A few questions for Linux users

[WhollyHeretic]

I'd like to put Linux on one of my desktops I'm just trying to figure out a few things first. I have some experience with Linux. They had me do some testing on a couple versions of Linux at an old job and I've used bootable linux CDs for data recovery before.

1. What flavor of Linux do you like?

2. Do most of the newer versions support SATA? Last time I tried installing Linux on a desktop I couldn't get it to recognize my SATA drives.

3. Has anyone used QTParted to partition HDs with OSs already on them? Any problems?

Thanks for any help people can offer :hi:

[billyskank]

1. Answers

1. I like Slackware most of all, but honestly there's no distro around that's perfect. And my faith in Slack has been dented this weekend after I tried to install version 11.0, which is causing me no end of grief.

The only kind of Linux that's really 'it' is Linux From Scratch (www.linuxfromscratch.org) but that's pretty damn hardcore.

2. Yes, they support SATA, but I find it to be a damned pain the butt. It is really difficult to compile a kernel myself to use my Sil3112 SATA controller - so much so that I'm on the verge of saying "fuck it!" and buying a new IDE drive.

3. Never used it.

[WhollyHeretic]

3. Thanks, I appreciate it

:hi:

[Madrone]

2. Suggestion -

The last linux distro I've played with (I'm more familiar w/ FreeBSD) was Ubuntu, and it's NICE. Best way to find out if all your hardware will be recognized would be to just boot it as the LiveCD and give it a test run. I'm pretty sure Ubuntu supports SATA - but not 100% confident in saying so.

[WhollyHeretic]

4. Thanks

Ubuntu seems to be a pretty popular one.

[Kutjara]

14. I've used Ubuntu and Kubuntu (the K-Desktop version)...

...and both were pretty painless to install and configure. They seem to recognize a wide range of hardware without configuration (particularly laptops, which have always been a bit problematic). I put Kubuntu on my Vaio TX650 and the only configuring I had to do was to remove an extra column of pixels from the screen resolution.

I didn't look into Ubuntu's SATA capabilities so I don't know how easy it is to set up.

I haven't used that particular partitioner, but Ubuntu has a pretty nice and easy one built in that you can use during the installation process.

Someone already mentioned LiveCD. It's a nice feature that lets you boot Ubuntu off a CD, so you can check compatability before hosing your drive.

[originalpckelly]

5. I agree, FreeBSD is a lot easier to use...

which is ironic, because most people probably wouldn't peg it as such. My second computer is running FreeBSD and it works like a charm!

I've never really liked Linux much because it always seemed to be a mishmash of code/interfaces.

[Madrone]

8. Heh.

:D FreeBSD has definitely gotten NICE. We run it on all of our servers at work. My stolen laptop was dual-booting w/ it and it was ran beautifully, especially considering I had a nonstandard screen (17" desktop replacement). I just got my stolen machines replaced and haven't changed any original configs yet. THINKING about skipping the new Tosh and throwing it on my MacBook Pro instead.

[originalpckelly]

11. OH HOW CUTE!

You go little buddy get that wimpy little penguin!

[BadgerKid]

6. my comments

Hiya!

1. I am use Fedora on my personal machines and I do some administration on Fedora machines at work. I like it enough not to switch ;) It seems to me that Ubuntu gets a good mention for ease of use and community support (http://ubuntuforums.org).

2. Apparently there have been conflicts between linux's sata_nv driver and NVIDIA chipsets, possibly in conjuction with Seagate drives. I have such a combination, but I haven't had problems. It could be that the drive's firmware alread has fixed the issue.

3. No idea about QTParted; I use fdisk.

good luck!

[WhollyHeretic]

9. Thanks for the info

:hi:

[TheBaldyMan]

7. I use a euro-german distro of SuSe (version 10)

it comes with a choice of GUI either the native KDE (more software compatibility) or an implementation of Gnome (a couple of applets that are better than KDE). Setting up programs to run the first time can be a pain but once you get it to run once it's trouble free. Browser setup is about the same level to instal plug-ins, expect much poorer support and no windows media support. (Bill Gates prefers you to run stuff under windows so M$ never releases plugins for another OS) although mplayer says it can run a windows dll inside a wrapper I have had difficulty getting it to work on my machine.

Both interfaces are stable, the KDE GUI is clunkier although it does have more choice of software, both incarnations involve downloading, compiling and pasting scripts in the appropriate folders involved when you find stuff that you want to do but haven't been supplied the applications on disk. Gnome is not as good as KDE for existing packages.

It use a Red Hat style of RPM for software redistribution and a lot of Red Hat's stuff is compatible.

The built-in partition editor is excellent but the only problem I've had is with possible overwriting of data when the drive is already packed with data. It can handle NTFS and reiser file systems, although Windows does have trouble acknowledging the existance of another OS. Windows can't read reiser file system partitions at all.

I also have had trouble obtaining r/w access on the windows partition from inside Linux, very clunky and involves shell scripts to mount or unmount drives then set permissions.

(on edit)
Poster #2 has it right, try a live disc boot and that will tell you if it recognises your system. I haven't got my drives on sata although my motherboard has a 133Mb ATA slot. I haven't activated it in bios, so I'm afraid I can't help you with the SATA compatibilty issue.

[WhollyHeretic]

10. I used SuSe 9 (I think that was it) briefly a while ago

Windows saw there was another partition couldn't see anything about it. Microsoft doesn't like admitting there is other software out there :)

Thanks for the info

[TheBaldyMan]

12. there probably is a freeware utility out there that can read a reiser

file system from within Windows, like the DOS programs that can read NTFS files systems.

[Deja Q]

13. Hmmm

1. SuSE (ver 10.1) at present...
2. Yes, I use SATA - no problems
3. Nope. SuSE Linux does a fair job at repartitioning drives without losing data...

[hunter]

15. Ubuntu may or may not recognize FakeRaid (SATA) these days.

I think it is now pretty straightforward most of the time, but when it's not, it's a pain.

Then again, SATA is stupid, but nobody asked me.

I'm using Ubuntu on the computer I'm posting this on because it doesn't confuse everyone else in my family, even though they are used to Microsoft XP. They use firefox on their computers, and they use firefox on this computer.

I don't do any sort of dual boot anymore. It just seems to be a lot easier to have multiple computers, one operating system apiece. My kids' computers have XP (!@#$%^&* IPod gift cards and games!) and if I absolutely MUST do something Microsoft, which never happens anymore, I suppose I could use theirs.

I'd try Ubuntu and see what happens, especially if you are most familiar with Microsoft systems.

[Feron]

16. I can't answer 2 and 3..

since they don't apply to me, however I use Mandriva 2006. There's a newer version 2007 available now as well. I'm probably upgrade sometime after the holidays when I acquire a new DVD drive.

However I will say that the partition manager is simple to use.

I know Ubuntu is the newbie distro of choice at the moment, but I've used two different versions of Mandriva linux and enjoy using it. I believe there is also a Mandriva live CD available.

Everyone has their preference and it just takes some experimentation to find a distro that suits you. I lucked out and found a good one on the first try. Hopefully you will too.