door but either side of it was a completely alien landscape. The only familiar thing was the door itself. I'm looking for a windows type feel at the front end so I have familiar ground to work from with the alien landscape on the outside of the door only.
Thanks.
Hello All. This is my first post here. I am worse than a newbie; I'm a PC dinosaur! Not joking either.
Recently got a Dell Inspiron 3048 with Windows 8.1 pre installed. As I am a die hard XP user (my other PC is a Dell Dimension 2400), and seeing that PC's days may be numbered, I want to start using Linux, and decided Mint 17.1 would be first on the list.
Ordered a Linux Mint 17.1 boot disk and went to install it. At the option for a dual boot with Windows, I got lost, and did not understand the "other" choice versus making Linux the only OS on the PC. I wound up wiping my HDD and lost contact with Windows 8.1. Fortunately, the Dell Tech I got at Dell Support was able to walk me through getting Windows back up, but the only way I can now access Mint 17.1 is with the boot disk, but there is no set up options as it is already set up, even though incorrectly for a dual boot.
How do I wipe out Linux without losing Windows 8.1 as well so I can re install Linux and this time make the correct selection for a dual boot?
Anyone willing to respond please do so small and slow so I can follow.
TIA.
BTW, I have tried installing Zorin OS 9 Ultimate on my XP machine via DVD and USB, but I can't get past the f1/f2 loop, even though I have reconfigured my boot sequence according to the drive I'm installing from. Zorin support has been MIA on this. Anyone having a similar problem?
Cheers
I am an older, competent, windows user who would love to migrate to Linux. Unfortunately there is no easy path. Linux seems to be a program written by geeks who want it to be different, forcing a windows user wanting to move over to completely learn a new way to use the internet. Even moving to Apple is easier. To learn Linux is like forcing us to learn Chinese from scratch. That will not happen.
Unless a pathway, or a bridge, which is "somewhat" like windows is provided so we can assimilate into this new OS called Linux, I, we, will never really accept Linux to replace Windows. Even though we want to get away from Windows, there is no way to do it, because Linux is just too different to easily learn. I can play with Linux, but that is all I can do - play with it, not use it on a daily basis.
SAD.
And here we are, going to be forced to accept Windows 10 as the next OS, and I have nothing to say about it, for MS will soon kill Win7 like they killed XP, and force me to go to Win10, when I don't want to. I would love to use Linux, but the learning curve is just toooooo steep.
SAD
It would be nice to have a version which would make moving from Windows to Linux easy. The reality is, though, Linux is an OS for the younger geeks, or experienced programmer, not an OS for the avg user. Why can't that change? I realize this is an age old question, which has been around for years, but I'm realizing it is now becoming a reality I need to face.
I just got a laptop with a 500GB hard drive installed with a clean copy of Win 7. I'm trying to shrink the windows volume from windows using Disk management and it's given me 230GB. There's less than 15 gig being used by the win 7 install. I want to dual boot but not if it's gonna cost me half the disk! I followed suggestions from he http://skimfeed.com/blog/windows-7-f...ize-shrinking/ which freed up all of 280MB. Can anyone suggest how I can get more shrinkage out of win 7?
Hello everyone,
Recently, I installed Linux Mint 17 (Cinnamon) on my HP dv6 Laptop. During installation Linux was not detecting my original Windows 7 and was attempting to occupy the entire hard disk. So I used the "Something Else" option to manually create separate partitions for Linux (Previously I had allocated around 120 GB free space for Linux using Windows Disk Management). This installed the Linux but after booting it does not detect Windows 7 and directly boots to Mint. I have tried installing and updating the grub but it did not help either.
Please Help...
Again my friends I am having trouble,
Have Toshiba Tecra 64-bit 500gb disk 4gb ram running Windows 7 professional it has Intel core i5 processor.
I burned iso file of DVD LinuxMint Rebecca Cinnamon to DVD.
When I restart the system with the DVD inserted it immediately opens in Windows 7.
Then I pressed F1 to change the boot order to USB ODD.
Then I re-started several times to no avail.
When I press F1 to select the boot device it only gives me the Windows 7 option.
I know the disk is good because I checked the files it should contain and they are there.
Help from anyone is greatly appreciated.
Best regards to all of you.
I am completely new to Linux. Ready to get as much advice and tips as anyone can offer. First, which version should I install? Are the free online versions safe and functional? I am running windows 8.1 on a laptop. Would prefer to install, if possible, any type of Linux on USB or disk. If not possible, use a partition. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?
I have a similar problem. I had Windows 7 and Centos 5.5 installed on same disk /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2 and then I installed Centos 7 instead.
Since then I cant find Windows entry in the Grub.
I've been a DOS / Windows user ever since I got my first computer. I've been on Linux for almost two weeks now, and it's still hard for me to get really into it. Mainly because it is a totally different concept.
If Windows has exe, bat, and com files, what does Linux have?
Can you even run an application/program in Linux?
Why is it so damn hard to get up-to-date stuff like flash plugins and java? or up-to-date browsers for that matter.
I love how stable Linux is now that I don't have to worry about viruses, but I am reluctant when it comes to installing and trying things because this one concept is so alien to me.
Hello,
I am new to Linux images (pxe, livecd). I would like to add files to a linux image, like something under etc or var, and have the files be available on the client.
The server I am working on was already configured with a pxe image, and only 2 files are present under the pxe client folder: initrd and vmlinuz. So I am wondering if either of these files contain the dirs /etc, /var, etc..., and how I could add files to them.
To give some background, I have done the same thing in Windows. An image in Windows is typically either boot.img or install.img. You can mount either of these to a folder using the Windows SDK tool imagex.exe /mountrw <img file> 1 <mount point>. From here you can add/remove/modify any files you want. Then commit the changes with imagex.exe /unmount <mountpoint> /commit.
Can someone provide insight to the linux image creation process, which of the files (initrd, vmlinuz/vmlinux, etc...) contain what for the client boot, or something similar to the Windows Image editing process?
I know I'm asking for a range of info, but pointers to any material to help my understanding will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jon
Hi,
Could anyone please explain as understandable as possible how could I on my Windows 8 open either single file or install (and use) entire software which is supposted to work on Linux and/or Ubuntu? I have absolutelly NO experience with Linux and have never used it. Honestly, I don't know if there is any difference between Linux and Ubuntu. I want to be inside my Windows 8 while using Linux files/sofware. The only solution I could think of are actually two but neither of them is useful for me:
1. Vmware (i don't know how to use it)
2. Rent remote computer (vps/rdp) with linux OS installed (this would let me be in Windows 8 while being able to use Linux file/software [on remote computer] but sooner or later I would want to have Windows installed there too)
Tried program Linux Reader but didn't work on my Windows 8. Although I would need solution for installation/usage of software (that can be used only on linux/ubuntu), regardless of details***, the current problem is basically related to single files only: I have two files, both in IMG extension. Don't know how to open them because Deamon Tools doesn't handle IMG. The problem is that filesystem in one of them is "Linux" and filesystem in another is "142". The error I am getting when I try to open them is:
"File with harddrive/disc snapshot is corrupted."
But this is most likely because they are supposted to be used in linux environment, hence such question.
*** when i said "details" I was referring to basically anything: type of software, size, purpose, whether or not it needs network connection, whether or not it contains logging in (username password, etc) requirement, etc.
The following solution for current situation (quoted error above) works only partially:
http://www.sysprobs.com/simple-tip-h...thout-software
I am able to open/run/mount IMG if I do what is described on this link (im basically opening iso in this case - see the website) but when opening the virtual drive, the following error message proves that the file can be used in linux/ubuntu only:
"Windows cannot access that drive. Drive could be corrupted. Make sure the drive is in condition that can be recognized by Windows. If drive isn't formatted then format it before usage."
Would need detailed instructions, for total beginner, who has never used linux/ubuntu, what to do in such case: how to use in win8 files/software that are supposted to be used in linux/ubuntu. Also answer on how to open IMG would be highly appreciated.
Kindest regards and thank you a million in advance.