I've decided to install Ubuntu

[Camillus]

My wife recently bought herself a Dell netbook that came loaded with Ubuntu 8.04. Since I do tech support in this house I found myself having to try and bring myself up to starting speed on an OS I've never used before. I bought a book and with it came live CD which I tried in my own laptop which is currently running Vista.

I've never had any real problems with Vista but it is very slow and Ubuntu was noticeably faster even running off the CD. Since I don't play games and mainly use my computer for writing, work and surfing I don't have any particular reason to use Windows. I had considered trying Linux before but had never plucked up the courage.

At the moment I'm planning to install Ubuntu with Vista. The main reason is that I've never installed an OS before and I'm nervous about the process. Although I can't see myself needing Vista minimising the fiddling about is relatively high on the agenda.

Does anyone have any advice or experience in this area?

Cheers

 

[plumjam]

Where was the coup d'etat?

 

[GreNME]

Well, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to keep the Vista install. If so, then you're first you'll need to get yourself some software that can repartition your hard drive without wiping out your current Vista install. If you're not worried about keeping Vista, then you won't have to worry about it.

Ubuntu is a nice operating system, and is definitely a lot more refined than the last time I had it installed on anything of mine a few years ago. You might even be able to get some of your Windows software running in Ubuntu by using the Crossover Suite by Codeweavers-- I try to plug these guys a lot because they have the best WINE implementation out there.

 

[ElMondoHummus]

Possibly a decent reference:
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_vista_installed_first.htm

Bottom line: The thing that potentially makes Vista difficult with Linux is the fact that they stopped using the boot.ini and started using the Boot Configuration Data paradigm. So if you're not clean installing everything from the ground up, but are instead working with a pre-existing install of Vista, you can run into headaches. Anyway, there are some good site that help you with that, and if you run into issues with the BCD, then you can also download a nice app called "EasyBCD".

Now, if you choose to use Grub or LILO as the primary boot manager, I think you might have less of a headache. At any rate, info at that link is helpful in getting Vista to behave with Linux.

 

[skoob]

Well, the first question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to keep the Vista install. If so, then you're first you'll need to get yourself some software that can repartition your hard drive without wiping out your current Vista install.

Fortunately, the Ubuntu installer does include software that can resize partitions non-destructively.

Just remember to make backup copies of any important files (i.e your documents etc) before you start doing anything.

You might even be able to get some of your Windows software running in Ubuntu by using the Crossover Suite by Codeweavers-- I try to plug these guys a lot because they have the best WINE implementation out there.

While WINE gets better for every version, but it works best for programs that they've actively worked on supporting. For most other software, it rarely works flawlessly. And even then, you end up with having software that looks and feels alien and doesn't integrate very well with the rest of the system. So, I would recommend trying to use native software as far as possible.

Other than that, go for it! The installation process is pretty straightforward, and the documentation available online is pretty extensive and there's also a section on switching from Windows.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

All I needed was the Ubuntu disk and the whole dualboot thing was a breeze, though it was on XP.

I would definitely look into Wubi if you don't want to deal with partitioning your hard drive and are afraid of screwing up Vista.\\

Oh, and get Kubuntu .

 

[AgeGap]

Any problems you could stick an extra Hard-drive in your PC and keep Vista on the master and put Ubuntu on the slave.
When I got ubuntu I bought a book called Linux in Easy Steps by Mike McGrath. The book uses ubuntu as an example. Ubuntu has an active forum and if you do get stuck there are people here who are a great help.

 

[Earthborn]

I've installed Ubuntu from a live CD. I found it to be so easy anyone could do it. Just stick the CD in the drive while running Windows, it autostarts and give you the option to install it without repartitioning or anything. That was under XP, I don't know whether it is any harder in Vista. But I doubt it.

 

[ThatSoundAgain]

All I needed was the Ubuntu disk and the whole dualboot thing was a breeze, though it was on XP.

Yeah, setting it up is a breeze. With 8.04, I still had to go through some terminal hoops to get what I wanted, but fortunately the ubuntu support forums are really helpful with this.

This was with setting up available screen resolutions that weren't detected automatically. In a virtual machine, so probably due to a strange driver.

I would definitely look into Wubi if you don't want to deal with partitioning your hard drive and are afraid of screwing up Vista.\\

Oh, and get Kubuntu .

That's a matter of taste - I prefer Gnome to KDE because it's less like Windows and less bells-and-whistley. Fortunately, it's easy to try both on for size if you're willing to burn an extra disk. I've also found that some of my older computers are noticeably faster with Xubuntu.