Ok going to Linux

General Computing *nix and other operating systems
1

here is what I have…

Processor #1 : Intel Pentium 4 / 2FEBE32C
Platform : Socket478 (mPGA478 Socket)
Vendor String : GenuineIntel
CPU Type : Original OEM Processor (0)
Family : 15 (0)
Model : 2 (0)
Stepping ID : 7 (-)
Brand : 9
APIC : 0
HT Log.CPU Cnt : ----
Name String : Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 2.40GHz

Internal Clock : 2411.17 MHz
System Bus : 535.82 MHz QDR
System Clock : 133.95 MHz
Multiplier : 18.0

L1 I-Cache :  ----
L1 D-Cache :    8K Byte
L1 T-Cache :   12K uOps
L1  Cache  :  ----
L2  Cache  :  512K Byte
L2  Speed  : 2411.17 MHz (Full)

MMX   Unit : Supported
SSE   Unit : Supported

SSE2 Unit : Supported
MMX2 Unit : Not Supported
3DNow! Unit : Not Supported
3DNow!+ Unit : Not Supported

Host Bridge : 1039:0648.02 [SiS 648]
IDE Controller : 1039:5513.00 [SiS 5513]
VGA Device : 10DE:0280.A1 [$NVIDIA NV28]
Memory Size : 1024M Byte
Memory Clock : ----

Ok What I need to know is:

keep in mind I know NOTHING about Linux

  1. What linux to get; redhat, mandrake, another
  2. will it be a bear to install
  3. would I be better off buying it as apposed to downloading it. cause I see you get the manuals if you buy it.
  4. should I get wine with that.
  5. will it work with everquest
  6. will I be able to keep my earthlink and mailbox (don’t know if its compatable)
  7. does it work with most microsoft products, IE word, office and also I have photoshop, quicken deluxe

you know the average concerns when switching over to a new OS.

and ABOVE all will it CRUNCH WU’s faster…

2

ALSO, HERE IS A BIT MORE INFO ON MY COMP. SO THE LEARNED CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

ATAPI CD-RW 52X24 [CD-ROM drive]
ATAPI-CD ROM-DRIVE-56MAX [CD-ROM drive]
3.5" format removeable media [Floppy drive]

WDC WD100EB-11BHF0 [Hard drive] (10.01 GB) – drive 1
WDC WD1200BB-00CAA1 [Hard drive] (120.03 GB) – drive 0 1024 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot ‘0’ has 512 MB
Slot ‘1’ has 512 MB
Slot ‘2’ is Empty
Slot ‘3’ is Empty
Local Drive Volumes

c: (on drive 0) 120.03 GB 107.62 GB free
f: (on drive 1) 10.00 GB 9.44 GB free

NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM

Installed Microsoft Hotfixes Printers
.NETFramework
1.0
S321884 (details…) on 09/27/02
Internet Explorer
Q810847 (details…)
Q813489 (details…)
Q813951 (details…)
SP1 (SP1)
Windows Media Player
WM819639 (details…)
Windows XP
SP2
KB282010 (Windows XP Hotfix - KB282010) on 06/26/03
KB820291 (Windows XP Hotfix - KB820291) on 06/26/03
KB821253 (Windows XP Hotfix - KB821253) on 07/10/03
KB823559 (Windows XP Hotfix - KB823559) on 07/10/03
Q322011 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q323255 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q327979 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q328310 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q329048 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q329115 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q329170 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q329390 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q329441 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q329834 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q331953 (details…) on 04/19/03
Q810243 (details…) on 03/24/03
Q810565 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q810577 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q810833 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q811493 (details…) on 04/18/03
Q811630 (details…) on 09/27/02
Q814033 (details…) on 03/24/03
Q814995 (details…) on 03/24/03
Q815021 (details…) on 06/07/03
Q815485 (details…) on 04/18/03
Q817287 (details…) on 04/18/03
Q817606 (details…) on 07/10/03

hp deskjet 5550 series on LPT1:

Controllers Display
Standard floppy disk controller
Primary IDE Channel [Controller]
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller]
SiS PCI IDE Controller NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4800 [Display adapter]
ViewSonic G90f-2 [Monitor] (17.7"vis, s/n 32E025122625, December 2002)
Bus Adapters Multimedia
SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
SiS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller Realtek AC’97 Audio
Communications Other Devices
Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller
Network Card MAC Address: 00:10:DC:A7:EA:DE
Network IP Address: 192.168.1.100 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Microsoft PS/2 Mouse
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
Software Licenses

Adobe - Photoshop 104500092130330217339518
Adobe Systems, Inc. - Adobe Photoshop 7.0 10450009213033021733XXXX
Ahead - Nero Fast CD-Burning Plug-in 1502-4030-1286-0757-1128-2714
Microsoft - Internet Explorer 55736-OEM-0015035-04254
Microsoft - MediaPlayer 69808-461-0956967-04665
Microsoft - Office XP Professional with FrontPage 54185-640-0000025-17978
Microsoft - WebFldrs XP 12345-111-1111111-18701
Microsoft - Windows XP Home Edition 55277-OEM-0045084-14150
Symantec Corporation - Norton AntiVirus 2003 Professional Edition 1

Software Versions
Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 5.1.0.0 *
Adobe Acrobat Version 2.1 *
Adobe ImageReady ™ 7.0 Version 7.0 *
Adobe Photoshop Version 7.0 *
Adobe Systems AdobeDownloadManager Version 1.1 *
Adobe Systems, Inc. Adobe Gamma Loader Version 1, 0, 0, 1 *
African-American Cookbook *
Ahead Software AG Karlsbad Germany Phone: +49-7248-911-800 Fax: +49-7248-911-888 e-mail: info@nero.com - LANGUAGE_English2 Version 5, 5, 10, 42 *
Ahead Software AG - InfoTool Application Version 1, 0, 3, 3 *
Ahead Software AG - Nero CD Speed Application Version 1, 0, 2, 1 *
ahead software gmbh, karlsbad - Cover Designer Version 2, 2, 1, 11 *
America Online, Inc. - AOL Instant Messenger Version 5.2.3277 *
Apple Computer, Inc. - QuickTime QuickTime 6.1c *
Belarc, Inc. - BelManage Client Version 5.1n *
Blizzard Entertainment - Warcraft II Battle.net Edition Version 2.0 *
Blizzard Entertainment - Warcraft II Battle.net Edition Version 2.02 *
Cinematronics - 3D Pinball Version 5.1.2600.0 *
EarthLink TotalAccess Version 2003.2.92.0 *
EarthLink TotalAccess Version 2003.3.84.0 *
eBay Toolbar Version 4, 1, 5, 0 *
ELNhelp.exe *
Erik Deppe - DriveSpeed Version 1, 6, 1, 0 *
EverQuest *
FIRAXIS Games, Inc. - Civ3Edit Application Version 1.00f *
Frog City Software, Inc. - Tropico 2: Pirate Cove Version 1, 0, 0, 0 *
Generations® Grande Suite 8 *
Ghost Recon *
gslauncher Application Version 1, 0, 0, 2 *
GTek GtCDTool Version 1, 0, 0, 1 *
Havas Interactive AutoUpdate Version 4,0,4,1 *
Hewlett-Packard Co. - HP DeskJet A.03.01.03 *
Hewlett-Packard Company - HP Printer Assistant Version 3.0.104 *
i4 CORPORATION - Internet Ninja Version 3.05E *
Individual Software - ResumeMaker Version 8.00 *
Instant Access OCR *
Intuit - Quicken 2003 for Windows Version 009.000.000.000 *
Intuit - Quicken 2003 for Windows Version 010.000.000.000 *
Intuit - Quicken 99 for Windows Version 008.000.000.000 *
Intuit Inc. - Quicken 2003 for Windows Version 008.000.000.000 *
Lavasoft Ad-aware Plus Version 6.0.0.0 *
MasterCook Heritage Edition Merge Wizard *
MICRO-STAR INT’L CO., LTD - FuzzyLogic 4 Version 4.1.1.7 *
Microsoft ® .NET Framework Version 1.1.4322.573 *
Microsoft .NET Framework Wizards Version 1.0.3300.0 *
Microsoft Clip Organizer Version 10.0.2625 *
Microsoft Corporation - Internet Explorer Version 6.00.2800.1106 *
Microsoft Corporation - Messenger Version 4.7 *
Microsoft Corporation - Windows Movie Maker Version 2.0.3312.0 *
Microsoft Corporation - Windows® NetMeeting® Version 3.01 *
Microsoft Corporation - Zone.com Version 1.2.626.1 * Microsoft Development Environment Version 7.00.9064.9150 *
Microsoft Office Document Imaging Version 1.03.2349.1 *
Microsoft Office Save My Settings/Profile Wizard Version 10.0.2609 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2605 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2607 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2609 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2614 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2616 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2623 *
Microsoft Office XP Version 10.0.2627 *
Microsoft Outlook Version 10.0.2616 *
Microsoft Photo Editor Version 10.0 *
Microsoft Windows Media Player Version 6.4.09.1125 *
Microsoft® Windows Media Player Version 9.00.00.2980 *
Microsoft® Schedule+ for Windows 95™ Version 7.5 *
Microsoft® Windows Media Services Version 4.1.00.3917 *
NrkLv Group - WCPUID Version 3, 0, 1, 1 *
PCAlert4 Application Version 1, 0, 0, 1 *
Play Civilization III *
Radio@Netscape Plus Version 4, 1, 0, 29 *
RealNetworks, Inc. - RealOne Player (32-bit) Version 6.0.11.853 *
RealNetworks, Inc. - RealOne Player (32-bit) Version 7.0.0.1177 *
Roelof J. Engelbrecht - SETISpy Version 3.3 *
Scanning Desktop Version 1.1 *
Sierra On-Line - Generations® Family Tree Version 8.0 Grande Suite Edition *
Sierra On-Line, Inc. - Generations® Family Tree Version 8.0 Grande Suite Edition *
Sierra On-Line, Inc. - Generations® Heritage Quest Archives Viewer Version 1.02.0005 *
Smokin’ Software - Password Manager Version 1.03 *
Symantec Corporation - Common Client Version 1.03.15 *
Symantec Corporation - Event Manager Version 1.03.4 *
Symantec Corporation - LiveUpdate Version 1.80.19.0 *
Symantec Corporation - Norton AntiVirus Version 9.05.1015 *
Symantec Corporation - Norton Utilities Version 16.00.0.22 *
Symantec Integrator Version 6.00.17 *
Symantec ScriptBlocking Version 1, 1, 0, 126 *
Symantec Shared Components Version 2.0 *
TestEverQuest *
Tutorial *
Ubi Soft Entertainment Inc. - GS4.exe Version 4.4.1.1 *
Ulead - iPhoto Plus Version 4.0 *
Ulead Systems, Inc. - iPhoto Plus 4 *
Ulead Systems, Inc. - iPhoto Plus 4 Explorer *
UpdateMonitor Application Version 1, 0, 0, 3 *
WinZip Version 8.1 (4319) *
WinZip Version 8.1 SR-1 (5266) *
Wizards to adjust .NET Framework security, assign trust to assemblies, and fix broken .NET applications. Version 1.0.5000.0 *
Xerox Imaging Systems - TextBridge Professional Edition 3.0 Internal Alpha Build: 30D *
ZD Inc. - WebFerret Version 5.0 *
Zone Labs Inc. - Internet Access Monitor Version 3.7.193 *
ZoneAlarm Version 3.7.193 *

3

This link might be useful for Everquest

http://librenix.com/?inode=2360.

Havent got everquest so cannot try it much.

4

Hey there

Ok Mandrake is probably the easiest to use, but personally, i wouldn’t go there, the reason for this is madrake “clutter” the o/s with LOADS of crap u dont need.

The one i would go with, is redhat, its easy to use, has an auto update system which installs new kernels and such for u, and also, has some cool GUIS (Graphical User Interfaces)

The Install process is a doddle, and redhat usually does everything for you.

Not much need to post ur system specs as linux works with very old to very new systems, although on low ram and crappy processor computers ur best off not installing a gui

but ur pc is fine so install KDE and GNOME then use both, choose ur fav, and stick with it :slight_smile:

5

Thanks for the imput u 2:D

6

I would go with Redhat too. It seems to have the best hardware support. The up2date/rpm packaging system is one of the best too.

Debian is a viable alternative but probably avoided by the beginner as the install is notoriously tricky.

Gentoo is getting good press but I haven’t tried it yet. Downloading as we speak.

7

SuSE forever!!! hehehe j/k.

Glad to see your not afraid to jump the river :wink:

I would either go with RH or SuSE. Both install very quick and easy, and both distro’s have better hardware support than others. Mandrake is great for the beginner also, but tends to be a bloated installation.

Derrick