Step to step guide for the newbie: how to setup a linux box, dual boot, with your exiting OS, likely window PC.
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After playing with my tablet for awhile, and seeing so many linux guru posts, that with a linux box, you can do this or you can do that with your tablet, I just wish I have a linux box. On top of this, I would also like to try things out on my PC after getting a taste of linux from the tablet.

I found out:
1) you do not have to buy a linux box. It is FREE!
2) you do not have to kill your PC, you can have dual boot, just like the dual boot you have been doing with your tablet, ie., a bootup menu allows one to choose to boot to linux or to the other OS, likely win PC.
3) OMG, you do not have to be a linux guru either!

Goal: linux box dual boot with winPC.

DISCLAIMER: Follow this instructions AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Stuff you need: A window PC running whatever window OS with preferably 10+ G empty space. Mine is window XP Home. A DVD burner.

1) dl kubuntu-8.04.1-desktop-i386.iso, http://www.kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/download

2) burn this into a DVD using image burn, also known as iso burn. Most new PC comes with DVD burning software. I use Roxio basic. CD does not work good. This is called a liveCD (we are using a DVD)

3) boot up your winPC with this DVD. You will see a Kubuntu menu, accept english, F6, boot option, pick the 2nd choice, "...casper ", enter, enter, enter, now you are at 4 of 6, the partition page. You should see choice one as a rectangle with yellow (window) and white (Linux). I chose the 1st one, which partition my 60G HD into 30G linux and 30G winPC. If you do not see this, you are in the wrong place, go back to initial boot menu and choose any other option till you see this partition option. And continue the partition then installation and that's all. Whole thing takes an hour.

Now you have a box with a bootmenu, allows you to choose linux or your original OS.

Watch out. If you do not understand step 3), the partition step, you MAY end up with a brand new PC. I back up my PC when I did it the 1st time and thank god, I did wipe out my PC. I succeed the 2nd time. So, please back up, playing with editing partition without backup is like playing with russian roulet. During installation, you are asked about user and password. make sure you jog it down, that is how one gets root.

First thing to do after install kubuntu box,

1) update, that would bring your kubuntu update.
2) kconsole
sudo su (enter your password to gainroot)
apt-get install synaptic
3) kconsole>utilities>synaptic manager> mark and install
emelfm2,mplayer,kmplayer,leafpad.........whatever progs you want, and install. reboot after done installing. Now you have a BIG tablet for you to play with. WOW!

I repeat, there is a high chance that you may wipe out your PC if you are sloppy, does not follow instructions well, or simply dont understand. Even you are good, please backup PC before attempt. You have been warned

(Frank posted behind is way TOO FAST , I am not done yet)

For those who really do not want to fool around with partitions, other options,
1) use the liveCD, performance is next to horrible, space is also a problem.
2) install kubuntu inside window, performance is NOT that bad, and also allow dual boot. I did not try this one.

BTW, that sad face icon in the title is NOT supposed to be there, but there is NO way to get rid of it. This thread is NOT about anything that is sad. Can somebody teach me how to get rid of that icon?

enjoy,
bun

Hi,

Another option is to use the free vmware player and run the Linux OS inside of a virtual machine. This is what I use for tablet development. The advantage is that you don't have to reboot to switch the OS and you don't have to try to repartition.

Frank

Yeah.. Virtual Machine is usually better idea. I am surprised that the Kubuntu Installer was able to successfully resize a ntfs partition without erasing it.. cool.

Also your command is:

apt-get install synaptic

Kubuntu is good.. it's just Ubuntu with KDE. It will look similar to Penguinbait's KDE. For those infactuated with XFCE - there is an Xubuntu distro. Don't think anyone has made a Gnome for the Tablet for you guys to test yet.. probably would run in debian chroot but I bet that's slow.

Another option is to just start Kubuntu directly from the CD and play with a full live OS without even touching your HDD (no risk to your winblows box).. that allows people to "try before they buy" so to speak (not literally buy, obviously). This way you can also try both Ubuntu and Kubuntu to see which Window Manager you like..

Couldn't you also use cygwin? I've never used Cygwin, but from what I understand it should save you all the rebooting, iso burning, partitioning.... Provided that you have the source to the app you want to use (example: source code for the flasher app...)

--Jon

How is the performance when use inside window? On a dual boot box, the kubuntu is eye blinking in most instance. Without repartition and without reboot is a BIG advantage, though.

bun

cygwin is not for the timid IMHO.

I wouldn't recommend cygwin to a "newbie" in linux.. cygwin is mostly good for cross-compilation and software stuff for developers.. not really for running an entire linux Distro I don't think.


Bunanson: Depends on the hardware. A fast computer will run 1 virtual just fine.. I do the exact reverse.. I only use Linux at my house.. 2 Debian, 1 Gentoo servers; 3 Ubuntu workstations, various other flavors of linux as toy boxes.. and One, measley little Windows Box that runs in a Virtual Machine on an Ubuntu Box (2ghz Centrino, 2gb memory).. runs just Fine.

I did exactly like that and was NOT impressed. Running out of a CD is very very slow. When people say it is slow, I do not understand, but when you try it, OMG, it is almost next to useless. Something like running a win95 on a 286. And another thing, how much space you can have to try out progs? I agree, though, running out of a liveCD is the most simple way you can try linux, bear in mind about performance, though.

IMHO, running either VM or a dual boot if you are serious about long term use. I did a dual boot install, and have my linux box up and running in less than 1 hr on my 2nd try, that did not include that I wiped out my winPC, restored, angry, crying, tearful for half a day . Thank god, I back up, so, it just work, nothing really lost.

bun

True but the more the merrier
When we are at it try to run win2000 inside XP-pro with VirtualWin with M virtualPC; ah! maybe the whole thing in a Mac running OSX which also hosts Kunbutu too. And maybe we also have our Nokia running rdesktop to the Mac.
Do I miss something?

http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/
http://arcanecode.wordpress.com/2008...rtual-pc-2007/

I forgot to mention our Nokia also runs emulations for Mac, DOS, and Windows too. We also have KDE!

Umm, not quite aware of Windows yet...............win3.1 or Vista

bun