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Linux On a Desktop Computer
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neo842
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30. October 2009 @ 07:53 |
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Im helping a friend out with his desktop hes having awful problems with Windows.
I said i'd help him out. but Ive only have experience with linux on laptops not desktops.
can you guys help out. little lost here
NEO OUT BABY
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30. October 2009 @ 08:38 |
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Why are you lost ?, there's not that much difference..
edit- what i was referring to was the difference between laptops and desktops
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4. November 2009 @ 21:22
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neo842
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30. October 2009 @ 08:52 |
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i tried different versions of linux on his desktop and they wont install at all ?
NEO OUT BABY
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neo842
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30. October 2009 @ 08:54 |
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sorry I meant to say Ive tried different versions of linux mint. and no luck
NEO OUT BABY
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30. October 2009 @ 08:57 |
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Define "won't install"
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
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neo842
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30. October 2009 @ 09:09 |
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the live cd wont come up at all. I mean if I could get that up I'd be fine from there.
Im downloading kbuntu and ubuntu at the moment they might work.
but was trying different versions of linux and nope not a hope
NEO OUT BABY
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30. October 2009 @ 09:12 |
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So what you mean to say is that you haven't set the PC's BIOS to boot from CD ?, so what happens when you try to boot from a Windows CD or something that hasn't been burnt.
Or maybe you haven't burnt the live cd's correctly ? ie you can't burn them as data cd's you need to burn the ISO images correctly.
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
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neo842
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30. October 2009 @ 09:25 |
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ah no I know how to get it to boot up. its just booting thats all and then freezing
NEO OUT BABY
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30. October 2009 @ 09:38 |
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Then you just need to a) verify the ISO's you've downloaded are intact, so check the download site for each and you'll find links to 'md5sum' ie checksum the ISO against the source data ie you can easily check the ISO you downloaded is as it should be (as long as the md5sum matches the ISO from the download site.
If the checksum matches then the culprit would seem to be the burning of the ISO image itself..
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
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neo842
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4. November 2009 @ 07:34 |
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well ive used these discs on other laptops. and not problem. is there a different download for desk top and laptop ?
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4. November 2009 @ 07:40 |
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No. And even if there was that wouldn't cause freezing.
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
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scum101
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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4. November 2009 @ 11:22 |
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hey creakster.. sure fire sign of bad ram or what?
That's what I usually find anyway if these big fat live distros won't start. Maybe puppy will at least boot and allow a memtest?
ubuntu and kubuntu.. neither great choices tbh .. lots and lots of problems with the latest.
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4. November 2009 @ 11:25 |
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Could be, hadn't thought about anything outside of the live cd
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
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pwssyz
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4. November 2009 @ 16:24 |
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I'm having the same problem,I downloaded PCLINUX09 ISO and installed it on my laptop which I was running PCL07 dual boot with XP,all went fine,now taking that same ISO image, I go to to my desk top to install PCL09 which is only running XP home edition(GENUINE),having the desk top booting to the cd I get to the welcome screen of PCL09 with the chooses of live CD,safe boot,ect.When choosing live cd the program starts it thing for about 5 sec. only for the screen to go black and freezes up,I then tried my PCL07 disk only for the desk top not to reconize that disk which I never had a problem with before.Reading this thread someone mentioed RAM,if the RAM was the problem won't i have a problem booting up XP ??
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4. November 2009 @ 16:31 |
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Reading that last reply triggered something in my memory. Shortly after the live cd loads it should give a command prompt at the bottom of the screen or it should be in one of the menu choices upon booting the cd. Look for something like ACPI off or similar, you might have to turn off/disable ACPI for the live cd to boot properly. As i say this can be done via the boot menu or you might have to type something into the boot prompt, depending on which linux it is..
I haven't used a PCLinuxOS boot disc for ages so can't remember what choices you're given, and the OP has used a few different cd's, Mint and Ubuntu i use only infrequently.
*edited for grammar*
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4. November 2009 @ 17:23
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pwssyz
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4. November 2009 @ 17:21 |
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Creaky,I've tried that with no success, with the on\off thing,but I remember with my first installment of the PCL07 version on my laptop I had to type something in for a command but don't remember what it was,too much beer between then and now,LOL,maybe someone out there will.
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4. November 2009 @ 17:28 |
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I just dug out a PCLOS 2007 cd, to select ACPI=off you pick the 'safeboot' option. I don't recall ever having to turn ACPI off on any of my gazillion installs (of any distro), i might have done over the years but if i did it would have been a linux distro that i used only briefly being as i don't recall..
edit- to the OP - i don't have any Mint cd's around, i used to download it now and then but must've chucked them. I'll download one as i had been meaning to give the latest version a quick whizz anyways..
Just noticed that Mandriva 2010 has just been released, might grab that as well as Mandriva was my favourite and most used distro for quite some years..
edit- just tried a PCLOS 2009.1 cd, and guess what - the boot froze (on my Dell GX150 desktop), boots ok with ACPI=off ie 'safeboot' though.
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4. November 2009 @ 17:57
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4. November 2009 @ 20:57 |
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Creaky,
What's that now ... three victims? Don't mean to sound all unsophisticated & all, though I am, but don't you all have four things in common: (1) mint, which I've heard only wonderful things about, (2) the live CD distribution, (3) boots on a laptop, but not a desktop, and (4) BIOS was designed by, well, a company without the best ethical track record. It sounds as if you're all replicating each other's bug, wherever it is.
My granddaughter started with Debian, because it is so well tested and knows the importance of simple installation to the popularity of Linux. Pre-school isn't out yet, but I believe she burned a 'network install' boot CD over the internet. It didn't take long and just trying one would remove three of the common factors. One can use two other CDs to narrow the problem, possibly to the first Live CD or the BIOS.
Must say, I was a little surprised by your first reply:
Why are you lost ?, there's not that much difference..
Was that humor? Once I counted the number of OSes I've used, and it was nearly 20; but when a friend brings me her Windows laptop, I understand the Desktop like the inside of a pocket watch. That said, there was a Linux Desktop designed to help Windows users. I think it was KDE (based on IBM's CDE), but that seems unlikely.
After things get running, can you recommend a Desktop for Windows users? Thanks! (Using GNU/Linux, my granddaughter naturally chose GNOME; since they go together 'like peas & carrots'.-)
Also, though Creaky is too polite to write this, it's always polite, after having solved one's problem, to write back and tell everyone what it was, so the thread can be searched & used by others.
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4. November 2009 @ 21:21 |
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Originally posted by Gneiss1:
Must say, I was a little surprised by your first reply:
Why are you lost ?, there's not that much difference..
Was that humor?
Not humour, a glaring mistake, maybe :).
Initially I didnt 'get' your reply, i re-read it and still nothing (it's past 2am here). Then i noticed the word 'Windows'. Then i re-read the OP's reply and realised where you were coming from. I'd ignored the Windows aspect, or maybe just interpreted the OP's first post differently to you. Either way, my 'not much difference' comment was comparing laptops to desktops, not Windows to linux. I'd best correct my first post :p
I have been rather distracted over the last few weeks, what with working my way thru watching all of Alex Jones' documentaries, it's easy to overlook details when you're pondering world events :p
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4. November 2009 @ 21:28
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4. November 2009 @ 21:37 |
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Creaky,
My mistake. Go to bed! My granddaughter is home, so I have to leave & play kitty cats.
Just returned from the Mint forums, though. Seems several people are having problems similar to this, but on older laptops. One possibility appear that the hardware probe crashes when encountering hardware it's unfamiliar with. Apparently one can boot in verbose mode and see what the problem is (the particular hardware). Mint, strangely, has a 'blacklist' command to instruct the OS to ignore the device. (One wonders why that isn't the default.) However, I found no documentation.
So, I went to Ubuntu to get some documentation on what key combination boots in verbose mode, &c. It's kitty-cat time, but this might help:
https://help.ubuntu.com/9.10/installation-guide/i386/boot-troubleshooting.html
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4. November 2009 @ 21:48 |
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Ubuntu 9.10 is in a whole world of hurt by all accounts, i'm generally indifferent to Ubuntu though so i'm not au fait with how they're attacking 9.10's bugs. As it happens i've never really been bothered with Mint either, have never really used it for long.
The latest Mint has finished downloading, will try it out tomorrow, plus Mandriva 2010 is also ready. I have a mix of old and new kit, a Quad (XP), two C2D's (one is Win7, the other is Win7 & Puppy linux 4.20 SMP - very nice!), and various P3/P4's, some are laptops (a mix of XP and Puppy currently, though like anyone i chop and change when the mood takes me). One old Celeron laptop is Solaris 9.
Booting up PCLOS 2009.1 again earlier reminded me how easy on the eye it is, that's probably going back on the Dell GX150 tomorrow, maybe as a triple boot with XP and Puppy.
As to sleep, it's something i rarely do anymore, so back to my documentary :)
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 4. November 2009 @ 21:51
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5. November 2009 @ 04:03 |
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Yes, well the web page referenced above isn't very encouraging. Couldn't find Mint's documentation, but it appeared to be a LiveCD variant of Ubuntu; so I went there. Hardware does seems to be a problem. I can imagine less on a laptop. Here's how to make an Ubuntu Live CD:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD#Preparing%20your%20LiveCD
Apparently one doesn't use keystrokes to print installation messages on the screen, but one requests verbose messages when booting, then later requests certain hardware be ignored. My granddaughter went to bed; she just said 'Use Debian'. I don't believe they have a live CD distribution, however.
This page may mean something to Mint users. The bottom has the 'blacklist' request.
https://help.ubuntu.com/9.10/installation-guide/i386/boot-parms.html
If this doesn't work, she also said something about 'Download, burn, & boot a net image. Check the messages'. If that means something here, good luck. (I believe the somewhat larger 'Small Image' allows you to probe the hardware from disc.)
http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/
Debian cautions only that hardware requiring Windows (software modems) won't work. I know that Aslan (her Compaq Armada E500) has a win-modem; but she had no trouble with a Debian install.
http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i3...ml.en#id2758407
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loood
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5. November 2009 @ 04:46 |
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Originally posted by Gneiss1:
My granddaughter went to bed; she just said 'Use Debian'. I don't believe they have a live CD distribution, however.
actually debian live does exist. here you go:
http://debian-live.alioth.debian.org/
i hope it helps.
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scum101
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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5. November 2009 @ 04:54 |
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from my memory (I think I was the first person to ever mention it here) Mint was optimised for the first wave of sata hdd laptops and desktops.. primarily as a lappy distro I would guess looking at the dock and the large icons and the fact it has bluetooth and wireless support out of the box. Therein I think lies the clue to this behaviour on desktop hardware.. I think Mint was built for sata drive lappys, though I have just tried it on a p4 junker and a pair of p3's and even a cyrix266 .. and it booted on defaults every single time.
Often when you have 3 people with different hardware duplicating each others faults... which those of us who know what we are doing, try as we might, can't duplicate then it suggests something else is going on.. like where did they get these images and how did they burn them? .. Remember a couple of years back the debate I had with Dan and others on the problems of booting a linux live cd in a dvd drive.. especially a disk which has been burned by a dvd burner.....
That was interesting and observation based... so to all these posters..
IF you are trying to boot these live installer disks in a dvd burner don't.. put a real cd rom drive in.. unless it's a dvd disk.
I always preferred dream anyway.. and myah is nice for the kids.
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5. November 2009 @ 05:31 |
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Just started burning Mint to a cd and the penny dropped, it's based on Ubuntu, it dawned on me that it might be 9.10, but then realised i hadn't seen an update of Mint recently. Turns out that Mint 7 is based on 9.04. (Phew, can no longer be wasteful with blank discs). Being out of work has taken some of my sharpness away, despite keeping my brain very active ie i spend most waking hours (which as i say stretch far into most nights too) so i miss the glaringly obvious sometimes.
Anyways, i only have one cd burner, funnily enough it's my oldest (working) optical drive, my trusty 6 year old LG 4480B (cd burner/dvd-rom combo drive) and i haven't burnt a cd on it for the longest time, i've burnt all cd's in that time (including for the old type xboxes) on one of my many dvd burners, and not a problem with any of them. ..You must just be unlucky with dvd burners :p
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 5. November 2009 @ 05:33
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