Good Command Prompt Linux For Beginners, But Power Users?

I am a basic computer user as far as operating systems are concerned. I do a little programming here and there but nothing special yet.

I have tried Linux many times, but I'm always left to getting *another* distro, after I fail to properly install Linux. Basically I resort to simple installs and found that Linux Mint and Ubuntu, most of the time work out of the box. However, after an installation, ... here and there I get error messages and sometimes crashes and i understand that my installation is not stable, simply because I did not properly configure some conf file or similar.

Another even more important problem I have is device drivers. Working from the command prompt (console) and the GUI is very confusing to me. I'm not sure if I'm setting something right with one and then unsetting it with the other. So basically I'm here with some noob questions and a couple specific ones.

1. Can someone recommend a good distro to learn to correctly configure drivers with manually. Remember, that I understand that there are distros that work out of the box mostly, but I actually am not worried about complexity as far as someone can guide me through errors. Which will lead to more questions of course.

2. After an installation there are sometimes a dozen errors during bootup, but no stops. Since it all scrolls by fast (most distros), where can I check after bootup what I need to fix?

The Goal is an *error free* stable installation of a linux distro, with enough common sense learned to take it to other distros.

When I bring up Linux Ubuntu I would like to get a login prompt and choose as whom to log in. Then I would like to say startX or something like that and to get into X-windows. As I am in X-windows I would like to, do a right mouse click or something and chose “open a new terminal” or something. I used to do that all back over decade ago. Then I haven’t used Linux for over a decade. Now I got a box with Ubuntu, but …

When I bring it up I automatically get logged in as “Owner” and I get into interface that limits what I can do. Specfically, I don’t see how to become a different user, how to get into command line mode, how to run X-windows and open multiple terminal windows. And I would like to decide myself when to invoke some fancy GUI interface, instead of being forced into it..

I found one way to do some of what I want: ctl-alt-functionkey. But when I log in and do startX from there the right mouse click does not give me “open new terminal” option.

Could somebody help me out? Thank you very much in advance.

Roman

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.

Hello!

TL;DR: Deleted Linux partition from Windows. Stuck at Grub rescue prompt.

I'm sorry to trouble you guys, because I'm an idiot.

So I'm wanting to dual-boot Kalilinux and Windows 8.
I went through the steps such as creating a bootable USB, changing the
boot order and so on. I get into Kali, start Gparted and try to partition stuff.

I'm far from an expert, so I wasn't sure what to do. Long-story short, I
didn't seem to get Kali installed correctly, due to something with an EFI
drive being required. So I boot into windows and then stupidly, because it said in the guide,try to "uninstall" Kali by removing it's partition, inside Win8 haha... So I did.

Now I simply get the Grub rescue command prompt when I boot from the same
USB and I have no idea how to fix it. I've run bootrec.exe/fixmbr in Windows haha,
for what it's worth. However Grub can't find any partition it says.

In windows, I have like... 2-3 Recovery partitions. Does anyone know how to remove
them??? I've tried to clear as much as I can, besides the C drive and Auxillary D drive.

Any advice would be very appreciated.

Hello

As a learning experience, I want to jump from Windows 7 to Linux full time on my laptop. This isn't because of some antiWindows bullshit or because its free or anything like that. I just want to learn the ins and outs of Linux like I pretty much know on Windows.

I plan to go with Ubuntu. LTS or latest stable version? Thoughts?

First off, compatibility. I do need that all my hardware on my laptop be compatible. From shortcut keys to wifi. This is not a brand new laptop so there shouldn't be any problems. Its a Dell Vostro 1510.

Next, software. Basically on this laptop software I use in and out: uTorrent, Teamviewer, WMP, mIRC, Skype, vSphere Client, Microsoft Office......That's pretty much it IMO. Also Facebook and YouTube (Flash) are a must. I will run all this software in WINE. I don't want (most) of the Linux ports. Im not looking to replace programs I like and use daily. Just looking to replace the operating system.

Next, virtualization. Due to some things (like Office) cannot be ran in Linux, I use a VM. VMWare with its unity feature pretty much gives me what I want.

Next, streaming. I need to be able to stream media from a WS2012R2 to this Linux installation. Special setup?

Anything that is blowing over me, please mention.

Thank you

Hey guys, im a long time Mac user but I want to have a Linux computer in my office for web based stuff and fixing hard drives.... I'm going to buy a used computer from eBay to install my Linux software as I believe that Linux is a lot faster than Mac or windows and doesnt need the latest hardware to compete.

In order to be at least as fast as a windows computer but no more than $100. What range of computer should I be looking at? What specs should I look for? And once I get it should I run Ubuntu or mint for web based things and hard drive repair? As you no doubt know, the Linux lingo is a bit difficult sometimes so please bear with me. I'm doing the best I can.

Weird question I know, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Hi,

Before installing Linux Mint 17 to the entire HDD of my HP p2 1317cb desktop, it was running a preinstalled windows 8 OEM UEFI. After several failed attempts of dual booting(no grub menu and boots directly to the windows 8) i then decided to do a erase all and install Linux option. Now i have Linux Mint 17.1 working flawlessly, so far. What i want to now do is, dual boot a windows 7 installation alongside my Linux. Please advise on the best way to do this.
Thank You.

Note: Before doing a clean install of Linux i disabled secure boot,enabled legacy, and disabled fast boot.

Hi. Sorry to be so stupid, but I just managed to load and install this Linux (which I really like a lot) on my previously windows <--(bad) system.
But now I need to upgrade some software (like Adobe flash), and I have no clue how to do this. I understand I should go to my original linux distrubutor, and select software thru them (my "Linux distro").
But actually, it's been awhile since I did the install, and I dont exactly remember where I even got this distribution. (I know, I'm dumb--sorry).
Is there a way I can look at my linux system files and see who my distribution is thru, and where is their website. Or would it be easier if I just went thru the whole download and install of linux again <--(not really looking forward to that).
Or even, am I wrong about going thru the distro to do installs/upgrades?
Anything you can tell me will be greatly appreciated.

Long Live Linux !! David K

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.

Good day everyone,

I'm currently a student and as far as I'm aware I still need windows for some program I need, but I am going over to Linux.
(Thus I'm running Windows 8 at this moment)

Today I was going to install Ubuntu 14.04.01 alongside Windows 8, everything went well till I hit the 4th step (Installation type page) of the installation:

A message like follows showed:
"This computer currently has Debian GNU/Linux (Kali Linux 1.0.7) on it. What would you like to do?"

There are then 3 options available:
1) Install Ubuntu alongside Debian GNU/Linux (Kali Linux 1.0.7)
2) Replace Debian GNU/Linux (Kali Linux 1.0.7) with Ubuntu
3 and 4 is greyed out.
5) Something else (You can create resize partitions yourself, or choose multiple partitions for Ubuntu.

I just want to make sure what option to choose, I cant afford to lose all my data and windows.

Problem: Showing Kali Linux as current OS and not Windows 8.

Possible reason for showing Kali Linux as current OS:
I have a live CD of Kali Linux and ran it a few times in the past, but according to my knowledge it shouldn't have changed anything.

Maybe the 1st option is still the right one even though the current OS isn't listed right? Or the 3rd option is like a manual setting I guess.

Thanks for the time reading and helping!