Help a Noob - what's that grub thing all about?

[Timebomb]

Hey,

first of all: I don't know jack about Linux. I'm a windows 98 and XP regular who once managed to get Mandrake to run but that's it. I got a new system lately. I want to use it for work - but it's good enough to have the newest games running absolutely fluently even with maxed out settings. So I decided to go with Linux when it comes to using the PC for work - and WinXP when it comes to gaming as most games I have don't run on Linux (if that's not the case, please, point it out to me). However, I don't have a copy of WinXP right now and I can't install the bigger Linux distributions because they don't support my IDE-Controller. I have a Asus PB5 motherboard with the JMicron JMB363 PATA and SATA controller and when I try to install the latest Mandriva for instance the DVD-Rom isn't found. I googled around and it looks like it's a usual problem with the P5B motherboard series. Splendid.

After some googleing I found out that it works with Gentoo Linux after messing around with the Kernel a little bit (no option for me) and with Fedora Core 6 - without messing around much.

So, here I am. I downloaded the DVD-iso, installed it and after a successful installment (more or less, the CD check failed and the first attempt to install it failed...an upgrade worked though) I'm looking at the grub console and don't know what to do. After trying out the "boot" command I get the Error 8: Kernel must be loaded before booting. Yeah. How do I do it? I know that I must look like a total idiot to you guys, but I'm trying hard and I simply don't know better. I'm willing to learn, all in all I'm no stupid guy but well, I'm lacking the expertise here.

Thanks for anything in advance!

[markkuk]

If you get the grub prompt, then the install wasn't successful. Normally grub should boot Fedora Core by default. If you want to try booting from the grub prompt, the instructions are here: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html#Loading-an-operating-system-directly

[Timebomb]

If you get the grub prompt, then the install wasn't successful. Normally grub should boot Fedora Core by default.[/url]
Damn...thanks for that info. I'll give it another try then, reinstalling the whole thing. If it still doesn't work, I'll try playing around with grub.

[bob]

Timebomb, first of all, double-check that your DVD is really good. Check the listed sha1sum on one of the mirror sites against the sha1sum from your downloaded file. Here's a Windows tool for checking it: http://lists.gnupg.org/pipermail/gnupg-announce/2004q4/000184.html Then, please burn your DVD at a slow speed to minimize the chance for errors. Finally, do the media check and confirm that you're set to go.

Once you start the install, don't try to select everything during the install. If you get things up and running, there's easy ways to add software later on and the process will go much faster. Grub should be installed on the master boot record of the hard drive, if you're sharing the drive with WinXP. If you're using a separate drive to install FC, I'd suggest unplugging the XP drive and putting FC entirely on it's own drive (just my preference) as described here: http://www.fedorajim.homelinux.com/ One nice thing there is that you can work with FC until it's up and running properly and never affect Windows.

[Timebomb]

Timebomb, first of all, double-check that your DVD is really good. Check the listed sha1sum on one of the mirror sites against the sha1sum from your downloaded file. Here's a Windows tool for checking it: http://lists.gnupg.org/pipermail/gnupg-announce/2004q4/000184.html Then, please burn your DVD at a slow speed to minimize the chance for errors. Finally, do the media check and confirm that you're set to go.

Once you start the install, don't try to select everything during the install. If you get things up and running, there's easy ways to add software later on and the process will go much faster. Grub should be installed on the master boot record of the hard drive, if you're sharing the drive with WinXP. If you're using a separate drive to install FC, I'd suggest unplugging the XP drive and putting FC entirely on it's own drive (just my preference) as described here: http://www.fedorajim.homelinux.com/ One nice thing there is that you can work with FC until it's up and running properly and never affect Windows.
I downloaded the DVD ISO twice - from two different mirror sites and both failed the sha1sum check. As I didn't know how to get a not corrupted version (yes, I could download 3,3 gigs 10 times hoping that one version wouldn't be corrupted, but I don't have *that* much time on my hands) I thought to give it a try. Both installations had an exception error at the end but the second time the installation was finished. The result is still the same though. I'm burning it on a different DVD now, hoping that this will make a difference and then I'll try out to do what you told me - not installing anything. If it won't make a difference...then I'll have to download it a third time I think...

I don't have Win XP installed right now as I don't have it. I'll install it afterwards. I know it can be troublesome but not impossible so...should be managable. I have but one hard disk so there's no room for physical seperation...

[leigh123linux]

use bittorrent to download ,

http://torrent.fedoraproject.org/torrents/Zod-dvd-i386.torrent