Re: Novice Questions
Joseph Schumacher wrote:
Hope you do not mind an inquiry from a Linux novice.
Not at all. We do usually expect you to do your homework first, which
you indicate you've done further down, when you mention googling. Good
for you.
I do not know much about Linux but I do know that I'm tired of
Microsoft and I write to seek advice as to whether or not my system is
suitable for Linux.
Be aware, Linux is not a drop-in replacement for Microsoft, any more
than Macintosh would be. They're different operating systems, that
function in different ways, and have different strengths/weaknesses,
although you can pretty much accomplish what you want to accomplish on
any of these OSes.
It is a Dell Dimension 2400 bought about a year ago. Pentium IV,
2.2GHz, 1GB memory, 6 USB 2.0 ports, and 3 bootable devices (1.44MB
Floppy/CD-RW Unit/Hard Disk ”C”). A home system, it has no network
connections and uses a dial-up telephone connection.
I can't speak directly to the compatibility of this hardware, but I
doubt you'll have any real problems with it for a basic text-mode based
Debian box. You might have some issues with the graphics system in X
(the "Windows" GUI), or with the sound system, or with the NIC (if you
had a LAN, which you say you don't). You will almost certainly have
problems with the modem, if it's an internal PCI modem. If it's an
external serial (not USB) modem, you will almost certainly have no
problems with the modem.
Knoppix is a quick and easy test for how compatible the hardware is with
Debian. If it works with Knoppix, it'll work with Debian (although it
might take some work in some cases). If it doesn't work with Knoppix, it
still might work with Debian, but it might again take some work.
Next step was building a resource base for both Linux and Windows so I
installed 2 internal 160GB drives and formatted them as single
partitions in FAT32.
I assume you're allocating one of these 160GB drives to Debian? It
should work just fine (although you'll need to get rid of the FAT32
partition, which you'll be able to do during the Debian installation
process).
For backup purposes, I picked up 2, self-powered, external drive
housings which can link standard EIDE drives to the system via USB
2.0. These were fitted with 200GB drives and rotating the units will
provide an on-going solution for backups.
I've never used an external USB drive with Linux, but I suspect these
will work just fine.
As to Linux, a second carrier for the removable “C” drive has been
loaded with a new 120GB drive and it is ready to be formatted to get
started.
Oh, so you're going to use a removable 120 for Linux instead of the 160
mentioned above. No problem (probably). Unless you're going to store a
lot of movies or large files or host a lot of email for a lot of users,
etc, 120GB is way more than comfortable. Way more.
1) The system uses a wireless, RF, keyboard and mouse with both
communicating through a single receiver module that plugs into a USB
2.0 port. I have already had to add a second PS/2 mouse since some
applications could not detect the wireless model so I wonder if Linux
will be able to run with such hardware.
If the hardware "sees" the keyboard and mouse as standard ps/2 or USB
devices, Debian should see them likewise. I suspect you'll have little
trouble with these devices, but I offer no guarantees. Try it with
Knoppix and see how it handles these units.
2) Another potential problem may result from the system not having a
separate card to drive the display, it instead uses an Intel chipset
dedicated to the function on the motherboard. Would this present a
problem?
If Knoppix can bring up a nice GUI in 1024x768 or better, you can do the
same with Debian, probably without too much hassle (but you'll want to
install Sarge (testing) or Sid (unstable) rather than Woody (stable) in
order to get a new enough version of X to handle this chipset). The
problem (if there is one) is not with having integrated video; it's with
the particular chipset which is integrated. Regardless, I can fairly
well guarantee that text-mode will work just fine.
3) Next question involves allocation of the Linux “C” drive. Being new
to Linux, I hear of EXT2, EXT3, swap files, etc., and have flashbacks
of spending many hours over past years attempting to master MS-DOS
setups only to still have Windows continue giving me “blue screens” on
a regular basis. With 320GB of shared resources aboard the system and
120GB exclusively available to Linux on it's dedicated “C” drive, can
you recommend how I might format and/or partition the 120GB drive to
provide the best environment for Debian?
This is a religious question, and has an infinite amount of answers. The
easy way would be to create one large partition (perhaps formatted as
EXT3) of about 119GB and a swap partition of the remaining 1GB, and put
all of Debian on the large 199GB partition. However, I prefer multiple
partitions, and what I would do is something like the following:
/ 300 MB
/usr 6 GB
/usr/local 3 GB
/var 2 GB
/tmp 2 GB
/home 40 GB
/spare whatever's left over except for swap
swap 1 GB (or maybe 2 GB)
But again, there's a multitude of ways to partition, and each admin has
his own preferences (which are driven somewhat by the role the computer
will play - server? thin client? desktop workstation? etc).
The shared resources you mention will probably need to be formatted as
FAT32, so they'll be readable and writable from both Windows and Debian.
Although Linux is mostly safe when writing to NTFS nowadays, I wouldn't
trust it just yet on important data (NTFS is a secret format, and the
Linux folks have had to reverse engineer it).
4) Lastly, I hope you will not mind me mentioning Knoppix but I have
seen impressive screen shots of it while there are very few available
for Debian.
The screenshots you're seeing are probably really just screenshots of
KDE, which runs just fine on top of Debian. Knoppix is a derivative of
Debian, and the two are close kin. Knoppix is basically just somebody's
install of Debian, tweaked and then customized to run off a CD. You can
install Knoppix to your hard drive, and from there migrate to a pure
Debian installation, but the tweaks in Knoppix make this less than a
satisfactory route to follow (and difficult), and I would recommend
against it.
Knoppix however appears to be merely an introductory vehicle for Linux
so my thinking is that I may as well skip it and instead go straight
to the full capabilities of Debian even though it will likely involve
considerable research before I can fully utilize it.
I think this is a wise choice. Since you can remove your important data
out of your box, I'd suggest to just install Debian, without too much
research, if you're the type to experiment and learn and tinker. If
you'll get frustrated doing it this way, then yes, research first.
Any thoughts for a novice about to venture into Debian?
Remember, it's not Microsoft. Don't get frustrated because you can't
just double-click on a link to install Java, or your GeeWhiz
Frizzle-matic doesn't frizzle properly when you plug it into the USB port.
Google is your friend.
Start with the Debian Sarge net installer (the netinst CD image for i386
- http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/), and after the base
install is done, change your "sarge" or "testing" lines in
"/etc/apt/sources.list" file to "unstable", then do an "apt-get update"
followed by an "apt-get dist-upgrade" to get the most bleeding-edge
stuff for Debian. Or stick with sarge/testing if you're a bit more
conservative and prefer a little bit more stability to having access to
newer toys.
Stick with Debian long enough to actually start to get to know it;
that's when you'll start realizing that "Hey, why doesn't Microsoft do
this? And this? And this?! Man, those MS developers must be smoking
crack or something to not give their customers this feature!" Before
that point, you'll just be thinking "Debian is stupid; it doesn't do
things the way I'm accustomed to, which is the Microsoft way."
When you get stuck, and after you're done your homework, post your
questions here.
(PS, don't bottom post.)
--
Kent West
westk@acu.edu
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