linux ?

hello everyone, ok i would like to learn linux just for something to do, my ? is this, i have an old box with two hard drives could i install linux on one hard drive and keep windows on the other, and just go into bios and boot to the linux drive when i want to use it? or is there another way. thanks in advance.

 

one more thing what linux would you recommend, its just to play around with, so something free would be prefered, thanks agian

 

Hi dwjj. I'm way new to linux myself. Alot of people here recommend Knoppix to start out with, and maybe Mandrake or Redhat (Fedora).

As for the boot manager, I have had success with this free one I downloaded from Major Geeks:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2588





If you would like to purchase the cd's instead of downloading the OS, I have had good results from this vendor (I got the Debian Woody distro):


http://www.edmunds-enterprises.com/linux/index.phphttp://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2588 http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2588

 

not that i know anything about it,
but i like to feel like i am helping

I have allways heard best for beginers is
Morphix or
Knoppix

whatever you pick there is all kinds of support available

 

Run a CD boot-up distro and use GAG as a boot manager (No need to screw with the BIOS). If you feel good with that then jsut install something, CD-boot up distros have the advantage of loading the kernel/programs from CD/RAM which is an advantage over the HDD (sometimes)

 

ok i got the opinions, and sorry i should have looked in the forums, but just lacked the time today. i guess what i want to know is if it is possible to just boot to a different drive with linux using the bios, and not a boot manager. perhaps this ? should be in the hardware forum not really sure, but all and any of your help is much appreiciated

 

I believe so yes, but this isn't really a very good option, maybe you can tell us why you are considering this and we can give you a better solution?

 

i am considering this because i have young kids of vering ages that use this old box for games and things also, so if they dont have to deal with anymore options, then i dont either, get my drift, lol

 

You can just install GAG on a floppy, and then instead of messing with the BIOS just pop in the floppy when you want to boot it up.

 

i think i just got a solution, you guys are the best
thanks for everyones input

 

so i would just boot to the floppy and choose from there, correct?

 

so i would just boot to the floppy and choose from there, correct?

 

Yes, you can even have it auto-boot if you want.