Noob wants to loose (3rd party) XPpro + switch to Linux

[Jougukny]

I have XP pro sp2....no disk...no support (yes i admit it! - A 'friend' gave it to me and it's um cough illegal cough cough)- i no longer want to use it. It's been bugging my conscience ever since i installed it half a year ago - I was so tired of the buggy WIN98........No excuses! I'm correcting my error in judgment now.

The point is now i want to get rid of it and get to know my computer and how it really functions. I've been searching this forum and it seems that Linux is a good OS to use and be involved with with lots of online support and Noob help. (and it's er um..cough legal;cough cough... ya that's it...)

I want to install Linux but don't know at all how to begin. I don't where to begin. But i do know i want this ; tech forums has many opinions of which is best. But since i don't know much about much, i don't have any bad programming habits (any for that matter; but willing to learn it) then i'm thinking of using Ubuntu or Kbuntu...Gentoo and Fedora RH got some good coodoes in the Linux Recommend thread.

Question: Can i use Linux for all of my computing.
Desktop
Word processor
Video (viewing/editing)
Audio (can i still use iTunes?)
IM and Video conferencing
Email (will i still have access to my INBOX account?)
Photoshop 7

I tried earlier to download Ubuntu (700MB - successful! - to desktop) and attempted to unpack it/unzip it (winRAR) to my secondary drive, but the process stopped on its own and it did not unzip totally to my 'D:\"

Can someone please take an ULTRA NOOB with limited skills under his wing and walk me through this?

I have no way to reformatt my NTFS 40GB hdd or to partiton it. What's my very first step to get Xp pro (hacked) off my system and then install Linux...Is this possible.

Thanks in advance; My computer is listed below. Is this enough information to begin the switch?

I have a 40GB primary HDD
WDC WD400BB-75DEA0 [Hard drive] (40.00 GB), rev 05.03E05, SMART Status: Healthy
and a 1GB Secondary HDD
M1614TA [Hard drive] (1.09 GB), rev 8D-43-45, Not SMART

OS:Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600) - :embarrassed:
Board: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-8SIMLH 1.x
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 6.00 PG 11/19/2003
Chip:2.67 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
RAM:512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
Display Adaptor:NVIDIA GeForce 6200 [Display adapter]
Monitor: DELL E196FP - 19.1"
Internet: Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC
Telus Security bundle Realtime AV protection OFF
Avast! Secruity program Realtime AV protection ON

[mBernhardt]

I'm assuming when you download Ubuntu it comes in a single .iso file. (If not, you should look for it)

This file is a CD image that you would burn onto a CD. (Make sure you have a program that can handle burning .iso's. There are some free options out there, but I cannot think of them off the top of my head.

Once you get that burned, make a copy of any and all files you want to keep. Burn them to a CD, copy them to a thumb drive, whatever.

Now that you are sure that you have everything off the computer you don't want to loose, put in the Ubuntu Install CD that you just burnt from the .iso file and reboot the computer. (Make sure it boots to the CD)

If it boots to a menu of options, choose install Desktop Ubuntu or whatever is closest to that. Of course, I think they now have the install go through the live cd interface, in which case just look for the Install Ubuntu to Hard Drive option. You'll have to make some choices for the basics of the system, which are all easy enough questions.

[Jougukny]

Thank you for your response...

Actually, i didn't pay attention to the file's extension when i click on the university mirror...and since then, I assumed that the file or my computer was not quite right and hence, deleted it. I'll do it again and make sure it's as you suggest.

I'm using Nero 5.5.5.9 i think it handles iso's

I'll post here again when i'm ready to proceed. Probably in a few days.

I'm eager to learn this new OS...and struggle through a few challenges. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but i like to think I'm useful just the same...

[CalcProgrammer1]

Question: Can i use Linux for all of my computing.

Answer: Yes, if you can adapt to some new software.

Desktop - Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop, it's quite nice and is easy to learn.
Word processor - Ubuntu uses OpenOffice.org 2.3, which has word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, math, drawing, and database applications.
Video (viewing/editing) - Ubuntu has Totem, but I prefer VLC to watch videos. I haven't found a good video editor yet though, so maybe you'll want to dual-boot.
Audio (can i still use iTunes?) - No iTunes (Windows/Mac only) but you can use other programs that are compatible with iPods.
IM and Video conferencing - IM (Gaim or Pidgin), idk about video conferencing but I'm sure there's something out there.
Email (will i still have access to my INBOX account?) - Ubuntu has Firefox (for web email like I have [Gmail]) and Evolution for those that need an email client. You can also use Mozilla Thunderbird as well.
Photoshop 7 - No. Windows only. You can, however, use The Gimp, which is a powerful open-source photo editor included with Ubuntu.

If you're new to it, download the iso, burn to a CD, then play around in Live CD mode (doesn't change your computer), then you can either dual boot (have both Windows and Ubuntu at the same time) or wipe Windows completely.

[Jougukny]

Originally Posted by CalcProgrammer1

Question: Can i use Linux for all of my computing.

Answer: Yes, if you can adapt to some new software.

Desktop - Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop, it's quite nice and is easy to learn.
Word processor - Ubuntu uses OpenOffice.org 2.3, which has word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, math, drawing, and database applications.
Video (viewing/editing) - Ubuntu has Totem, but I prefer VLC to watch videos. I haven't found a good video editor yet though, so maybe you'll want to dual-boot.
Audio (can i still use iTunes?) - No iTunes (Windows/Mac only) but you can use other programs that are compatible with iPods.
IM and Video conferencing - IM (Gaim or Pidgin), idk about video conferencing but I'm sure there's something out there.
Email (will i still have access to my INBOX account?) - Ubuntu has Firefox (for web email like I have [Gmail]) and Evolution for those that need an email client. You can also use Mozilla Thunderbird as well.
Photoshop 7 - No. Windows only. You can, however, use The Gimp, which is a powerful open-source photo editor included with Ubuntu.

Thanks CalcPgmr...I wrote that down. I can see that i have learnin to do. I'm familiar with Firefox...that was the only thing on your list that made sense to me...(This is going to be a real challenge...looking forward to it. Good thing it's winter and my nights are free)

[jakec]

Alrighty then first thing you need to do is choose a distro, to this end I reccomend the Linux distro chooser in my sig, It askes you a series of questions then based on your answers comes up with a suitable distro

Here are a few personal reccomendations
Kubuntu
Kubuntu - The KDE Desktop


Mandriva
http://www.mandriva.com/community/mandrivaone

PCLinuxOS 2007
PCLinuxOS


This is the distro I use and recommend, Why because it works right out of the box. No need to configure Everything, everything just works. It also comes as a 1 CD install that is a live CD that you can install later if you wish.


Mephis
MEPIS | discover the possibilities...


Blag
blag linux and gnu downloads


Cheers

Jake

[Jougukny]

Originally Posted by jakec

Alrighty then first thing you need to do is choose a distro,...Here are a few personal reccomendations
Kubuntu
Kubuntu - The KDE Desktop


PCLinuxOS 2007
PCLinuxOS


This is the distro I use and recommend, Why because it works right out of the box. No need to configure Everything, everything just works. It also comes as a 1 CD install that is a live CD that you can install later if you wish.

Thanks ...I've downloaded two: Ubuntu and Pc....Looks like PCLinuxOS is your recommend. The two downloads i have are wanting to be opened by my winRAR and i don't seeeeee the 'iso' extension on the files....Okay; i have one chosen, but now what do i do with it...my Nero 5559 doesn't seem to want to burn it. Am i stuck? Can i run Linux from my 'D:/' drive?
Can i burn it to a CDRW or does it have to be a cdr?