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Old 24-02-2014, 01:45
henrywilliams58
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Sorry false alarm.

I have now created three partitions - swap file, root directory, and data

and am reinstalling Linux Mint 16 Cinnamon ..
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Old 24-02-2014, 12:33
Charlie
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I replaced XP and went completely Linux (Mint Debian now) about 10 years ago. It does everything I need both personally and to run a small business.
To get information about your system go to the dark side, open a terminal and input
Code:
inxi -F
(I think inxi is standard in Mint)
You will get output like this including drives and partitions:
Code:
System:    Host: lmde Kernel: 3.2.0-3-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: Cinnamon 2.0.14  Distro: LinuxMint 1 debian
Machine:   Mobo: MICRO-STAR model: 770-C45 (MS-7599) version: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends version: V1.4 date: 09/18/2009
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon II X2 250 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 3000.00 MHz 2: 3000.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G92 [GeForce GTS 250] X.Org: 1.14.3 driver: nvidia Resolution: 1680x1050@59.9hz 
           GLX Renderer: GeForce GTS 250/PCIe/SSE2 GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 331.38
Audio:     Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) driver: snd_hda_intel Sound: ALSA ver: 1.0.24
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: r8169 
           IF: eth1 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 40:61:86:2e:10:a8
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (26.5% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD5000AAKS size: 500.1GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 200G used: 124G (65%) fs: ext4 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 52C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 158 Uptime: 18:09 Memory: 2295.0/3965.9MB Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 1.9.14
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Old 24-02-2014, 13:27
henrywilliams58
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I replaced XP and went completely Linux (Mint Debian now) about 10 years ago. It does everything I need both personally and to run a small business.
To get information about your system go to the dark side, open a terminal and input
Code:
inxi -F
(I think inxi is standard in Mint)
You will get output like this including drives and partitions:
Code:
System:    Host: lmde Kernel: 3.2.0-3-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: Cinnamon 2.0.14  Distro: LinuxMint 1 debian
Machine:   Mobo: MICRO-STAR model: 770-C45 (MS-7599) version: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends version: V1.4 date: 09/18/2009
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon II X2 250 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 3000.00 MHz 2: 3000.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G92 [GeForce GTS 250] X.Org: 1.14.3 driver: nvidia Resolution: 1680x1050@59.9hz 
           GLX Renderer: GeForce GTS 250/PCIe/SSE2 GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 331.38
Audio:     Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) driver: snd_hda_intel Sound: ALSA ver: 1.0.24
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: r8169 
           IF: eth1 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 40:61:86:2e:10:a8
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (26.5% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD5000AAKS size: 500.1GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 200G used: 124G (65%) fs: ext4 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 52C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 158 Uptime: 18:09 Memory: 2295.0/3965.9MB Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 1.9.14
Thanks a lot


If you open the Terminal (Menu>Accessories) and type
Code:
sudo fdisk -l
then enter your password and press Enter.
That will give you info about the size of disks and partitions on your machine.


Ah great stuff.

I found that after partitioning one of the drives seemed to be missing. Just now re-installing I see all the drives are there.

Will try terminal now. Takes me back to my Fortran days ...

EDIT

it is

sudo fdisk -l [ not -1 s I first typed in ]

Also looked at inxi -F

I wanted to install something like Belarc but these commands should do the job.
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Old 24-02-2014, 15:18
emptybox
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Thanks a lot





Ah great stuff.

I found that after partitioning one of the drives seemed to be missing. Just now re-installing I see all the drives are there.

Will try terminal now. Takes me back to my Fortran days ...

EDIT

it is

sudo fdisk -l [ not -1 s I first typed in ]

Also looked at inxi -F

I wanted to install something like Belarc but these commands should do the job.
Yeah it's 'l' as in list.
I should have made that clear, but I thought you'd probably just copy and paste the code anyway.

The 'sudo' bit means "do as superuser", or administrator in Windows talk. That's why it asks for the password.
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Old 24-02-2014, 16:43
killjoy
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I have been trying to either install Linux or run from a disc on my old DELL XP machine. However all seems to be going well ~ running through the various set up screens untill it fails with the message the Linux has experienced an internal error.

Th strange thing is that this has happened with different linux builds and flavours. Is it possible that there is something in the DELL BIOS that prevents a second OS being run or installed?
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Old 24-02-2014, 17:55
emptybox
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I have been trying to either install Linux or run from a disc on my old DELL XP machine. However all seems to be going well ~ running through the various set up screens untill it fails with the message the Linux has experienced an internal error.

Th strange thing is that this has happened with different linux builds and flavours. Is it possible that there is something in the DELL BIOS that prevents a second OS being run or installed?
Very unlikely in an XP aged machine. More likely some hardware incompatibility with the distros you are trying to install.
If you give us an idea of the specs of the Dell, especially the graphics card, we might get a clue.

I've got an old Dell from 2002 that I've successfully put various versions of Linux on.
It's got a slightly upgraded processor (P4 Northwood 2.6 GHz) and an ATI 8500 128MB graphics card but only 512MB RAM.
It can't cope with the latest desktops (Unity, Cinnamon, KDE, Gnome Shell) but works OK with lightweight versions like LXDE or Openbox (XFCE at a pinch).
There are some things that just won't install though. LXLE worked well as a live DVD, but the installer always crashed.
Presently it's running Ubuntu 12.04 as an LXDE session, but I've also got Crunchbang Linux on it, and I sometimes use Puppy Linux on live CD.

I'm sure you could find something that would install.
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Old 24-02-2014, 22:27
henrywilliams58
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Yeah it's 'l' as in list.
I should have made that clear, but I thought you'd probably just copy and paste the code anyway.

The 'sudo' bit means "do as superuser", or administrator in Windows talk. That's why it asks for the password.
I normally do. But I am on a different computer here.
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Old 24-02-2014, 22:56
henrywilliams58
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...

you may be looking at the lighter usage xfce or lxde versions for youre hardware.
I am beginning to understand the earlier posts in this thread and am considering installing Linux Mint 16 “Petra” Xfce . I am currently working with Cinnamon.

Is Xfce butch enough to run Google Chrome?

Anything else I'll be missing out on?

It would be nice to get something as fast as a Chrome Book.
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Old 25-02-2014, 00:43
emptybox
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XFCE is kinda in the middle really, in terms of resources required.
It's lighter weight than the ones I mentioned, but you don't really miss out on anything.

Certainly Chrome (or Chromium) will work on it (think Chrome works on just about anything?). But you can also run a compositor like compiz, for transparency and animation effects. Although that will slow down a machine with lower spec right enough.
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Old 25-02-2014, 11:42
emptybox
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As an alternative to completely reinstalling the XFCE version of Mint 16, you could install XFCE as a session in your current installation.
It would be a vanilla version of XFCE rather than the mintified version in the full install, but it would show you if you liked it, and whether it suited your machine.

Either install the xfce4 metapackage from the Software Manager (or Synaptic Package Manager) or at a terminal type
Code:
sudo apt-get install xfce4
Then logout, and click the gear cog icon on the login box and select the XFCE session and login again.
You can then switch between XFCE and Cinnamon at each login.
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Old 25-02-2014, 15:06
henrywilliams58
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As an alternative to completely reinstalling the XFCE version of Mint 16, you could install XFCE as a session in your current installation.
It would be a vanilla version of XFCE rather than the mintified version in the full install, but it would show you if you liked it, and whether it suited your machine.

Either install the xfce4 metapackage from the Software Manager (or Synaptic Package Manager) or at a terminal type
Code:
sudo apt-get install xfce4
Then logout, and click the gear cog icon on the login box and select the XFCE session and login again.
You can then switch between XFCE and Cinnamon at each login.
Thanks and useful to know but I installed XFCE this morning before reading this post and no regrets. XFCE seems quite a bit faster than Cinnamon and look and feel (just a bit) more familiar somehow. But no regrets having seen and installed Cinnamon first.

Schools should be encouraged to use Linux Mint as there is a lot more learning about computing than in Windows. The terminal also encourages computing thought.
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Old 25-02-2014, 15:39
henrywilliams58
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Another good XP replacement would be LXLE
http://lxle.net/
Easy to use and light on RAM usage.Includes a very comprehensive range of software such as used for internet browsing, office software and playing of various media.
LXLE looks good from the video

http://youtu.be/99zomqqk1tM
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Old 25-02-2014, 16:13
emptybox
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Thanks and useful to know but I installed XFCE this morning before reading this post and no regrets. XFCE seems quite a bit faster than Cinnamon and look and feel (just a bit) more familiar somehow. But no regrets having seen and installed Cinnamon first.

Schools should be encouraged to use Linux Mint as there is a lot more learning about computing than in Windows. The terminal also encourages computing thought.
That was kinda the idea behind the little Raspberry Pi computer, that runs on a version of Debian Linux (Raspbian).
Not sure if many schools have taken it up as yet?
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Old 25-02-2014, 16:47
1saintly
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Did warn you earlier in your thread. That you would soon be bitten by the Linux district hopping bug

You gone from cinnamon to xfce and now looking at llxde.

There's also gnome and KDE to keep you busy yet.

Great to read you're getting i on so well with Linux.
As you've found out its not that scary
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Old 25-02-2014, 17:00
emptybox
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For XP users who want to try Linux, but really want to stick to a classic Windows look and feel, you could try Q4 OS.

http://www.q4os.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TF-c3CrX2A

The OS is based on Debian, and the desktop environment is a fork of KDE.
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Old 25-02-2014, 17:47
henrywilliams58
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I want my life back ... there's 73 pages of the "Linux Users general chat thread." to go through ...
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Old 02-03-2014, 23:30
henrywilliams58
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Having got used to Linux Mint 16 XFCE how does this compare with a Chromebook?

Why are Chromebooks (supposedly) only operational online?

Are they much faster? And if so is there a distro?
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Old 02-03-2014, 23:41
c4rv
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chromebooks only work online because you don't install apps locally. There is a very limited ability to run a few apps local and they will sync when you get back online.
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Old 03-03-2014, 00:02
TelevisionUser
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For XP users who want to try Linux, but really want to stick to a classic Windows look and feel, you could try Q4 OS.

http://www.q4os.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TF-c3CrX2A

The OS is based on Debian, and the desktop environment is a fork of KDE.
ZorinOS has also been mentioned a number of times on other forums since the desktop can be changed to resemble assorted versions of Windows: http://zorin-os.com/
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Old 03-03-2014, 00:15
emptybox
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Having got used to Linux Mint 16 XFCE how does this compare with a Chromebook?

Why are Chromebooks (supposedly) only operational online?

Are they much faster? And if so is there a distro?
http://lifehacker.com/5820358/how-to...th-chromium-os
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Old 03-03-2014, 00:40
Mr Dos
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Chromebook tale of woe -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...sity-work.html

as the computer world gets more diverse, compatibility becomes a problem. A bit off topic, but interesting.
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Old 03-03-2014, 19:08
shhftw
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Chromebook tale of woe -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...sity-work.html

as the computer world gets more diverse, compatibility becomes a problem. A bit off topic, but interesting.
Not really. Just people throw up their arms in dismay rather than do the (virtual) leg work. Or they sulk at their tablet for a few days and decide it was ****ing expensive and they better find a use for it. "Ahhh, look at the kitty"
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Old 04-03-2014, 02:34
henrywilliams58
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I think I'll stick with XFCE for now. Very impressed.

Linux Mint 16 XFCE Full Review

http://youtu.be/GItVTVLyY24
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Old 04-03-2014, 07:24
noise747
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Having got used to Linux Mint 16 XFCE how does this compare with a Chromebook?

Why are Chromebooks (supposedly) only operational online?

Are they much faster? And if so is there a distro?
chromebooks works in a different way, they only work online, ok you can store some stuff locally, but they mainly work online.

chromebooks are produced to use google services.

Linux, you are more free, you don't have to be online and you got a lot more software to choose from. which one you go for depends on what you want to do.
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Old 04-03-2014, 07:25
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ZorinOS has also been mentioned a number of times on other forums since the desktop can be changed to resemble assorted versions of Windows: http://zorin-os.com/
Tried Zorin on my laptop, it can be a bit heavy if you got a older machine.
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