Should switch to linux?

Hey everyone, I'm thinking of switching to linux, but now sure if I can or should.
First off I am running an HDX18T and running windows vista 64x on it. Which means I have 4gbs of ram. Can I run linux on that? Also I play some games on my pc, L4d2, cod4, killing floor, Gmod, etc. Will I be able to play those on linux. I want an OS thats fast and effiecent. Will I be able to run steam on linux? If I dont like linux is there anyway I can switch back like doing a system recovery?

 

Don't switch if you're not sure. Try a dual boot or VM solution, but don't abandon Windows wholesale if you're not sure. Worst case, your Windows install will remain intact should you dislike it.

 

If I have both on my pc, will that slow it down?

 

With a dual boot configuration each OS runs at its full normal speed. Just do this:

1. Run: Disk Defragmenter
2. Run: Computer Management
3. In Computer Management, under Storage, click on Disk Management.
4. It will show you the partitions you have in your hard drive(s). Right click on the bar representing your C: drive and select Shrink Volume.
5. Enter a shrink amount of about 10000 or 15000 and click Shrink.

When done you will have 10 or 15 Gigabytes of unpartitioned space available for a Linux installation. So then you can go and download an ISO image that you can make a Linux Live CD with. I personally always recommend this one:

The Linux Experience: PCLinuxOS 2010 Review

Have fun!

 

So When I loose about 15gbs on space, Do vista and linux share the same HDD space? Or do I have to shrink it more to have more space on my linux one? I mainly want to keep windows incase I have to do a system recovery or want to play a game.

 

I second what woofer says. I'll take it a step further and say you should make an ISO and run Linux from a CD or USB Flash drive a.k.a. Live CD. That way if you don't like it nothing has changed on your computer.

 

Well I found 2 different linuxes I guess? Ubuntu and The one that rm2 said. I'm not sure which one to download. here is ubuntu
Download | Ubuntu

But I am 64bit version of windows. So I figured I should download the 64bit version but it says not reccomended for daily usage.

Why are there so many version of linux?

 

Because linux, itself, is only a small part of the Operating System, the kernel, the part that deals with hardware and memory management, is completely free and opensource, and likewise, many have made Operating Systems around that central piece of software.

As for 32 bit vs 64 bit, just like in Windows, generally there are more problems associated with 64 bit, however, you can use whichever one you want, and it's ok to stick with 32 bit.

I highly recommend Ubuntu, it's a mature, very stable, feature rich operating system with great features, and great support behind it. It's easy to use, but remember, Ubuntu, and Linux in general, is not windows.

Be sure to keep an open mind, things are not done the same way, but I wish you success with Ubuntu.

If you have any issues, feel free to ask!

Good luck!
Thomas

 

Hey thanks for the info, But If can run the 32bit version even thought I have a 64bit vista version?

 

The two OSes are entirely separate, you can run one, both, or neither in 64 bit as you please.

As for 32 vs 64 bit, you might as well just go 64 bit. There was another thread on this subforum, http://forum.notebookreview.com/linux-compatibility-software/498101-why-canonical-advising-against-64bit-everyday-desktop-use.html, where basically we concluded the only real issue that affects a new user is going to be sketchy support for Flash 10.1, although the current RC from Adobe Labs is stable enough thus far.

To your question of why there are so many distros, it's because there are so many different personalities and preferences in people, as well as power and usage of the machine in question. For every major distro there is also an assortment of GUI options, the most popular being GNOME, KDE, LXDE, XFCE, maybe even Fluxbox.

 

So for asking so many questions but what do you mean by new users are sketchy in flash support? And by GUI options, what comes with ubuntu? Also if I want to play games like l4d2,gmod etc. Can I Just boot up windows and play, then reboot and use linux?

 

Yes, you can, a 64 bit capable machine is able to run a 32 bit OS.

The 64 bit version of Flash was also recently dropped.

 

Again, sorry for the questions but what does it mean that they dropped the flash? I cant use flash on it?

 

The 64-bit version of Flash was discontinued. It IS possible to run, but it has security faults and is not receiving updates.

I use it with NoScript in order to selectively block Flash.

 

So if I wanted to use flash, 32 bit would be better for me? Because i want to use youtube, play flash games, etc.

 

as far as the better flash support..32 bit will be your best bet..i know adobe is wanting 64bit linux flash support for their next release..so we'll see
as far as all the games u mentioned according to winehq..they run decent..though i would still recommend staying with windows for gaming (dualboot or use a virtualbox)
ubuntu comes with the gnome desktop environment by default but you are also able to try the other ones if u wish.
and steam can run under linux..have used it myself
good luck! :0

 

Ok everyone thank you for all your adivice, before I install Ubuntu linux Here are my last questions to ask.

1. I can download 32 bit version even though I am running a 64bit version of windows right?
2. When I shrink my HDD by like 20gb for linux, Do I have to shrink it more if I want to download files, programs, etc to use on linux? Or do windows and linux share the hard drive?
3. How do I get it to dual boot?
4. If I need to do a system recovery, will I still be able to by pressing f11 on the splash screen?
5. Will my computer be slower with Windows and Linux in the same computer? Or will only one run at 1 time so it will be fast?

 

The main advantage of a 64 bit OS over a 32 bit OS is that the 64 bit one can address (see and utilize) more RAM. A 32 bit OS is generally only able address about 3.5 GB. An application running on a 32 bit OS can never use more than that. However, there are some tricks that OS geniuses have come up with that allow a 32 bit OS to be able to use much more RAM to store some of the data it is using on RAM rather than on a SWAP file or partition, making the machine quite a bit faster. For example, even though PCLinuxOS is only a 32 bit OS, when used with the PAE kernel (easily installable from the package manager) PCLinuxOS can address up to 64 GB RAM. Eventually 64 bits OSs will be better supported for sure. But for now, PCLinuxOS with the PAE kernel may be the best of both worlds for those with more than 3.5 GB of RAM.

By the way, Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop environment which favors simplicity over control. There are variants of Ubuntu with other desktop environments, but the GNOME one is the one that receives the most attention and is the one that everything revolves around. PCLinuxOS is more KDE centric. KDE tries to give the user as much control as possible while also trying to make things user friendly. Obviously, this is very oversimplified. But in general, if you like power, control, and configurability, you will likely prefer KDE. If prefer simplicity, and are willing to relinquish some control GNOME will be just fine for you. (I hope I am being fair with my assessment.) But, in the end each one is usable. You can't go wrong with either one to start with. There are a lot of other factors that will eventually stir you in one direction or the other as you get more experience.

 

Right but on the 64bit of ubuntu, it has no flash support right? So I wont be able to watch any youtube videos or anything like that. So I would have to download the 32 bit version, But then it would be slower then my normal windows OS because I am losing half a gig of ram right?

 

for KDE it's openSUSE my man....(just yanking your chain)

 

Right.

You can access your Windows partition from Linux. So that is an option. Or, you can shrink the Windows partition a lot more if you are serious about making the switch. You can also access Linux partitions from Windows with some free programs that are available for download. However, I do think you should start small, 20 or 30 GB for Linux should be by far enough for you.

Linux installers generally take care of this for you. After installing Linux you will have the option to go to all your installed OSs at boot time.

Yes, but of course that would wipe out everything in the hard drive, including your Linux partitions.

As I said before, each OS runs at its normal speed when you have a dual boot configuration. Running an OS under a Virtual machine is another story.

 

So if I use the 32 bit version of ubuntu, but have 4gbs of ram, will that make my computer run slow when I use ubuntu or what? I Dont want to use the 64bit version because I want to be able to watch youtube videos and what not.

 

No, it won't be slow, it will simply not be able to take advantage of the full 4 GB of RAM. Linux is much more efficient than Windows, so 3.5 GB of RAM in Linux is much more than enough for most people.

 

What would I have to do to be using up 4 gbs of ram? Have a whole bunch of programs running at once?

 

Exactly, a whole bunch of memory hogging applications. But, I mean a whole bunch!

 

Alright so I plan to try out linux ubuntu, w/o affecting windows, I plan to do it tommrow just so I can get a little more research done. But all I have to is download the file and burn it on a blank CD right? And once I reboot I can run linux?

 

Download the image. Burn it using the option in your CD burning software that says something like: "Burn a CD image". Don't just create a data CD with the image on it. After that you can put the CD, reboot the machine and enjoy. However, you may have to tweak your computer's BIOS to ensure that it boots from the CD drive before the HD.

 

The image is the file right?

 

Try Linux Mint Live CD. Download the .iso from their website and burn it to a blank DVD.

Reboot your computer and push the button to enter the BIOS. (F8 or F2 usually) there will be a list in the corner somewhere when you see the HP logo when you first start the computer.

Once in the BIOS go to "boot order" or something similar to that effect. Change the boot order from HD first to CD/DVD first and HD second.

Exit BIOS and restart computer with CD in your drive.

Play with linux that way (don't install) If you like it and want to install it along side windows come back and ask for help.

 

Should I make 2 discs? I mainly wanted to try out ubuntu first.

 

ubuntu and mint are basically the same. THe difference is Mint looks nicer.. and all ready has Flash, Mp3 codecs, and DVD playback support installed out of the box. In ubuntu you will have to install all that functionality yourself and you can't do that without installing Ubuntu to your HD first.

Mint is ubuntu, just a better version.

 

So does the 64 bit version on Mint support flash or are all 64 bit linux versions not able to use flash?

 

I would definitely recomend maing two or three CDs to try out a few different distros before settling on one. And I agre with directeuphorium that Mint is a better Ubuntu than Ubuntu. You really should try PCLinuxOS too. And maybe Mandriva, Suse, or SimplyMephis.

 

Ok I am burning the linux mint file on a cd right now. Then I will try out the PClinuxOS

 

Alright I am using linux mint right now, But I was wondering how I can access the nvidia controll panel. I change the color so it has better color quality.

Also this sounds paranoid, But does it take your passwords if you enter them on websites and such? I just want to make sure if I enter a password on Linux it wont take my password. I enter the password for my wifi, my youtube etc. and I am afraid it might store the password somewhere a developers can look at it.

 

1. Yes

2. Ubuntu itself only and will only ever take up 4GBs of space, it's small.

3. Just make two partitions, and install Ubuntu on the one without Windows.

4. Yes.

5. No, only one runs at once

It does in fact, but it's not ideal. Basically you can run 32 bit flash on 64 bit linux, but it's not ideal and is more prone to problems(Similar to how Windows 64 bit runs 32 bit programs).

Ubuntu actually by default comes with PAE if it detects more than 3GBs of RAM(You must be connected to the internet during install). PAE is basically an extension to the Operating System which allows it to address more RAM, but it's not 64 bit, because there are no other gains, it's still 32 Bit, or to be specific, 36 bit(processors since the Pentium MMX I believe have supported PAE and windows XP includes it after SP2).

Not quite. Mint IS Ubuntu, but basically with a different theme and some custom applications. All of this is easily accessible in normal Ubuntu and you can actually get more support using Ubuntu. Ubuntu automatically detects if you try to use flash or MP3 and automates the install process. And also, I disagree with Mint looking nicer. They both look nice, but personally I prefer Ubuntu.

Yes, it does, but nearly all 64 bit linux distributions(an operating system using linux) come with a 32 bit subsystem. Basically this allows 32 bit applications to run. It works, but is far from ideal and as I said, more prone to problems.

I wish you the best of luck with Linux Mint or Ubuntu whichever one you decide to use. Just remember Linux Mint is Ubuntu, they are the same system with a slightly different set of default applications and themes. Ubuntu is generally more supported, better known, and has less chance of breaking itself(due to Mint's tweaks, which have been known to cause several issues).

 

Right but now I am paranoid that since linux is open source and i enter passwords to youtube accounts, wifi accounts etc. If it stores it and people can look at it.

 

No, that is not what open source means

Opensource is a collaborative development strategy, what this means is that anyone has access to the source code files that make up the Operating System. This doesn't concern you if you are just a user, because it doesn't effect you. You use the end product of this, which is not source code. No one will be able to see your passwords, wife accounts, etc. Actually, Ubuntu and linux in general are much more secure Operating Systems than Windows. Your passwords, by all means, should be safer on Ubuntu or another linux distribution.

Ubuntu(or any other linux distribution) do not need antivirus, unlike Windows. Very few viruses exists on linux. Your personal data is secure, and you should have no issues with security. Your passwords, wife accounts, etc. are safe.

This however does not mean you don't have to use precautions. Don't go to websites you don't trust, don't download mystery files, be a smart user - these are good habits to have, and just because chances are you are going to be safe no matter what, doesn't mean go out and try to be unsafe.

 

Well I tried out linux and it just wasnt for me. I didnt like the way it looked and everything. Well thanks for the help guys. I apperciate it.

 

That I know of, I don't think that nvidia makes a control panel for Linux. But, there are tools for calibrating your monitor in Linux. For example, on PCLinuxOS (and any other KDE based distro) by default you can use this very basic tool:



But there are other more sophisticated ones if you need them.

Excuse us for greening a little at this one. You see, while the source of Linux and most of its programs is open, that doesn't mean that it is not secure. On the contrary. It is more secure because more people can inspect the code and ensure that there are no security problems (such as the .lnk one plaguing Windows right now). I don't trust closed source programs precisely because I don't know what the programmer may be doing behind my back. While with Linux I, and millions of others, can inspect the code to ensure that it does in fact what it claims to do, and nothing else.

PS, Maybe you should read " The Cathedral and the Bazaar" to learn a little more about what "Open Source" means. And it wouldn't hurt to read a little about what " Free Software" means.

Also, don't give up on Linux before trying PCLinuxOS. It has a completely different look and feel from Ubuntu/Mint. I like it better. You might too.

 

You're welcome, but I encourage you to continue trying it, linux is VERY customizable, you can even make it look nearly exactly like Windows Vista, 7, or even Mac OS X. You can find themes here.

 

oh ok. Just making sure. I entered my wifi password when I wanted to connect. I check my youtube account and etc. I just wanted to make sure people cant just steal my passwords.

 

Well it didnt have the resolution I wanted, and when I went to zoom in the pages (They were really small) everything was all pixelated and it was hard to watch youtube videos.

 

They can't.

Then you install the proper drivers(in Ubuntu or Mint see the 'Hardware Drivers' utility). And you can change the resolution, it's in the menu as 'Monitors'.

However please note that the livecd is almost nothing like an installed system. You can't install drivers, because it's running the system completely from the CD. I recommend giving installing a go and then taking a few steps to fix your issues before giving up.

 

alright, I guess I will try to tommrow to install it and see if I like it

 

I'm glad If you have any questions, shoot, just as I said, remember, linux is not Windows, they do not work the same all of the time. But keep an open mind and always feel free to ask for help.

 

don't bother installing if you didn't like the live CD. That's way to much effort for something that gave you a bitter first impression. Stick with windows, it's a great OS.

 

Don't say this when you don't know the situation. He obviously had trouble related to drivers on the LiveCD, which are only fixable after installation.

Ever tried using Windows before you installed it(or someone else did)? Most likely not.

 

I just want to make sure, if I install linux, I can download something and change the resolution the way I want to right?

 

Yeah, you should be able to install the appropriate driver.

What are the specifications of your hardware?