Installing Linux for the very first time :)

So im to manually edit the partition? Or select erase entire disk?

Oh sorry, im to select erase :) Just about to do it :)
 
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Call me paranoid but I always prefer to do the manual partitioning option... that way, if anything goes wrong, I've only got myself to blame ;) Even doing the manual option, it's only a couple of steps - and at least you'll learn something along the way too.

If I've understood correctly, you've got a 40GB drive that is going to be completely dedicated to your Linux install...? Windows lives on a separate drive, right?

If so, you'll need two partitions on your 40GB drive, one called the root partition (often shown simply as /) and the swap partition. I always create the swap partition to be sized according to twice the amount of RAM in my PC. As I've got 1GB of RAM in my Linux box, the swap is therefore 2GB in size. You don't need to specify a file type for the swap partition.

Then, the remaining space I assign to the root partition. This one will need you to specify which file system you want to use - I go for ext3, although there are others, e.g. ReiserFS, etc... but let's keep it simple to start with and stick to ext3.

That's all there is to it.
 
Its doing it automatically as we speak :)
Im really liking how i can continue using the system as i install - live CD is a great idea and makes installing much easier!

Thanks for all your help guys, im sure ill be back with more questions and worried in a few minutes :)
 
Sorted guys! Now i just have to try and explain to the parents why they need to actually select vista to load - or else im going to be called in to the computer all the time to do it for them :)

Thanks again for your help, just updating atm, let the learning begin!
 
If you like you can set it so Windows is automatically selected. You can also set it to have a short timeout so that after one or two seconds delay it will boot the default.
 
You'll simply edit the configuration file that tells the Grub bootloader what to do.

This file is located at /boot/grub/menu.lst

First off we'll make a backup of the config file in case you accidentally break it.
sudo cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst_backup


Next we'll open it up for editing with the gedit text editor. In order to edit an important system file like this you have to become root, the superuser. To do this we'll simply preface the command with "sudo".
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

The first line that isn't commented out with a # is the default option to boot. Scroll down to the bottom and see that the options are enumerated. Count the number of options down your Windows installation is and put that number here, remembering to begin counting with 0.

The 2nd from the top parameter is the timeout interval. Put the number of your choosing here. I find 3 is fast enough that most people won't see it while it'll still give you ample time to scroll up the list so that you can select the OS you want to boot.

When you're done save and exit. To try it out reboot.

If you don't like those settings you can always change them. :)
 
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Your a star mate! I'll get working on that once ive finnished some of the other stuff im setting up at the moment.
I have access to my windows partition now using your advice, thanks again for that.

Cheers
 
So far so good on the linux install :)
Ive ran into a wee bit of a problem with the way i am accessing my windows partion, basically every time i reboot i need to re set up the folder, I think it was gareth that sugested a different way that would stop this, but im a bit stuck

Any chance of some clear steps mate?

Cheers
 
As I said above the method described above was for manually mounting it. if you want it mounted automatically at boot follow these instructions:
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu_...n_boot-up.2C_and_allow_all_users_to_read_only

I suggest, unlike above, that you mount it in /media/windows as described.

If you want to WRITE to your NTFS partition you can scroll down the linked page a bit and follow those instructions insead. :)
 
Ok guys just a small problem - i edited my xorg.conf file to allow the use of my other mouse buttons - now the desktop envirnoment wont load and i only get command line.

I made a backup at the time using these instructions

Activate side-mouse-buttons in FireFox

Just add two lines to xorg.conf will activate side-mouse-buttons in FireFox. This should work with most 5-button mouse. Here is a list of mice that worked with this instruction.


Backup X.org configuration file

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

Modify the X.org configuration file

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Find the Input Device section for your mouse and add two lines as shown below. You may also increase the number of buttons if your mouse has more than 7, just fix the rest of the section based upon the number of buttons (remember back/forward, wheel click & tilt left/right all count as buttons)

Ok so i have a back up at /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak, would typing this in fix the problem and restore the back up?

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak /etc/X11/xorg.conf

?

I see this as superuser copy the back up to the original file?

Any tips?
 
Yep, that will do exactly as you want and will copy xorg.conf.bak as xorg.conf :)

Good job you backed up xorg.conf.... I've been complacent far too many times and not backed it up, and then realised I borked something.
 
Thanks mate, sorted :D
Finally managed to work something out myself, still needed some reassurance tho :)
Good to get back into ubuntu, vista has been driving me mad
 
I also got my windows partition mounted to access the files, thanks for the link billy.
Now that ive got a system that is running well and meeting my needs basically, i think its time to tinker about abit more :)

Am i right in saying that this;

http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/spaces.html

is entirely possible with berly installed?

Great New Feature..

Infact on my basic ubuntu install i have managed worktops that i am finding great to use :)
 
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Yep, Beryl can do very similar stuff... not sure about having each desktop displayed concurrently on-screen - it's undoubtedly do-able just I don't know how to do it. I tend to just spin the desktop cube around to access each virtual desktop.

You can definitely zoom-in on areas of the screen though.
 
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