Help installing Linux on a new hard disk?

[Veronica]

Question:  Help installing Linux on a new hard disk?

Hi I recently installed the trial evaluation version of windows 7 on my PC when the evaluation expires I don’t think its worth paying huge amounts of money for Microsoft office and windows 7 professional.
Windows 7 is only worth about £30 for the full version. I will probably go back to xp or use the free Linux.

I have two sata drives my data is stored on my 2nd 500 GB ntfs drive.
Windows boots from my first 200 GB drive.

I would like to try Linux but my last attempts with dual booting turned out to be a disaster after trying to restore a grub loader during a system update.
On another occasion I restored Linux and overwrote my windows drive.

My friend has given me a good 40 GB ide hard disk drive I would like to install Linux on this hard disk drive and be able to boot either standalone Linux or boot a windows session independent of the 40 GB Linux.

I would just like to set the boot option from the cmos setting and most certainly do not wish to touch the windows boot process with grub, or use a live dvd,

My system is a 64 dual core bit AM2 cpu  integrated motherboard with ati radeon x1200 video,  sbx00 azalia sound chip, Ethernet rtl8111 10/100mhz.
Also could you recommend an inexpensive wifi dongle for this setup?
My IT manager has Mandriva installed on his pc. It looks very good.

Can you give me any advice?
(1)   I don’t want to spend hours with command lines learning the inner workings of Linux.
(2)   I need to use something like office, outlook express,  media player
Flash 10 for youtube, Firefox and google chrome.
(3)   Can you give me step by step instructions?

[Tony]

Thank you for the question I would like to complement you on your choice of installation. You should have a very stable system.
With a desktop that can compete with Windows.More than 3 million people in the world enjoy our Mandriva Linux platform on their computer. At home or at work, on their desktop or in their server-room.

You will not have any problems with this dual boot option.
Mandriva 2010 dvd free x64 bit is my preferred distro for desktop personal computers.
My choice for laptops is Ubuntu.  Ubuntu has almost all of the driver sets for laptops.

(a) Obtain a copy of Mandriva 2010 linux free 64 or 32 bit DVD.

I would start this late at night or after midnight.
Don’t use Internet explorer use Firefox save the iso to your hard disk.
You may find it a lot easier if you use a direct *.iso rather than a bit torrent.
If you are using Nero for burning just click on the iso file
And burn the dvd.

Alternatively leave a comment in the smf forum.

“Please supply Mandriva linux free 64 or 32 bit DVD.”

Proving you have registered with linux-forum we will not need any further information at this stage.  I will arrange to supply a dvd. The cost only post and packing. Available only to UK users.


(b) Before starting with adding the hard drive for Linux I would start a clean install of Windows XP and continue loading all service packs, drivers and programs.
Take a look at system control panel and determine if your system is a 32 or 64 bit download a copy of aida32 form http://download.cnet.com/AIDA32/3000-2094_4-10129233.htm
Keep a hard copy of devices installed.

Restore your data.
For detailed instruction on loading Mandriva 2010
Visit http://doc.mandriva.com/en/2010/Introducing/Introducing.html/drakx-intro.html



( C)  When you are happy with the installation disconnect your hard drives by removing not just the power connectors but the data cables as well.
During installation of linux if you remove just the sata2 power cables sometimes the bios will recognise the drive and confuse linux installation.

Install your new 40gb drive.
Re-boot and reset cmos settings ensuring you can boot from the dvd.
Ensure your Ethernet cable is plugged into your router.

Starting software installation

Boot the linux dvd

When asked about partitions
Select erase and use whole of the hard disk drive.
I would select the KDE version and default packages.
Bootloader first sector of hard disk.

On the summary page take some time with these options
Specially the graphic card setup test the display setting
If they do not work try a similar card or monitor
You will find one that will work with your system.
Check and adjust network connectivity.
The next option allows you to download addition package
Yes to these.
The linux installation almost completes, the whole process should take about 30 to 40 minutes.

After rebooting and testing, providing you are happy with the installation.
Power off.
Reconnect the other hard disk drives.
Reset the cmos setting and from the cmos boot options select the default drive you want to boot from.
On rebooting the bios also gives a boot option by pressing a key sometimes F10.

I will create another topic later on the migration from windows to linux.
For every windows package there is a similar linux package
Happy computing
Tony