Fully moving into linux

English Open Chat
#1

Hello all,
I have been using Windows for years and now, I think, I am ready for Linux lol!. I have used many distros on virtual machines and from usb drives to see which one fits me most and finally decided on open-SUSE KDE 13.1. Now I want to install it on my Windows 7 desktop and Windows 8 laptop…but as the desktop is shared I with my family (who love Windows) I still want to keep the windows 7.

So my question is: partitioning. I see there is a partition called ‘system’, is that where Windows is? Then there is another one called Tl106226W0F (915Gb) so if I choose custom partition for experts then resize my Tl partition into 500Gb, then create new 451Gb extended partition and use that for open-SUSE, would my Windows 7 be alright?

I will appreciate any other hints to get me a safe, clean installation.

Thanks,

#2

Boot to one of your live Linux CD/USBs (if you still have such around), drop to a terminal console and get the output of:

fdisk -l

Note that is a lower case “L”, not a numeral one.

Paste the output here: To do that, use your mouse to select the output in the terminal console window, including the command you typed, then use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy it to your clipboard. Start a message here, then near the top-right of the message editor, far right middle row, click on the # symbol, which will pop code tags into your message with your cursor blinking between them.

Paste the output at that point with Ctrl-V

Also, Make, Model, Year of machine, what processor, how much RAM, what graphics card, whether or not it has UEFI/EFI, will all help with the answers.

Once I see the output I asked for above, I am going to suggest you use GParted to adjust partitions.

However, we also will need to know: Do you plan to keep Windows 8 as well as Windows 7? Or, just Windows 7? That also will make a difference.

#3

If your Win 8 laptop is at least a core i3,5,7 with at least 8GB of memory, then I would strongly urge you to buy a copy of VMware, or use Virtualbox and run openSUSE as a VM. Also, make sure that you have restore disks for both OS. Never fool with this unless you can get back to where you were with your machines without professional support - it is not worth the stress, in my opinion.

#4

… which, of course, you can do if you follow the wisdom of always creating reliable backups before doing any major work.

Why try to discourage someone who wants to explore and learn?:\

#5

VMware Player is free for personal use.

#6

On 2014-05-26, Yonathan <Yonathan@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:
> I will appreciate any other hints to get me a safe, clean installation.

Hellow and welcome Yonathon! I have 3 points:

  1. There’s no such thing as 100% safe. Make sure you’ve backed up all your data first and have the necessary Windows
    recovery disks and make sure they work (i.e. you can boot into them).

  2. Bear in mind GNU/Linux is not free; you pay with time rather than money. The forum is here to help you and there are
    many experienced contributers more than happy to guide you.

  3. You may find this link useful:
    http://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/481194-Useful-Links-for-openSUSE-installers-new-to-Linux

Good luck!

#7
  • this may be of some help

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ultimate-linux-guide-for-windows-users.html

#8

+1 or VirtualBox and KVM (which I recommend)

#9

On 2014-05-28 12:36, holden87 wrote:
>
> + this may be of some help
>
> http://tinyurl.com/pevhoc7

Not a bad read, although it has some incorrect information. For
instance, it says:

“openSUSE is composed of: Linux kernel + KDE desktop environment + apps.”

Well, it is not true, as it is also composed of Gnome desktop
environment, xfce desktop environment, and others. It is a peculiarity
of openSUSE, that you can install several desktops, from the same
install DVD, even simultaneously.

Am I been picky? Well… he continues:

“As you can see, a pattern begins to emerge. The big difference between
most distributions is in which desktop environment they choose to use,
and the application set. This begs a question. If you were to use Gnome
in openSUSE, would that make it the same as Fedora?”

“The answer is: no.”

So he means that if you want openSUSE you can not choose Gnome? I can
not accept that, it is not true. In openSUSE you can choose desktop, you
are not bound to any one, and all of them get similar care from the
packagers.

KDE is not even the default choice: we have no default choice. For a reason.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#10

On 2014-05-27 03:46, Fraser Bell wrote:

> Boot to one of your live Linux CD/USBs (if you still have such around),
> drop to a terminal console and get the output of:
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> fdisk -l
> --------------------

If you can, more informative is this command:


lsblk --output NAME,FSTYPE,LABEL,UUID,PARTLABEL,PARTUUID,MOUNTPOINT,SIZE

But of course, more complex to type.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#11

I think he was aiming more at the user experience, though it would be better if he used kde in opensuse and fedora for an example :slight_smile: kde in opensuse is by far the best integration of kde i’ve ever tried.

#12

On 2014-05-29 07:06, holden87 wrote:

> I think he was aiming more at the user experience, though it would be
> better if he used kde in opensuse and fedora for an example :slight_smile: kde in
> opensuse is by far the best integration of kde i’ve ever tried.

Yes, but so is Gnome integration.

(and I use neither, so this is not about KDE vs Gnome thing)

And one of the strong points of openSUSE is that the various desktops
available play nice with one another, and get similar care from the
distribution - something that does not happen with all distributions.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#13

On 2014-05-28, holden87 <holden87@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:
> http://tinyurl.com/pevhoc7

The link is terrible. Dedoimedo’s take on many things (including his openSUSE reviews) are often superficial,
inconsistent, and inaccurate. I’ll list just a few of the many inaccuracies from that link here.

`What is Linux? Linux is an operating system, very much like Windows.’

Incorrect. Linux is a kernel, Windows is an operating system.

`It came to life in 1991, by merging the Linux kernel developed by Linus Torvalds, with the GNU set of programs and
applications. Because of this, Linux is sometimes referred to as GNU/Linux.’

Incorrect. GNU is an operating system that often adopts Linux as the kernel: the combination is called GNU/Linux - but
this is often shortened, much to the FSF’s frustration, to just `Linux’.

`Your router, your TV, your fridge, they all run Linux underneath.’

Incorrect. My £20 fridge doesn’t run on Linux.

`Linux distribution is a unique set containing: kernel, one or more desktop environments, and an application bundle.’

Incorrect. A GNU/Linux distribution is composed of a Linux kernel + GNU OS + package manager + applications +/- DE(s).
A distribution doesn’t have to have DE.

`You also have openSUSE, which is a product of Novell.’

This is news to me.

`Likewise, there is Fedora, a product of RedHat,’

This is also news to me.

`The big difference between most distributions is in which desktop environment they choose to use, and the application set.’

… and of course the differences are nothing to do with their package managers…

`It is maintained on kernel.org, and the changes in it are governed by a large body of professionals, most of which are
employed by large Linux companies, with the ultimate veto vote in the hands of the Linux founder, Linux Torvalds.’

Anyone heard of Linux Torvalds?..

#14

On 2014-05-30 11:41, flymail wrote:

> `It is maintained on kernel.org, and the changes in it are governed by a large body of professionals, most of which are
> employed by large Linux companies, with the ultimate veto vote in the hands of the Linux founder, Linux Torvalds.’
>
> Anyone heard of Linux Torvalds?..

No, I haven’t :expressionless:

:wink:

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#15

“Incorrect. GNU is an operating system that often adopts Linux as the kernel: the combination is called GNU/Linux - but
this is often shortened, much to the FSF’s frustration, to just `Linux’.”

I have listened to several Stallman videos, and he states that they were unsuccessful in writing the kernel piece, hence, they used Torvald’s kernel; What other kernel could they have used? A Carnegie Mellon kernel?

#16

On Fri, 30 May 2014 15:16:01 +0000, BSDuser wrote:

> “Incorrect. GNU is an operating system that often adopts Linux as the
> kernel: the combination is called GNU/Linux - but this is often
> shortened, much to the FSF’s frustration, to just `Linux’.”
>
> I have listened to several Stallman videos, and he states that they were
> unsuccessful in writing the kernel piece, hence, they used Torvald’s
> kernel; What other kernel could they have used? A Carnegie Mellon
> kernel?

Hurd.

–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

#17

On 2014-05-30, BSDuser <BSDuser@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:
> I have listened to several Stallman videos, and he states that they were
> unsuccessful in writing the kernel piece, hence, they used Torvald’s
> kernel; What other kernel could they have used? A Carnegie Mellon
> kernel?

IIRC the FSF were trying to develop a kernel alternative called `Hurd’.

#18

Exactly , but they failed. Stallman makes no excuses for it other than it was too big a project for his group to manage.

#19

On Fri, 30 May 2014 17:26:01 +0000, BSDuser wrote:

> Exactly , but they failed. Stallman makes no excuses for it other than
> it was too big a project for his group to manage.

Hurd has continued to be developed, IIRC.
Jim

–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

#20

Quick search brought up https://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/hurd.html
Looks active to me.