Mandrake 8.1

[Genuine_Mind]

Hey guys, I am just downloading those two big .iso files to put Mandrake 8.1 on my p3 800. I just have 1 question, do I do a double boot with Win Second Ed or do I delete that and go for Mandrake, I use the net alot and play a few games, what do you think I should do?

[revelation]

I guess the answer would depend on how familiar you are with Linux. If you are OK with Linux, than by all means go with the penguin and get rid of Bill Gates. If you still have apps that you use in Windows you may want to dual boot until you get used to Linux. I dual boot. My wife will not switch from Windows. I use Windows 2000 Professional and Mandrake 8.0. Windows Professional is so stable compared to Windows ME I don't mind using that most of the time to defer to my wife.

[Genuine_Mind]

So if I do a dual boot, which I think I will, what will happen when I turn on my computer?

[revelation]

If you load LILO with the installation you will get a screen that gives you a choice of which OS to load at boot time. You can set either one to be the default and it will load that one. I have also used the method of putting the Linux boot on a floppy and just letting the computer load Windows unless I want Linux to load in which case I put the floppy in before I start the computer and let it load Linux. LILO works pretty well though.

[Genuine_Mind]

ok, so I have downloaded those 2 big .iso files and burned them onto a disc, do I just install it the normal way I would any other way or do I need to split my drive into 2, if so, how would I do that?

Thanks for the help

[Xayd]

There'll be a utility in the DOSUTILS directory of the first CD called FIPS, put it on a bootdisk with RESTORRB. Assuming you're running Win98/ME, you can use these to set your partitions (if you're running NT this won't work).


Run a defrag (must!)
Boot to the boot disk, run fips, partition your drive
Save your boot image when prompted, and be sure to keep it backed up somewhere
Then you can install Linux on the partition you created


If you want to get rid of the Linux partition, restore your old boot image from the backup with RESTORRB, and run a scandisk, the drive will be back to square one.

Since Linux uses a different file system, Win98 will think your Linux partition is a sort of gigantic disk error, so it won't even show it as used space, it'll miss it completely.

Xayd

[Genuine_Mind]

Thanks for your help, I did what you said and It works fine the dual boot thing is good. Just have to learn how to use Mandrake now.

[Frey Grimrod]

Im thinking of doing the same type of thing on a machine I just threw together from parts from the DUMP of all places runnin pretty well I just have to go find the video card drivers to get out of 16bit color mode. Anyways do you all think a P2 266 with 32mb of ram (can get some more pretty easy and plan to) and I believe its an 8mb video card would run Mandrake 8 or 8.1 fine? Or would it be too taxing on the system? (probably a stoopid question I know but hey Iv been a Micky$h*@ user for life)

[mairving]

Actually the video card and processor would be okay. The main problem is the RAM, 32MB is too low to run X-windows. I have a server that I run that is a 8MB video and 200Mhz and 64MB RAM. When I use X-windows on it, which is pretty rare, it runs pretty slow. Otherwise it's performance is pretty good unless I am running some pretty heavy script. I would say at least 128 to run the desktop okay.

[Frey Grimrod]

Thnx for the quick response. I suppose Ill go poke about for some more ram then Im posting from that machine now its got Windoze 95 on it right now Im amazed at just how fast its runnin but of course its a love hate relationship since it crashes bout every 2 mins :-P Ill work on the ram then gettin the OS and hopefully I to shall become a Linux Afficionado.

[Computer Hobbyist]

"Anyways do you all think a P2 266 with 32mb of ram (can get some more pretty easy and plan to) and I believe its an 8mb video card would run Mandrake 8 or 8.1 fine? Or would it be too taxing on the system? (probably a stoopid question I know but hey Iv been a Micky$h*@ user for life)"

No "stoopid" questions here.

Until a recent upgrade I was running linux (Redhat 6.0) with 32 meg of ram in Xwindows and hating it. With 128 meg it runs pretty good. I thing because the OS is heavily dependent on the swap file, harddrive speed seems to be another important consideration when running Linux.

I have come to the conclusion that I need to replace my distribution. How long did it take to download Mandrake 8.1?

CH