A Windows REPLACEMENT?

newuser_1 · #1 2nd December 2007, 10:35 PM

So i recently found an old PC in my room. When I booted it up, it looked like it had AIDS or something. That's what it gets for being unprotected going through dangerous network neighborhoods and what not.

Anyway, I cleaned it all up and now it's fine. The thing is, now that I have it, i might as well make use of it. It's running Windows XP SP2. What I want to do is replace Windows with Fedora while keeping all my files and folders in place. I don't want to boot from a LIVE CD (although i don't mind doing that for a while) but eventually I want to just replace the Windows OS with Fedora.

Can anyone who's done this before tell me how too. You don't have to be too detailed, i KNow my way around a computer or atleast I know about Google.

Thanks again.

FriedChips · #2 2nd December 2007, 10:45 PM

I don't think you will be able to keep all your files and folders in place, the best way to go would be to dual boot. If you don't wanna do that I recommend you burn all your files ( documents, pictures, movies, whatever ) to a cd and do a clean install and choose remove all partitions and use default partitioning to install. As I hope you already know, you cannot use your windows programs in fedora. OpenOffice will replace MS Office, totem will replace WMP. Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions.

Brian1 · #3 2nd December 2007, 10:45 PM

If there is free drive space then you can install Fedora to that. If the drive is partitioned fully then you need to shrink the partition so as to have room to install. I would try to get at least 20gig and do a full install of everything.

Brian

***bob*** · #4 2nd December 2007, 10:55 PM

It's a great move to replace an ailing Windows system with a distro like Fedora. Keep in mind that this is an entirely different OS, not just a different face. Don't expect things to work identically or that you'll continue to use all the same 'favorites' you've had in the past. What you WILL find is an OS that, given a chance, is much more configurable, secure, and with a bit of use, actually easier to understand than Windows. What you'll also find is that you can put your checkbook and credit cards away and enjoy free software that you can actually modify and even contribute to the development of.

For some initial comparisons, here's some equivalents: http://www.linuxalt.com/

BTW, if you do want to try some 'equivalents', check to see if they're already in the Fedora repositories. Many, if not most, already are and should be installed that way. You'll find yumex a great tool for finding things. After installation, open a terminal and sign in as 'su' or 'su -' and then "yum install yumex" and start browsing!

newuser_1 · #5 3rd December 2007, 02:50 AM

Thank you for the tips.

Again, the machine is not used frequently (its a backup to a Mac), but I know I would use it more with Fedora as its OS. I don't like XP at all, but that's just me. I don't mind learning new apps as well. I'll burn the files to a CD and then whipe out everything and start over with Fedora. Whatever files work with the new alternative apps - so be it.

But ive seem to have forgot something. I know this is a noob question but does Fedora come with an "install CD"? How would I install Fedora if my harddrive is completly clean?

***bob*** · #6 3rd December 2007, 02:54 AM

Sure does! You have options: http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora I don't have a DVD burner, so I've used the Live CD version. Another option, including the more recent updates is here: http://torrent.fedoraunity.org/ In any case, verify your data with sha1sum before burning, then burn at a slow speed, verifying the written data.

Personally, even if you choose to install from the DVD, I'd still download and boot a Live CD version. You can learn an awful lot about whether all your hardware is compatible that way.

PabloTwo · #7 3rd December 2007, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Don't expect things to work identically or that you'll continue to use all the same 'favorites' you've had in the past.

It's a piece of cake to import all of your Windows favorites from IE or FF and your address book data from OE into Firefox and Evolution, or Thunderbird. If you choose the total removal of Windows, just be sure to back those things up along with the other data you want to keep. You'll want to back everything up, just in case, even if you keep Windows and dual boot, in which case you can import them directly from the ntfs partition where they reside once that partition is mounted onto your Fedora install.

Paul

newuser_1 · #8 3rd December 2007, 04:58 AM

LIVE CD works great. Running it now. I'm really impressed. Kudos to the developer team.

Now that I'm sure I want to use Fedora (and replace Windows), do I simply download and burn the install DVD? What does that contain? Is that also an image that I will need to mount?

newuser_1 · #9 3rd December 2007, 05:04 AM

As a side note, anyone know where I can find the following wallpaper?

FriedChips · #10 3rd December 2007, 05:11 AM

you can choose install to hard drive from the icon on the desktop and there is no need to download another disc. I'm not sure where you can get it but that is a login screen, not a wallpaper.

***Dan*** · #11 3rd December 2007, 05:25 AM

Try here.

/usr/share/gdm/themes/FedoraBubbles

***Firewing1*** · #12 3rd December 2007, 05:34 AM

If you want, resize Windows and install Fedora on the free space you created. Then from there, boot up Fedora and use ntfs-3g to copy your Windows files over. Delete the Windows partitions and use that space for extra storage.
Firewing1

markkuk · #13 3rd December 2007, 08:33 AM

After you have installed F8 to your hard drive, install the fedorabubbles-gdm-theme package. Use gdmsetup to change the login screen theme.