just a few linux questions

[Jocka]

Ok here we go.

[list]
[*]Can I install linux on the same harddrive as Windows? (in other words, no partitions)
[*]Is a partitioned drive recommended?
[*]I'd like to use linux for a test server on my home computer. Would "Ubuntu" be reliable for a test server or should I use something created for that very purpose?
[*]After checking out Ubuntu I became a fan of Linux. However, my computer only meets the minimum requirements and Ubuntu runs a little slow in some areas. Is there anything smaller I can use with the same capabilities?
[/list]

[trq]

Yes you can istall Linux on the same hardrive as windows, but no, it will need to be in a seperate partition.

If you want to dual boot with windows it is the only way, and even as a seperate OS, I would recommend seperate partitions for at least / /boot and /home.

Ubuntu is fine for a test server. And in fact I would probably recommend it as a Newbie friendly distro.

Of course there is. Most of your problems probably stem from the fact that Ubuntu comes packaged with the Gnome desktop environment which is pretty bloated IMO. You might try Xubuntu which comes with the lighter [i]Xfce[/i] desktop environment. Of course if your real keen you could use Gentoo (what I use) which comes with no desktop environment at all. :-P

Bassically there are many choices. If youve allready tried out Ubuntu, Ide recommend trying Xubuntu.

[Jocka]

Lol I was wondering what Xubuntu was. I guess I could've checked that out before asking that question.
I'm downloading it right now. Should be done within the hour (or so).

If I want to keep windows as like the "default" os still (until I learn linux more) would this be fine? I'd prefer to boot linux INSIDE windows myself. I know there is a program for that so I know it's possible. But after installing Xubuntu, is it going to set itself as the default?

These are things I'm worried about right now lol. Since I know very little, I don't want to install this and basically lock myself out of my own computer cuz I don't know linux :P

[neylitalo]

VMWare will do what you're asking, but realize that if your system simply meets the minimum requirements, it's going to suck with VMWare. You're effectively running two operating systems, with considerable processing overhead.

If you were to dual-boot Windows and Linux, you would be shown a boot loader screen (GRUB - Grand Unified Boot Loader) to select the operating system to use. You technically have one entry as the default, but a simple press of a button changes the selected operating system to boot. The default is very non-binding.

[Jocka]

alright kool.

I'm eventually going to completely switch over but like I said, I have to learn it first. So for now I'm just going to play with it and use it for my test server. Once I have it down, windows will be basically non-existent to me.

[neylitalo]

Realize that it's probably going to be a while until you're ready to drop Windows like you say. You've likely gotten attached to programs in Windows that aren't going to have complete replacements in Linux, multimedia applications in particular. You're also going to go through a phase where you're constantly saying "Man, it's so much easier in Windows". I actually went through a ~10 year migratory stage, and finally got fed up with the crappiness of Windows functionality compared to Linux.

I, personally, think Gentoo is the easiest distribution to use. The point of Linux (one of them, anyway) is to have choices, but you don't get to make many choices when you have to use binaries (as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, etc., use), and when you want to make choices, you really have to go out of your way. With Gentoo, though, you're making the great majority of the decisions right from the start.

[Jocka]

im trying to install this from my hard drive (don't have a cd burner). From what I read on a few things I found on google, I can use vmWare to install it but that's where my problem starts.

I obviously need vmWare if I want to run both of these in eachother correct? Either way, I need it. I went to the site and theres a list of vmware programs. Which one is it that I want to do these 2 tasks (load linux files for installation and load linux within windows)

[Jocka]

I'm trying to partition my hard drive on Windows XP and it won't let me. How can it NOT let me?

[Jocka]

ok it's partitioned and ubuntu is installed but now the pain in the ass is installing a driver for my USB adaptor. On the ubuntu site it has a tutorial but the problem is, it requests that I download the file (which is kind of ignorant given the purpose of the adaptor in the first place). So I got the bright idea that I'd just save it to the hard drive but I can't reach the file from linux. I have a 'neutral' drive but linux still can't reach it. I tried to give permissions to reach it but it forbids me, even with admin rights. The partition is fat32 so it should be able to read it right?

Any other ideas on how I can get the proper drivers to linux? I'm downloading vmware right now to see what I can do but i'm not 100% sure which vmware program i'm supposed to use so this could take a while..