Some computer questions...

[kmk_7110]

My hard drive quit and I don't have the disk for it? What do I do? I have a small 2gb hard drive that I could run a version of windows on and then later get another hard drive(in the process) and use that for all the music photos and videos i will ever need. My major problem is where would I get another disk? I don't want to buy the full version of windows because that is out of my budget. Any help is appreciated.

P.S. I am using my parents computer if your wondering how I can post this without being able to boot up. Again Thanks for any and all help.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Some computer questions...

Don't worry about windows right now, download firefox and use it as your internet browser.

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

I have firefox.The hard drive and windows problems is on a computer that isn't currently working and I need it working. I need to find out how to get another copy of windows 98se or how to get a cheap copy of xp.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Some computer questions...

Don't worry about windows right now, download firefox and use it as your internet browser.

The computer will still need an operating system...

I think SBN might be suggesting that you try Linux. "Ubuntu" seems to be a popular desktop-centric Linux distribution. At ubuntu.com you can download the distribution and then burn it to CD (there might be some trick to making a self-booting CD, I don't recall) or you can request a free CD and they will mail it. After completing the installation you will find that your machine is now running Linux and your desktop will have Linux applications for web browsing, spreadsheet and document creation, music and video playing, and really everything that you would want to do on a typical Windows machine. All for free.

Hope this helps,
-E

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

I've heard of linux before and wasn't really into trying it, but I may try it. I will definatly look into it.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Some computer questions...

Yea, linux.
I have that, I just slap it in a cd drive and boot up and go.

edit: KNOPPIX, a free linux files system is what I have.

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

Is it as prone to viruses as what Msoft is and can i still run normal windows programs like printshop and such on it. (knowing that the hardware can handle it)

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Some computer questions...

Is it as prone to viruses as what Msoft is and can i still run normal windows programs like printshop and such on it. (knowing that the hardware can handle it)

"No" on both questions. It won't run any Windows apps. If you have a lot of Windows apps that you need, you might be able to pick up someone's old XP disks and license on ebay.

-E

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

Well the main thing is could i run stuff like Itunes and my IM... main thing that i use besides the internet e-mail. Most of that stuff is downloadable. One more thing is it possible to download things for linux like photoshop type applications. It doesn't have to be photoshop, or but multimedia players and the like and which version is most used or best or recommended?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Some computer questions...

Don't know about that.
It is self contained in a cd.
That is what you run off of.

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

Ok thanks so if i don't like it just pop out the cd. Cool. Well I'm currently downloading it, hopefully all goes well.

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

Ok, so I ran into a few questions on Ubuntu. It may be something i'm doing or not doing. I have downloaded the 7.04 version of ubuntu and burned an ISO and put it in the drive and up pops a thing saying no OS installed. Press any key to continue. Does this mean I need to have a current version of an OS on the hdd to make this work or did i screw something up again. Could I have possibly made a bad copy of the ISO or is it because there is no current OS on the machine. This is what I am trying to do is get something worth working with on the machine where I can store my music and videos at my liesure. Where can i get this LiveCD also?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Some computer questions...

With my KNOPPIX, I put it in the cd drive and re-start my computer and it boots up to it.
Won't work if I have it shut down and then insert the cd.
Machine has to be on and then insert the cd and re-boot.
It then boots up to the cd.

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

Do you have another OS already installed on the computer?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Some computer questions...

Yes I do, but when it boots to the cd, the other OS has nothing to do with it.
I take it that you can not get your machine to boot up?

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

No it wasn't booting up Ubuntu and then i don't know what happened but it booted up windows 98 which i didn't even think was on this hard drive but i guess i won't have to find a OS anymore thanks tons for the help even tho i didn't get linux running. I may try at a later time.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Some computer questions...

My Linux is KNOPPIX, might be different than UBUNTU.

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

Oh I see now. Well its windows 98 and i'm having a deal of a time trying to get the DSL working, so I'm going to try to get Ubuntu working. I learned not long ago that I was burning a bootable cd and not an ISO image which may be the problem.

 

[rwise]

Re: Some computer questions...

Ok, so I ran into a few questions on Ubuntu. It may be something i'm doing or not doing. I have downloaded the 7.04 version of ubuntu and burned an ISO and put it in the drive and up pops a thing saying no OS installed. Press any key to continue. Does this mean I need to have a current version of an OS on the hdd to make this work or did i screw something up again. Could I have possibly made a bad copy of the ISO or is it because there is no current OS on the machine. This is what I am trying to do is get something worth working with on the machine where I can store my music and videos at my liesure. Where can i get this LiveCD also?

No you do not even need a hard drive in the unit.
The ISO should expand to the CD bootable (I killed a few the first time I tried it too) I used roxio but nero is good also. Make sure your not copying the ISO to the disk it must be expanded.
There are many Linux live versions out there just google *linux live* I am running ubunutu edgy, and probly will until I have a drive failure the try another release.
Once installed you can use add/remove (first thing in the menu like windows start button) to add or remove programs. By default it will show Free programs but you can change that. You can also add repositrories where Free packages are stored.
There are anti virus programs out there, but almost all virus writers are attacking Bill Gates and his bugware.
Edit: there are many versions of Linux live CD's, and many others that are not *live* disks. The advantage of live disks is you do not need to install them to try them. Knoppix mount NTFS drvies the easiest of those I tried, Ubuntu I had to play with a bit to get it to see the NTFS drives I have, and yes they can write to an NTFS drive (mostly not recommended). Knoppix live pulled files from a crashed XP drive NTFS of course when another windows machine could not see them! Have fun!

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: Some computer questions...

ok so i like linux and all and want to install it as primary os on my machine. I can't format the HDD. It is the only hdd i have for this computer. my other Hdd is a sata drive and i don't want to mess around with the working computer. How would i go about formatting the HDD? It has windows 98 on it and I like linux a lot but it is to slow of a boot with just the cd and i'm hoping to get some more speed from this hdd untill i get the other hdd that i'm buying.