New to Linux - suggestions

[philipg]

I'm been thinking about installing Linux REdHat 5.2 in my Home PC. I know programming somewhat, I have win98 installed and would like to do a dual boot. What is a good size drive to leave for windows and make the rest for Linux.

I have an Emachine Etower
AMD K6-2/333(66) @ 350(100)
64MB RAM
3.2GB Seagate Ultra/ATA Stock Drive
6.4GB WD

PCI PcTEL HSP 56K MODEM
onboard ATI AGP RAGE IIC video
onboard Crystal cs4235(?) sound
VIA Chipset

Windows was just freshly installed on the 6.4GB drive
1GB-Primary Part. for windows system files.
5GB-Extended Part. for installed apps.

3.2GB drive is the Extended Part. and is being used to back-up the WD, Compressed of course.

Should I change my config to accomidate the Linux like a complete reinstall of windows or can I leave it the way it is and do a dual boot by splitting the 5.0GB Part. for Linux.

Thanks in advance for any and all tips.

My biggest question is can I run Windows based programs like my NETZERO( free internet) software on Linux or am I looking at heavy configuring for the software or no Internet unless i pay for it.

[This message has been edited by philipg (edited 07-16-99).]

[This message has been edited by philipg (edited 07-19-99).]

[geekd]

NETZERO probably wont work in Linux.

Some windows apps do work, via WINE, a program to run windows programs under Linux, but they run sub-par mostly, when they run at all.

Your PCI modem probably wont work under Linux, either. It's probably a "winmodem" and only works under WIndows.

You might also have trouble with your on-board sound and video stuff. I have not seen any data on on-board stuff under Linux.

All you need for Linux is 1 Gig or so. Linux can read your Windows partitions, so if you run out of "Linux room" you can put stuff on the windows parts and still access it.

Just make and empty partiton for Linux and put it there.

Use RedHat 6.0 instead of 5.2 It handles a much larger variety of Hardware.

For that matter, use Mandrake6.0 it's RedHat 6.0, but tweaked out a little.

-geekd

[philipg]

Thanks for the reply.

I have safely installed Linux after having to fdisk all my data. No big deal windows needed to be freshly installed anyway.

Well the onboard video works but I can't get rid of the scroll desktop effect tried all kinds of different configs no luck. On-board sound works great.

Now my new problem, I tried to configure the modem and now linux boots up in a continuous loop and x-windows(startx) won't load. I get the grey start screen then I'm kicked back to the prompt. Please help. I really don't want to reinstall, since I did it 7 times before I figured out how to get the video and sound to work. pppd(8) seems like its erroring out.
Is there a quickfix for this , Please help.

Also How do you get the CDROM to install something like netscape which is on CD. I can mount the drive and read it but why can't I load it. The file is comm451.tar, is the format not for linux?


[This message has been edited by philipg (edited 07-19-99).]