First of all, does the hard drive need to be formatted and partitions and an OS already installed? Or can Red Hat run by itself on the laptop? I am having trouble getting started and says it can't find the files needed to load? Any ideas?? I plan on putting Vista and Linux on the same drive, but does it matter which one I install first?
thanks for all your help!!
Yes, Install your Windows OS first.
In the Linux world, the tongue-in-cheek "rule" is to install the "oldest and slowest" first.
How is it that you selected Red Hat.
That's just fine, but I'm wondering what brought you to that selection.
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I run openSUSE 11.1.
It handles the partitioning and formatting via an automated gui.
Ubunto may also provide ease of installation for a new user.
I don't know how Red Hat handles the pre-installation features.
The machine will very likely run with only Linux installed.
But remember, if you intend to dual-boot, you should install Microsoft first.
Best Regards
Thanks Doug fo rthe reply, I chose redHat becasue a friend recommended it and he really enjoys his RedHat Linux, I will add my Windows OS to the hard drive first and then try linux and see what happens, thanks for the help
Brian
Just in case RedHat doesn't do it for you, you should make three partitions (primary or extended), one for windows, one for linux, and a third for "swap". This can be done using Gparted found here.. I recommend you use it before installing your OS's!
The important thing to remember about the main Linux desktop "operating system" distro ( Ubuntu, Red Hat, Suse, Mandrake and Knoppix ect ) is their suitability for your needs and your tech savvy abilities.
For a general use home desktop, Ubuntu would arguably be be most suitable choice. For office use, Suse etc. but any version can be used for almost anything. Ubuntu has a very Windows feel and look about it and is easy to use with excellent user forum support. It can even be made to look like W7.
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It is best to think about the main uses you are going to use Linux for, how easy it is to use and then investigate which one of them best suits. One thing for sure with Linux, being tech savvy is (almost) a definite prerequisite if you wish to get the most from any version.
The popularity of Red Hat in the US is probably due more to it's great name, US marketing efforts and it's wide availability rather than it's ease use and suitability for the average home computer.
The main thrust of Linux development has been for Server use (the majority use Linux), not desktops and in that regard, Linux development for desktop use lags behind development aimed at sever usage.
Linux distributions have become increasingly popular on mainframes in the last decade partly due to pricing and the open-source model citation needed In December 2009, computer giant IBM reported that it would predominantly market and sell mainframe-based Enterprise Linux Server.
The performance of Linux on the desktop has been a controversial topic; for example in 2007 Con Kolivas accused the Linux community of favoring performance on servers. He quit Linux kernel development because he was frustrated with this lack of focus on the desktop, and then gave a "tell all" interview on the topic. Since then a significant amount of development has been undertaken in an effort to improve the desktop experience. Projects such as Upstart and systemd aim for a faster boot time.
Linux distributions are also commonly used as operating systems for supercomputers: since November 2010, out of the top 500 systems, 459 (91.8%) run a Linux distribution. Linux was also selected as the operating system for the world's most powerful supercomputer, IBM's Sequoia which will become operational in 2011
