Linux Newbie - Pointers Please!

[OnOff]

With the boy having his own gaming pc now it means I have regained access to the old "family" pc. It has a 1TB HDD, which has 5 partions. Roughly 3 x 300GB, 1 x 100GB and the 5th partition just MB - something to do with Windows and common to all the Windows installs. Each of the 300MB partitions has it's own OS, Windows XP Pro, its own Office install etc. It was a case of mine, hers and the boys. The permissions are "tiered" as in I can see all drives, she can see the boys and he can only see his. Then we have another 1TB HDD in there for storage.

I left the 100MB partition on which to install Linux. Not sure what I'm going to do with it just interested seeing what it's all about. Got a bit of spare time today as she's gone shopping and the kids are occupied so where to start?

Whats the best site for a guide to doing this anyone?

Hoping it's something I put on a USB stick?

Thanks in advance.

 

[OnOff]

Cheers for that, though "making a backup of the existing HDD partitions and Windows" is beyond me!  :lol:  The nephew is an ex HP teccy type so I'll get him on the case. Thought I'd just be able to put the Linux install on the 100GB partition...........

 

[Bruspark]

If you just want to play with Linux I quite like Knoppix.  Its a downloadable CD /DVD image that is set up and optimised to run directly from a DVD (once you have burned the iso file to a DVD and selcted boot first from DVD in your Bios of course) without altering the boot sequence of the PC in normal use

http://knoppix.net/get.php

I'm slightly worried by your 100GB or later you say 100MB MB partion - if you are running windows 7 and its about 100MB that contains the systems boot, encryption and repair files even though windows wont let you see anything in it.  Wipe it or change the format and you'll need to do a Windows install disk recovery/ repair to even get back into windows

The first thing you'll notice is that Linux really doesn't care about windows file permissions or formats - unless its encrypted you'll see it, and even if it is encrypted you can mess it up.  See above !

SO totally agree,  get a big HDD (internal is cheaper and waaay faster than external USB if you have a spare HDD channel) and clone the whole darn thing.  Then disconnect or put safe the backup - I guarantee you will have a few 'OMG hang on which drive was /dev/sda1' moments learning Linux and you want your current data safe and separate.

Agree with Canoeboy, do your backup  /inevitable restore using a bootable linux system as trying to use a windows programme to backup and fully restore an active windows system is often a recipe for a wasted evening in my sad experience.

HTH

 

[OnOff]

If you just want to play with Linux I quite like Knoppix.  Its a downloadable CD /DVD image that is set up and optimised to run directly from a DVD (once you have burned the iso file to a DVD and selcted boot first from DVD in your Bios of course) without altering the boot sequence of the PC in normal use

http://knoppix.net/get.php

I'm slightly worried by your 100GB or later you say 100MB MB partion - if you are running windows 7 and its about 100MB that contains the systems boot, encryption and repair files even though windows wont let you see anything in it.  Wipe it or change the format and you'll need to do a Windows install disk recovery/ repair to even get back into windows

The first thing you'll notice is that Linux really doesn't care about windows file permissions or formats - unless its encrypted you'll see it, and even if it is encrypted you can mess it up.  See above !

SO totally agree,  get a big HDD (internal is cheaper and waaay faster than external USB if you have a spare HDD channel) and clone the whole darn thing.  Then disconnect or put safe the backup - I guarantee you will have a few 'OMG hang on which drive was /dev/sda1' moments learning Linux and you want your current data safe and separate.

Agree with Canoeboy, do your backup  /inevitable restore using a bootable linux system as trying to use a windows programme to backup and fully restore an active windows system is often a recipe for a wasted evening in my sad experience.

HTH

Cheers for that. Got my MBs & GBs mixed up. There's a circa 100GB partition which was left for Linux. Then there's a partition in MB (100MB I think) that's something to do with "common" files for the three 300GB XP Pro partitions. As I said, 5 partitions in all. Think I might have a 250GB SATA drive knocking about somewhere actually. Cheers. 

 

[steptoe]

Is your 100G partition primary or logical? If its NOT primary you MAY end up with problems trying to boot ANY of your OS's.