Need newbie help
Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Need newbie help
started by: Snowy
Posted by Snowy on Jan. 30 2005,23:48
Since I'm an absolute newb at all things Linux, I'm just wondering whether someone would be so kind as to direct me to some sort of guide to getting started with Linux, whether it be specifically for use with DSL, or is in some other way applicable.Just in case it you need to know what I intend to use the OS for:
1) I would like to use it as a fileserver on a PC on which the current OS install requires a reinstall in order to access any sort of network (or so tech-support tells me), and I am both too broke to afford having tech-support do it, and have neither the required skills nor knowledge to do it myself.
2) I would like to use it to recover files off a FAT32 partition running one the same HDD as an NTFS partition with a Win XP install, if at all possible. (I talk about recovering, because the OS has all sorts of problems with the PC's various means of output. I regard myself as lucky being able to operate the darn thing at all.
)3) I'm just being adventurous, and would like to add to add being able to operate a linux machine to my skillset.
Also, I have several questions:
a) Does DSL come with a GUI by default?
b) Will I be able to install DSL on, and use it with, an existing partition, such as FAT32(?), and if not
c) Does DSL come with a partitioning tool by default?
I would appreciate any help at all very muchly.
Posted by tronik on Jan. 31 2005,01:01
I'd provide a more throughough reply if i had more time, but I can answer your 3 questionsa. Yes
b. No, but,
c. Yes
Enjoy.
Posted by green on Jan. 31 2005,02:58
Snowy,Here goes:
1) You can use DSL as a fileserver (and much more). I am doing that.
2) I have used DSL to gain files from FAT and NTFS partitions.
3) Great!
a) Yes, it's called fluxbox, but you can even change that later if you want.
b) You need to install DSL on a Linux partition if using it as a hard drive install. FAT will come into play if you do other things (installing to USB pendrive, etc).
c) Yes, DSL has a tool called cfdisk that I have used many times.
Comments: I suggest reading the DSL Documentation. You really will be glad you did it.
< http://damnsmalllinux.org/talk/node/51 >
Also, does your machine have any hardware problems? I was wondering that due to the way you worded your comments.
Download and ISO of DSL and burn a copy. (if you don't know how, search the forums)
Boot that sucker up. Then read the stuff in the window that pops up when it's done booting.
Other Comments: I am running DSL as a fileserver on one machine, and running it from the Live CD. I did the backup/restore option with adding stuff to filetool.lst so I can save settings and info if the server goes down for some reason. DSL works great for that, in my opinion. I am able to store data from Linux machines and my XP machine from work, making for a good backup solution. I also use DSL as an everyday desktop on some other machines and use it at work as well. DSL is very flexible and extensible. You can do just about anything with it. But you need to read about it. Trust me. It'll save you some time. You'll know what this paragraph is all about after you "boot and read."
Posted by Snowy on Jan. 31 2005,03:37
Great! Thanks, I'm certain this info will come in handy as soon as I start the process of getting DSL set up.| Quote (green @ Jan. 30 2005,21:58) |
| Also, does your machine have any hardware problems? I was wondering that due to the way you worded your comments. |
Not that I know of for certain, no. As I said, it's due to comments from tech-support (from the retailer, to be specific) that lead me to believe that this is a problem with the OS in particular, though I'd already come to the conclusion that it's probably a software malfunction.
It's mostly due to the occasional packet being sent from the working, but otherwise inactive, networking card, that lead me to that conclusion.
Oh, wait, yes, I do have a hardware problem, but it's entirely unrelated. I'm pretty sure that the broke audio port doesn't have anything to do with my current problems
(It's a laptop/notebook/whatever-they-call-the-things-nowadays, which is why it hasn't been fixed. Apparently, it's design demands that the whole mobo be replaced 
).On a side note, I understand that notebooks sometimes have some problems with running Linux OS'. That shouldn't be a problem though, since someone I once knew, and which used to be my go-to guy regarding tech problems, once ran knoppix on it (just for the hell of it, as I understand it), and told me that it pretty much worked fine.
Posted by green on Feb. 01 2005,03:51
I use DSL on two laptops, and have run other flavors on them as well. One of them, an old IBM 600E is my "test bed." If it runs on that with everything I need/want, it'll run on just about anything. There are a host of folks on the forums that use laptops with DSL as well as others. You should be fine. You may have to do some tweaking, maybe not, but that's how you learn.