# Before you ask for a Distro...



## FilledVoid (Jun 29, 2008)

*Before you ask for a Distro *​
*What is your purpose ? *
Are you looking to just casually play around with it here and there? If so why install? Why not just use a Linux Live CD. No changes are made to your Win system and you get to goof around in Linux as well. Or better yet why not install it on a VM? 

*What is your system configuration?*
We don't know if you have a C2Q or if you have a P533 for that matter. If I were to suggest you OpenSuse / Ubuntu / Mint you would be very angry at the results if you we're running a box with a 533 Mhz Processor. If I were to ask you to install NimbleX on a C2Q with 4 Gb memory again it would be rather silly because you could easily install some of the most heavier feature rich distros. 

*What is your intent?*
Are you doing this for Office work, Entertainment or to learn Linux. Mandriva and Ubuntu sort of have a way of giving GUIS for every single task there is. Hell I didn't even know how to create a user using CLI till I used Arch. That being said if you don't want to use CLI why would I ask you to install Arch. You would scream bloody murder and chase me with a pitchfork. You tend to learn more about Linux commands based on the amount of tweaking you do. So keep that in mind also. 

*How far are you willing to go and whats your experience level?*
Trust me when I say Gentoo is not for beginners. Also trust me when I say that Linux Hardcore folks would set me on fire if I told them to install Ubuntu. The main question is how far are you willing to go. It took me a well one day to configure Arch. Are you willing to go that far.How about compile a distro for a few days? Or do you want a ready made distro which works great out of the box? 

From my view these are the main questions to ask and answer in your post when you ask for a distro.

Anyway just my two cents .


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## hellknight (Jun 29, 2008)

^+10
That was great. this is the same what i recommend to my friends when they ask me which distro to install. usually they havelaps with C2D or AMD X2 with 1gb RAM, then i say, go for Mandriva, its hassle-free, good multimedia support. Otherwise I say Ubuntu and OpenSUSE are the best..


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## Dark Star (Jun 29, 2008)

Ok I am buying a new Core 2 Duo rig with a a mobo not yet decided.. Just one question.. nvidia 780G or 7100 graphics has some problem with Linux ?


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## FilledVoid (Jun 29, 2008)

> nvidia 780G


AMD 780G? It seems that several folks seem to have it running . Here check out the phoronix review also . *www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=amd_780g_linux&num=1 .

As for the nvidia cards. I'm pretty sure most nvidia chipsets are supported witht he nvidia modules in the OS itself. The only ones probably to have a problem is the new chipsets like the 9xxx series I guess.


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## Dark Star (Jun 29, 2008)

^^Oops its AMD 780 G  Also which OS do you recommend ? 

  Purpose: Day to day work, Multimedia, Web Surfing , Emails and few others..

Experience ~Months/Years  Used  :-- SUSE 10.3 6 Months , Ubuntu 1.8 years , Mandriva 1 year, Sabayon 2 Months, A bit of Linux Mint, .. My main aim is to learn and use Arch /


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## FilledVoid (Jun 29, 2008)

> Experience ~Months/Years Used :-- SUSE 10.3 6 Months , Ubuntu 1.8 years , Mandriva 1 year, Sabayon 2 Months, A bit of Linux Mint, .. My main aim is to learn and use Arch /


 You have used Linux for much more time than I have . If you want to run Arch why not try it out? You definietly don't lack in the knowledge department like I do.  You can check the Arch thread below and it should cover everything you need to have a good install. If I could install Arch than I'm pretty sure you can. 

So far to my knowledge the following folks that have tried out Arch are Kalpik , Mehulved, Abhinand, Hitboxx, Aditya and Pat so you could check with them on any obstacles you run into. If its something I can help with I will be more than happy to help you. Also note that you need a broadband connection for Arch since you need to download ALOT.


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## aditya.shevade (Jun 29, 2008)

@Filled-Void.

Great work dude. Both of your threads rock. Make sure that unless someone asks for new distro in this format, (in any thread, this one or otherwise) he/she is not answered until asked using this format.

Link them to the first post and tell them to restate their question. 

@Dark Star. The arch linux beginners guide at *wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide is more than enough. You are an experienced user. You won't have a problem. Otherwise Filled-Void and channel are always there.


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## Pathik (Jun 29, 2008)

You cant get a 780G with a C2D anyways.


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## Dark Star (Jun 29, 2008)

But 780 G is AMD exclusive


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## MetalheadGautham (Jun 29, 2008)

See this: Which Distro Is Right For Me ? *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89953


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## Pathik (Jun 29, 2008)

Dark Star said:


> But 780 G is AMD exclusive


Didnt I say the same? That you cant use a C2D with a 780G chipset mobo?


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## Dark Star (Jun 29, 2008)

Oops .. I read get C2D and AMD 780 G .. I think my eyesight is a bit weak ;


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## FilledVoid (Jun 29, 2008)

> See this: Which Distro Is Right For Me ? *www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89953



I added the thread to the sticky above earlier. I didn't know that already one exsisted otherwise I wouldn't have typed this up.


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## MetalheadGautham (Jun 29, 2008)

FilledVoid said:


> I added the thread to the sticky above earlier. I didn't know that already one exsisted otherwise I wouldn't have typed this up.


no probs.
Since my thread has no replies, it wouldn't look awkward if we merge the two into a sticky, so that newbies with the same question might ask everything there.


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## Psychosocial (Nov 16, 2008)

Specs :-

C2D E4500
2GB RAM
8800GT 512MB
750GB storage

OSes installed :- Vista 32Bit SP1 and XP 32Bit SP3

Linux Experience :- 3 months with Ubuntu 8.04. Can partition easily with gparted. Can use apt-get. Still a newbie.

Main uses :- Learning programming, GIMP and command line. 

I would like if the Linux bootloader will detect my Windows installation so I wont have any problem switching back to Windows as I am a gamer. 

Please recommand me a good looking OS other than Ubuntu as I have already used it.


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## MetalheadGautham (Nov 16, 2008)

Are you intending to learn commandline ? Really ? Then you need to do it in 2 phases, first with a distro whose administrative tasks can be complimented with commandline, and next with a distro thats chiefly commandline based. Obviously you need to be looking for the first type of distro now.

Well, if you are familiar with Ubuntu and apt-get, I suggest you start learning a little more. Move over to Fedora. There, you can comfortably learn programming and commandline and most importantly, get familiar with yet another package management tool, rpm/yum. (if you have any issues, just harass hitboxx).

The linux bootloader will detect your windows installation easily, and you to switch to windows, all you need to do is press the DOWN button in the grub menu to switch to windows.

Anyway, your second phase distro should be archlinux. It has a wonderful commandline experience for newbies, and becomes a pleasure to use.


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## Psychosocial (Nov 16, 2008)

MetalheadGautham said:


> Are you intending to learn commandline ? Really ? Then you need to do it in 2 phases, first with a distro whose administrative tasks can be complimented with commandline, and next with a distro thats chiefly commandline based. Obviously you need to be looking for the first type of distro now.
> 
> Well, if you are familiar with Ubuntu and apt-get, I suggest you start learning a little more. Move over to Fedora. There, you can comfortably learn programming and commandline and most importantly, get familiar with yet another package management tool, rpm/yum. (if you have any issues, just harass hitboxx).
> 
> ...



Fedora 9 is the latest version, isnt it ? I am downloading it right now .

Actually, I am burning Mint to a CD .


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## Faun (Nov 16, 2008)

lol...wait for fedora 10, its coming withing few days.

and why do you want to waste your time, study and play games in free time rather than installing an OS. Its a pain in the a$$ to do such things.


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## Psychosocial (Nov 16, 2008)

^^I have a 5GB ext3 file system and 2Gb Linux Swap sitting idly. I want to learn Linux, programming and GIMP. Thats why I wanna install Linux.

Ok, I tried installing Mint. But it gave an error which read "This error could be due to a faulty CD-R". Need to burn again .


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## aditya.shevade (Nov 16, 2008)

^^ If you are new user (know little about Linux), then go for Ubuntu. There is a HUGE community and you will get help anywhere you want.


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## MetalheadGautham (Nov 16, 2008)

aditya.shevade said:


> ^^ If you are new user (know little about Linux), then go for Ubuntu. There is a HUGE community and you will get help anywhere you want.


Read the previous posts dude. He says he used ubuntu for 4 months and is familiar with it and apt-get and now he wants a better distro to learn commandline.


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## aditya.shevade (Nov 16, 2008)

You can learn command line on any distro. Go for linux from scratch if you 'really' want to learn.


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