Linux Mandrake?

[series_3]

Has anyone had any experience with mandrake, as i have just been given the cd for it, and am planning on installing it on one of my pc's.

1) whats it like?
2) can i dual boot with windows xp pro
3) will it run on a pentium 166 with 64mb ram
4) does any software come with it

:rolleyes:

[TheGurkha]

Which distribution is it? You really need to get a recent one, 9.0 or later. It will run on your hardware with no problems, but it might take some tweaking to get your graphics set up for X windows, etc. If you have one of those on-board WinModems it won't see it - they only seem to work with Windows, funnily enough. External modems work fine though.

If it is a full distro there whould be tons of software with it. Even if there isn't you can get loads on-line. In particular you want to install or look out for OpenOffice, a full suite of office products written by Sun and made Open Source.

As for dual-booting, I had a system that dual-booted with XP and RedHat 9.0, and it took very little configuration to get it to do it. I let the install sort itself out and away it went.

As for what it is like, that's hard to explain. i don't use it now (although I thought it was very good) I went back to Red Hat just because I got a more recent distro of Red Hat. But it's a good, fully fledged implementation of a Unix look-alike, with TONS of apps and utilities, and the source code to it all, if you want to look and learn.

[series_3]

Thanks, its version 9.2

[TheGurkha]

This link is a long list of the equivalent Linux programs to common Windows ones, with liks so that you can get the apps. Be aware that sometimes what you get is a source code distribition and you have to compile the app yourself! Other times you get a binary. If you can get a .rpm file that is best, as these are self-installing files that check that you have the required files for the new app to run, and if you don't it lists the missing ones. You then get an rpm for them from the web, install them, then go back to installing the first one.

http://linuxshop.ru/linuxbegin/win-lin-soft-en/table.shtml

This link is a database of rpms that you can search and download from;

http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php

For example you might search for OpenOffice on Mandrake as an rpm then click search. OpenOffice is almost certainly part of your distro already, I just use that as an example.

[jjsaul]

a mandrake distribution is way cheaper than windows http://www.cheeplinux.com/product_info.php?cPath=32_33_68&products_id=88&osCsid=e7f96301f8b61c137ae6f57022148647

[jjsaul]

Has anyone had any experience with mandrake, as i have just been given the cd for it, and am planning on installing it on one of my pc's.

1) whats it like?
2) can i dual boot with windows xp pro
3) will it run on a pentium 166 with 64mb ram
4) does any software come with it

:rolleyes:

1) tis good and reliable but doesnt seem to support laptop batteries :(
2) yes you can dual boot, i do :)
3) dunno bout that....
4) have a look on that link i just posted above

HTH,

[dynamited]

Or download them for free ( legally too!) from here: http://www.linuxiso.org/

Dunno.. but the specs of the pc are a bit slow in my opinion. Also... if you`re going to be running it as a home server, make sure you patch it up for security `flaws` so you wont get any surprises along the way.

Also if you want a taste of Linux.. without going through the installation... try Knoppix... its a linux version you boot from a CDrom. Basically.. insert the cd, boot on cd... and you`ve got linux.. running on Ram. When you reboot... the system doesnt even know it was there. Give it a shot.. basically summarises the linux experience.. in a flash.

[jjsaul]

Also if you want a taste of Linux.. without going through the installation... try Knoppix... its a linux version you boot from a CDrom. Basically.. insert the cd, boot on cd... and you`ve got linux.. running on Ram. When you reboot... the system doesnt even know it was there. Give it a shot.. basically summarises the linux experience.. in a flash.

yes can vouch for that as well, is also good for getting files off ******ed windows installations......

[series_3]

well, i uninstalled windows xp, then installed mandrake

the first impressions were good, except that it is trying too hard to look like windows.

i tryed the adsl modem, no luck.

so currently im on the laptop, looking for a linux driver for it.

if i cant find a linux driver, then its back to xp, as i cant use the laptop for the net, as its on loan from my grandad to have some work done too it.


so at the moment its not looking good

[TheGurkha]

Just do a google on mandrake and adsl, you'll soon find the instructions you need. That's the thing with Linux - all the information is out there somewhere - you just need to find it. Whatever you're doing, you won't be the first, and those who have done it before you will have posted about it.

it might not be a driver you need, possibly just settings.

[jjsaul]

i just plugged my laptop into the network on mandrake, went through the brief setup in the main options section...and hey presto it worked...

[TheGurkha]

How you getting on with it, Series_3? There's bound to be a learning curve, this is a whole new operating system for you. remember that a great deal of the power of unix is at the comman dline. And also remember that if you don't like the GUI you can use one of the many others available, and/or customise teh one you use to your hearts content. And remember also that it is a true multi-user OS, so you can configure completely different look & feels for a number of different users, then log in as the one that takes you fancy!

[series_3]

well, i like linux, but im just too accustemed to xp, so i came up with the idea of going back to xp on my main pc, then installing linux on the spare pc im getting soon, that way, i'll be able to learn linux, then when ive learnt enough, start using it as my main pc.

so for now, its back too xp :(

[jjsaul]

well, i like linux, but im just too accustemed to xp, so i came up with the idea of going back to xp on my main pc, then installing linux on the spare pc im getting soon, that way, i'll be able to learn linux, then when ive learnt enough, start using it as my main pc.

so for now, its back too xp :(

hehe you stole my idea .....

i want to get the hang of linux but wanted to keep xp on my main pc for the moment, so thats what i did :)

[Saratoga]

Has anyone had any experience with mandrake, as i have just been given the cd for it, and am planning on installing it on one of my pc's.

1) whats it like?
2) can i dual boot with windows xp pro
3) will it run on a pentium 166 with 64mb ram
4) does any software come with it

:rolleyes:

1. Great. Well worth it :)
2. Erm.. Probably... I run a dual-boot with Win98se... newbie@linux-mandrake.com is one place to ask. It's a mailing list for Mandrake :)
3. Err. Might be a wee bit slow. I've had 10.0 on a P2-300 with 384Mb Ram, 20gb Hdd and stuff and it was a bit slow. Much better on a Amd1300 with 256mb Ram and 80gb Hdd :) :)
4. Quite a lot really...

[Saratoga]

I would spend more time chatting about it, but I've just got back from a 20 hour shift at work and working tomorrow. Perhaps I'll have time at the weekend :) :) :o

[TheGurkha]

I've got Linux on one PC and XP on my works laptop. My next task is to get a wireless card for the Linux box and get it connected to my broadband :rolleyes: which should be fun, but will be worth it.

[Saratoga]

a mandrake distribution is way cheaper than windows http://www.cheeplinux.com/product_info.php?cPath=32_33_68&products_id=88&osCsid=e7f96301f8b61c137ae6f57022148647


You can download it for free too :)

Well, obviously you've got to pay for the broadband services, but you know what I mean :D :D

[Saratoga]

I would like to solely and squarely blame the (now) GLASS West Midlands Rep for instilling Mandrake on me.

He introduced it to me, helped me install it and has provided numerous amounts of help. And he's a great bloke with computers :)

Since then I have instilled the good word too on other people. I have infected Mr Saul Junior (hehe :D :D :D) with 'the bug' as well as a few other people

It is a very worthwhile package to learn and as I sit here at 0430 typing this before work I am happy in the knowledge that I can leave this running all day without it crashing like XP.

I was thinking of upgrading to 10.1 but I think I'll leave it until 10.2 or above, or until I trash this one.

I use Samba now quite a bit on this machine for file storage so I think that is the way to go.... Especially for FileStore.