Quick first time question

Forum: USB booting
Topic: Quick first time question
started by: SuperBas

Posted by SuperBas on Aug. 29 2005,10:32

I'm a total newbie to Linux. I figured I might give this one a go, since it's so small. But I am still a bit afraid that it might damage my files already installed. So the question:

If I boot DSL from a USB stick (or CD), will it do anything to my files? Will it format anything? Will I lose anything at all on my WinXP install? Or can I just put in the CD/USB stick when I start the PC, and remove it when done?

Posted by RoGuE_StreaK on Aug. 29 2005,11:32

Nope, nope, nope, and yup.
Unless you mount your harddrive and start messing around with it's filesystem, DSL won't go anywhere near it.

Posted by adssse on Aug. 29 2005,14:16

Exactly. Live cd's are a great way to start out, because you can try new things, install extensions and try programs without fear. Live cd uses your ram so when you reboot everything is gone unless you store it somewhere. Your hard drive will probably by hda (or if you have more than one hdb etc.), so if you are worried about your windows install just make sure you dont mount any drive starting with 'hd'. Besides that have fun with it, its a great learning tool.

Posted by SuperBas on Aug. 29 2005,14:33

Thanks for the answers. Two more questions though.

1. If I put DSL on a USB stick, will it safe the changes made to Linux on it? For example, I download an extension for FireFox. Will it save the extension to the USB stick?

2. Do all forms of Linux work in roughly the same way, ie does Mandrake feel similar to DSL?

Edit: And 3: if I don't have a BIOS that allows USB booting, how do I update it?

Posted by mstrhelix2 on Aug. 29 2005,17:07

To update your BIOS to boot from USB you must either FLASH your BIOS ie.... got your bios makers website d-load program.exe to update your bios and run the program.... or buy another motherboard with a newer bios...

Posted by foggytoo on Sep. 28 2005,16:12

i mounted the harddrive and looked around, then copied some files from my thumb drive back and forth. nothing happened, but i didn't mess around with the windows files or programs. everything still works. very cool.

Posted by doobit on Sep. 28 2005,17:42

1. yes, there is a way to save your changes with DSL. DSL includes a manager that allows you to backup your settings, history, bookmarks, etc to any sort of storage that you have.

2. There are differences between different distributions of Linux. The differences are mostly in the the way they are installed and the types and ways that application programs are packaged. Some distributions also use slightly different ways of booting up. However, the core of the operating system, which is Linux, is basically the same.

3. What he said. But give it a try with the live CD first. Version 1.5 is very fast right off the CD and you can still back up settings, etc. to a USB pendrive if you like. :cool: