Installing Linux.

I am finally getting around to downloading and installing Linux and Firefox.

To be specific, I am going to set up separate partitions and a dual boot for Linux. I currently have windows 7 and have been told to "shrink that partition and then set up a new one for Linux as well".

Then, I need to get firefox up and running, and preferably in a place where the same firefox is accessible by Linux and windows (because IE11 has become nonfunctional with these forums, great encouragement to do this).

Lastly, to open one OS while using another just in a pinch, I will get VirtualBox.

Anyone familiar with Linux have some advice for me as I go on my own merry way doing this? Maybe something one would expect come up as a problem? Or some advice to save time later?

I always used GParted on a live CD to partition disks.

In my link I am using, going down to the section boldly titled "Partition your System", the last sentence of the second paragraph in that section, states using gparted from live cd. For the Linux half anyway, while before even that using windows to partition it's own half and possibly even the storage. Wait, maybe it says storage too with gparted. Anyway, not there quite yet.

Ah okay, I didn't click the link because I'm lazy.

Since I am not starting with a fresh install of windows 7, as I too am lazy, I think I am going to partition off Linux but leave everything currently in windows 7 alone, partition and all.

Except for internet explorer, that is being deleted.

Lubuntu. Thoughts?

I say this because it seems the most barebones. Obviously the second thought was Xubuntu.

Any problems with me doing this? Will Pa probably work on it?

I recommend Xubuntu, if you can help it. XFCE is the desktop environment, and it's fairly mature by now. In comparison, Lubuntu uses LXDE, which may be a bit TOO barebones for a new Linux user. If you're using a computer that can handle Windows 7, then XFCE should be more than sufficient.

As for the installation, Ubuntu and its derivatives make the partitioning aspect pretty simple. Just make sure your hard drive has enough space that you can share between the two OSs, and when you choose that "Resize Partition" option, it should work out just fine.

As for Firefox, by default it should come installed on Xubuntu, while Lubuntu uses Chromium (an open version of Google's Chrome browser). Either is a good choice, and would work fine on the Uber forums. If you do install Lubuntu and prefer to have Firefox, you can easily install it through the package management system. (FYI, in most Linux distributions, you generally don't install software by downloading it from the internet and running an executable. You run a software management program and search for the program you want. It will download the program from the distribution's software repository and install it for you.)

However, be aware that Windows and Linux won't be able to "share" an install of Firefox. You'll have to install them separately, and manage the extensions independently for each one. Firefox does have that synchronize feature that allows you to share bookmarks, passwords, etc between the two, and it works fairly well in my experience. I don't recall if it shares extensions though. However, in most cases you won't be piling on heaps of extensions, and they are easy enough to install, so taking a little time to install it on each shouldn't be too hard.

Finally, not to discourage a new Linux user, because I am all about Linux, but if you're only installing Linux to be able to use Firefox to browse the Uber forums, you may just want to install it on Windows and use it instead of IE. But if you really do want to join the Free Software Revolution, then by all means, continue.

I am doing it for a lot of reasons. To have it available. To see the difference in Planetary Annihilation. To troubleshoot things when necessary. To play around with my preferences of the two. To learn how Linux works and become better with it reguardless if I use it as a primary. Also, because I am transitioning to completely delete IE and use Firefox.

Okay, so I probably hit this wall out of lazy corner cutting. However, it says it cannot access the install files after downloading them to finish the install process. Reoccuring, tried uninstall and reinstall of lubuntu. It is probably because I need to actually stick this **** on a flash drive or disk huh, because right now it is a folder I am trying to mount virtually as a disk and install from there. It wants to behave fairly well, except at that part.

I haven't run PA on a linux platform, so I can't vouch for any distros in particular for that.

I like Mint, but I keep it clear of games so I can focus on doing things that actually matter.

This is going to seem assanine, but I am going to do MORE work to stick with my lazy choice. I know, that defeats the purpose of being lazy in the first place right?

Anyway, I went ahead and downloaded Virtualbox ahead of time, and booted a virtual device using Linux that is being read from a folder as if it was a CD drive, it in an attempt to install it from there. A lot of work, but at least it is a second attempt to cut a different corner to fix the previous corner cut.

Good enough reason for me . . .

Also, it seems to me you're trying to install this while still running Windows. The normal process is to copy the image to a CD or flash drive and boot from either. From there, your computer will boot up to a live version of Lubuntu, so you can fiddle around with it without changing anything on your hard drive. From there, you can click the Install icon to start the installation process, which should allow you to set it up for dual boot. This means that anytime you boot up your computer, you will have to choose between running Linux or Windows. Switching means you have to reboot.

I now see the part where it talks about sharing Firefox profiles in that tutorial, though I'm not particularly crazy about that method. I personally prefer to use Firefox's built in sync system, but I guess this system could work too. It depends on the Windows partition being the host to the data, with Linux pointing to that location on the Windows partition. (It can't be done the other way because Windows doesn't know how to read Linux standard filesystems.)

I'm not sure how you plan to fit Virtualbox into this, but you can go for installing it in a VM if you prefer. What this means is that you install Virtualbox, then you create a new virtual machine, or "fake" computer using the Virtualbox software. Thes would be run IN Windows, and you would install Linux into the VM. In essence, you would only have Windows installed on your computer, but you would be able to run a program to fake a computer that has Linux installed.

Try to imagine it like running an SNES emulator. You run the emulator, then you open up the ROM, which loads up the game for you to play. (Maybe this analogy is lost on the hip, young crowd of today . . .)

Similarly, you run Virtualbox, select a virtual machine, and run it. That virtual machine may have Lubuntu installed. You may have another virtual machine with Debian installed. And another with Slackware installed. But it's not installed on the base computer.

(The virtual machine method may have some issues sharing Firefox profiles across the systems, if it's possible at all. But I don't know the details about how Virtualbox does things like that.)

Nah, I just lack any burnable cds or flash drives I am not using... So I am trying to get around needing a cd, by trying to install it while windows is running...

...I am finding it very hard. Eventually, if it isn't possible, I will give up and figure out how to obtain a disc/flash real fast.

...Which is now. I will go ahead and try to install this crud with windows down. I just need to get something to do it from. Unfortunately, I am going to spend the next 10 minutes storing the xbox content on my flash drive for the xbox onto my desktop, then using that flash drive, then when I am done putting the xbox content back on it. Too bad the lazy way didn't work.

-_-
Yeah, just go the standard route. You'll have enough on your plate with learning a new OS AND getting that shared profile thing working. I almost expect the next post from you to be "So I decided to use Gentoo instead of Lubuntu . . ."

I am already familiar with the software management system now. Otherwise, I would have considered xubuntu instead of lubuntu. I think I will stay the course for now though...

I just saw a lot of options that made me consider though.

Is it worth running Android OS on my computer? Or how about a kid's distro, like Sugar on a Stick?

My nephew uses my computer a lot, should I keep Sugar on a Stick as a selection to load for him? Would be hilarious, teaching a 6 year old Linux.

Android OS probably wouldn't function all that well if it doesn't have support for your computer hardware. Otherwise, it's a more specialized version of Linux. It won't run Firefox or PA. Stick with Linux.

For a kid's distro, unless it is being exclusively used by kids, stick with a regular distro and just make a user-limited account for the kids.

I knew this would eventually be used as a troubleshooting thread.

Anyone know what it means when, booting on Linux from a flash drive, you see the Ubuntu loading just fine, and all of a sudden before it completely loads your monitor looses signal?

Nvidia GeForce 9500 gt.

EDIT: It may in fact has to do with lack of driver, so I have to change the boot kernel to nomodset from splash and quiet. Probably. Am trying now.

EDIT EDIT: Or, I can revert to integrated graphics. Probably safer, to make sure I continue not to lose video anywhere through install.

It depends on the videocard you have. If you have a very new videocard, basic functionality may not work with older Linux kernels out of the box. You would have to install the binary video drivers after you install the OS.

For example, when I first built my current computer, I installed the latest version of Slackware on it, but it wasn't able to start X11 (the graphics system) because the version of the Linux kernel it used wasn't new enough. (It was off by 1 release.) I was still able to install Slackware, but I had to make sure it booted to command line. Once in, I was able to get the latest proprietary driver for my videocard and install it so that my system worked.

However, your videocard is fairly old, so basic functionality should work out of the box, even if it's slow. That should be enough to get you up and running until you install the drivers. Integrated graphics may be the temporary solution, as those are usually based on the Intel graphics system, which works well with Linux.

I got it where the video stays with me, via nomodset.

Now I think I was dumb. When I tried installing while windows was running, I was able to select Lubuntu as an install option. When I install it from start-up, I am unable to select a distro, just Ubuntu. So, just doing some backtracking to download a specifically lubuntu iso, and ill go ahead and click the magical install button once I get there.

I wanted to 'inb4 @sylvesterink' but I was too late

I got it installed. Working on touching up now. My brother has me doing something for him too though, repairing the jammed disc tray of an Xbox Classic. So that's why I haven't been replying here. That, and it is done so I didn't really need to.

Now I still got to get firefox on my windows.