Linux - A thing of wonder

Anyone had luck running Linux on a virtual server or virtual PC?

I am pretty sure MS said they are supporting running linux on it, however I tried to install ubuntu 6.1 and it installed, but the display is all corrupted. I tried setting the resolution at the boot menu to 800x600, but no luck. I could install it in textmode, but as soon as the GUI boots it is useless...

I personally am not a huge fan of linux, there isnt enough driver support, too many flavors (and MS gets blamed for having too many windows versions), and maybe I am biased because I am a Microsoft junkie, but windows is just plain better... sure its got its problems, an OS is no simple program, but its still better.

I suppose if linux was the dominante OS, there would be less issues, but would there be as many companies peddeling their version?

The world would be a better place if it didn't have garbage like Ubuntu in it.

Dude, just download Fedora Core 6 (disc images are easily available) and bung it on a decent computer. The hardware support is good.

Windows is in no way better than Linux.

But I'm not going to get drawn into this debate again. Anyone who says windows is better should read my first few posts of this thread and then compare it to what I just said.

If you have the perseverence to forget your ingrained windows knowledge then it will pay dividends when your brain finally clicks into the Linux way. Once you get it, you'll soon develop a healthy contempt for all things windows-orientated.

Hey wossy's back!

*crowd cheers*

I have to agree kleinma that Ubuntu does not work, however I have tried Debian and have succeeded. Ok so the desktop is crap, but at least it got me started.

I practiced dualbooting on a VM with Windows XP on it and it went successful :thumb: . VM is handy when it comes to these little things.

However, with ubuntu, I had used the disc in Live mode. After spending hours on ubuntu live to a point that I installed so much crap on there, it wouldn't install any more stuff, I decided to bite the bullet and install ubuntu. I had to admit I was worried with all the partition resizing and all but afterwards once it had installed I was so glad I had installed Ubuntu. And now I install all the crap I want

:lol:

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Originally Posted by wossname

The world would be a better place if it didn't have garbage like Ubuntu in it.

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:( ... :cry:

I am not looking to dual boot, I am only looking to run linux in a virtual machine. I don't have enough machines to play with to just waste one on a linux install that I will use just to monkey around.

I had tried Fedora Core 6 a few months back when it first came out on a compaq PC (with intel graphics chipset) and I had a display issue with that as well. (and that was on its own box, not virtual)

I wanted to install virtual images of ubuntu, fedora, and suse just to have them

There's always Linspire.


/me hides

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Originally Posted by wossname

ps. Dual boot is the work of satan.

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http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9066/crymv9.jpg

wasnt that the one walmart tried to sell its unsuspecting customers buying crappy eMachines???

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Originally Posted by penagate

There's always Linspire.


/me hides

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There's always windows

*wears bulletproof vest*

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Originally Posted by kleinma

wasnt that the one walmart tried to sell its unsuspecting customers buying crappy eMachines???

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That's the one!

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Originally Posted by kleinma

wasnt that the one walmart tried to sell its unsuspecting customers buying crappy eMachines???

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Yeah I remember that. That didn't go down too well since half of the drivers didn't work and half of the people who brought it were like "omg why isn't office installing on my pc?"

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Originally Posted by wossname

Dude, just download Fedora Core 6 (disc images are easily available) and bung it on a decent computer. The hardware support is good.

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What's in Fedora Core 6 that Ubuntu hasn't got?

Quality.

yeah can you imagine how many people figured they could buy any software and go install it on there, just to find out there was basically NO commercial software they could go buy at any retail store...

Commerci-what-now?

He means crappy softwares with a fancy GUI .

Mac OS.

Mac OS isn't crappy. It's, like, cool, dude.

I can totally dig it. Radical.

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Originally Posted by wossname

Commerci-what-now?

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You know, any software that they sell at the likes of Best Buy, CompUSA, Circuit City, Fry's, etc..

The stuff people will go out and buy to try to install on their new walmart linux box

Well that means Walmart did a crap job of educating its customers.

People, en masse, are sheep. They need to be provoked into thinking. They need to be told that, yes, there are such things as different OSs; no, Linux is not Windows; no, your Windows software will not run on Linux; yes, you can download alternative software; yes, it's free. And they need to be told this in a clear, informative manner, not have it either chucked down their throats or overlooked entirely.

As it stands, regardless of how good as it is, Linux simply isn't a suitable mass-market OS.

You just listed 4 shops that don't exist in the UK (under those names at least). I hear the UN are looking for a new Anglo-American ambassador... :D

sorry, never been to the UK, so I can't name what computer stores they have there, but if you go into a computer or electronics store in the UK, are the shelves lined with linux software?

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Originally Posted by penagate

As it stands, regardless of how good as it is, Linux simply isn't a suitable mass-market OS.

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Then the mass market consumers should all be flogged.

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Originally Posted by kleinma

sorry, never been to the UK, so I can't name what computer stores they have there, but if you go into a computer or electronics store in the UK, are the shelves lined with linux software?

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PC World has 3 copies of Suse 9.2...under a tarp...out the back.

But thats a good start.

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Originally Posted by wossname

Then the mass market consumers should all be flogged.

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I think having to use Windows is punishment enough.

other than Linux itself... You can get a few flavors of linux in compusa, etc.. over here..

but I am talking software to INSTALL on linux.. sure you might find a few hybrid apps that will install on either windows or linux, but those are few and far between, and there are NONE that I have seen that are linux exclusive.

But who looks for 'nix software in a shop anyway?

when you can get it over the internet anyway!

You mean InstallShield or something?

There are many installers for linux. Often each flavour has its own. Fedora has Yum or RPM, debian has apt-get, suse has yast and so on.

nah you guys are missing the point..

my point is the average non computer savvy consumer that shops at walmart, will buy their kid this PC because its cheap and they think its just an entry level type PC. Only to find out it has linspire on it, and their software choices not only just changed, but everyone they know is running windows because they bought a real PC, and not some walmart trying to be cheap piece of garbage.

And that isn't meant to take anything away from Linux itself, its just linux is obviously meant for someone looking specifically for an alternative to windows or mac OSX, not people who shop at walmart.

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Originally Posted by kleinma

my point is the average non computer savvy consumer that shops at walmart, will buy their kid this PC because its cheap and they think its just an entry level type PC.

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People like that deserve to be disappointed.

cue post 61.

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Originally Posted by kleinma

Anyone had luck running Linux on a virtual server or virtual PC?

I am pretty sure MS said they are supporting running linux on it, however I tried to install ubuntu 6.1 and it installed, but the display is all corrupted. I tried setting the resolution at the boot menu to 800x600, but no luck. I could install it in textmode, but as soon as the GUI boots it is useless...

I personally am not a huge fan of linux, there isnt enough driver support, too many flavors (and MS gets blamed for having too many windows versions), and maybe I am biased because I am a Microsoft junkie, but windows is just plain better... sure its got its problems, an OS is no simple program, but its still better.

I suppose if linux was the dominante OS, there would be less issues, but would there be as many companies peddeling their version?

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The display issue caused by most linux distributions defaulting at 24bit color mode. Virtual PC can't work in this display mode, so it makes the display look stretched and messes up the colors. You need to get into /etc/X11/xorg.conf and change some line(can't remember what it says exactly) from 24 to 16. You'll be able to find it because there is only one line that has just a value of 24.

There is some ctrl-alt sequence of keys you can use to get into a terminal session from an X session. I don't remember what it is, but maybe someone here remembers. Once you are there, you can edit the xorg.conf file.

Once you do this, switch back to the X display session(again, someone else needs to post how to do that) and hit ctrl-alt-backspace to restart the X server. When it comes back, it should display correctly.

As for the "which distro is best" argument, everyone seems to have their own favorite distro of linux. There isn't a clear best distribution as each have their strengths and weaknesses. Some distributions are better suited for certain environments and some distributions require more knowledge of linux than others. I personally use kubuntu because I liked what I read about ubuntu but I hate the gnome desktop environment. I recommend trying a few different distributions and seeing which one you prefer the most.

Ctrl-alt- plus F1 through F10. F7 is typically the X session.

thanks arrow, I will try and let u know how I make out.

You're going to make out with a linux box? Remember to use a firewall.

ok so from a fresh boot, before I actually install ubuntu to the hard drive, can I make this change to 16bit color? If so, where?

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Originally Posted by kleinma

ok so from a fresh boot, before I actually install ubuntu to the hard drive, can I make this change to 16bit color? If so, where?

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An ubuntu install is just a copy of the cd image with some hardware configuration. You'll have to edit xorg.conf after install.

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

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Originally Posted by kleinma

I am not looking to dual boot, I am only looking to run linux in a virtual machine. I don't have enough machines to play with to just waste one on a linux install that I will use just to monkey around.

I had tried Fedora Core 6 a few months back when it first came out on a compaq PC (with intel graphics chipset) and I had a display issue with that as well. (and that was on its own box, not virtual)

I wanted to install virtual images of ubuntu, fedora, and suse just to have them

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Run your Virtual Machine with VMWare server. Its free and a lot better than MS Virtual PC.