Operating System

[NeciFiX]

Hi, I bought a new computer, with the hopes of temporarily shaving down the price by installing Ubuntu and then buying Windows Vista, but, I'm having several problems.

1) Hardware Compatibility - There are probably few or no available drivers for my video card, sound card, etc. for Ubuntu... so... I'm screwed, right?

2) No Disk - I don't have a disk that can hold Ubuntu on it. So, would using my 4 GB flash drive work, and how?

Argh, I'm so nervous. I REALLY REALLY need help. I have a lot on my plate, school, computer, etc. and I need an Operating System FAST. I don't want my hardware to be incompatible, though, and I can only put the operating system on a flash drive, too! Please help!

Thank you,

NeciFiX

 

[Half Evil]

Here you go

http://www.knoppix.org/

That is the fastest way to get anything done. That can be downloaded onto a CD so you dont have to screw with anything. If I remember right, it comes with word processing for school. As fun as it is being a live bootable version, it can be downloaded to the hard drive.

 

[NeciFiX]

Didn't really read my post completely...

2) No Disk.

But, thank you. And I need help on compatibility.

 

[Half Evil]

I read it. Knoppix can fit on a standard disk, where as if memory serves right, but hell it might now, unibutu cant. I'm not totally sure, but I do know knoppix can fit on a disk. So a disk can hold it. I mean just a standard CD-R disk can hold it. I have one on my desk right next to me.

A 5 pack is only like $3 dollars at walmart.



As far as compatability goes, how in the hell should any of us know what will and wont work? You didnt give us a list of anything. And i'm not about to go searching through all your past threads.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

Ubuntu runs off a CD also. I have a bunch of their CDs in a drawer here. I don't know how functional it is though.

 

[NeciFiX]

If I simply buy Windows Vista from Windows Marketplace, then, how do I install it? I read a few articles telling me how to do it but, I would like to install Windows Vista on my D:/ Drive WHILE the Drive is in my current computer, so, I have more control. I have Windows XP on my C:/ Drive. How would I tell Windows Vista to install itself on my D:/ Drive instead of my C:/ Drive? Is this at all confusing? So basically what I'd do is...

Download Windows Vista from Windows Marketplace

Extract the files

Launch them WHILE they're on my D:/ Drive... run the installer so Windows Vista installs on my D:/ Drive while I'm on Windows XP on my computer.

Once Windows Vista is installed on my D:/ Drive, I'll take the D:/ Drive and put it in my new computer so I don't have to install the operating system on my new computer and it'd just boot up right away. Would this work? It sounds confusing, I know, but, I want to install Windows Vista directly to my D:/ Drive while using my current computer, and not transferring the OS-Less drive to my new computer, and then installing it there.

Does this make sense? How would I go about doing this? How would I tell Windows Vista [once I've unpacked everything and got it ready], to install itself on my D:/ Drive instead of my C:/ Drive [it wouldn't work on my C:/ Drive anyways, too much crap clogging it up, I'd get an error, probably, telling me it couldn't create a partition space or something...]?

The other alternative is putting all the Vista files on my flash drive, and then booting my new computer up from my flash drive. My question is, would I take all the files and put them on the flash drive DIRECTLY, OR, take all the files, burn them into an .ISO File, and then put the .ISO file of Windows Vista on my flash drive, and then launching from the flash drive. Would this work? I don't have an ISO creator program, so, I'd have to get a free one, but, I think it would maybe make more sense to put all the Windows Vista files on my 4 GB Flash Drive, and then launch the Operating System from my flash drive, which then will install Windows Vista. Does this sound like it might work? I really need thorough help on this. I'd prefer the flash drive option, however, installing Vista on my D:/ Drive before putting it in my new computer could also work.

I'd just have the Vista disk sent to me, but, that might take a few days and I'd rather verify everything works and such so I can send in the mail-in-rebates and test if anything is dead or not.

The flash drive option sounds good to me, my main question is: Do I unload all the Vista files, and then pop them on the flash drive, OR burn them into an ISO file and put them on the flash drive? But, this might not even work, since, after unpacking the files it might go over 5GB of space. So, I might have to pre-install on my D:/ Drive, man, I'm confused!

So, is there any way to put Windows Vista on my D:/ Drive WHILE the D:/ Drive is in my OLD computer, and then transfer the D:/ drive over to my new computer with Vista already installed? I know it'd probably try to install on my C:/ Drive, so, how would I tell the Vista installer to install everything on my D:/ Drive?

Thanks!

NeciFiX

 

[LukaszR1]

i believe when you load up the vista boot menu's...it should allow you to choose what partition/drive to load it on.