Hardware questions

[Norberto Quintanar]

Dave, your enthusiasm to learn Linux is awesome.  But as a long time
user of a lot of different distros of linux, I would venture to say
that beginning the "revolution" as you put it on a Mac box with YDL
is NOT the way to go.  My advice, and I've said it to many a noob b4,
get an old x86 PC download redhat or buy a beginner's book with a
redhat CD and learn Linux first.  It'll install easy and without a
glitch.  You need to feel comfortable with the command line before
you attack Linux on a Mac.  This is NOT a PC vs. Mac issue, it's a
feeling comfortable with the command line first issue.  With YDL you
WILL run into installation problems, and if you don't know how to
manuveur the CMD line you'll feel overwhelmed, and end up denouncing
the revolution.  You can search the archives of this list for many a
disgruntled YDL "attempt to" installer who has given up no matter how
much help everyone has offered.  Why?  Because YDL is hard to
install.  And even after you get it installed, you'll run into
display problems, then network problems, the YUM problems.  The
solutions to all t hose problems rely on you knowing how to manuveur
the CMD line.  I don't want to scare you off, just want to make sure
you're prepared.

Good luck:)  

--- dfro <dfro@umich.edu> wrote:
> I am trying to instal YDL for the first time.  I am a definite
> newbie.
> I have never even seen a linux box run.  Even so I want in on the
> Linux
> revolution!
> 
> I have read some books, read a lot of sites, but I still have many
> basic
> questions which I am having a hard time finding answers to.  I am
> also
> frustrated by how little macs are mentioned in all the How To books
> that
> I have seen so far.
> 
> My computer is a 550 Powerbook G4 laptop with a 20 gig hard drive. 
> I
> run Mac OS 9.2.  I would like to run old Mac programs in OS 9.2 or
> in OS
> X's classic mode; and run linux, gradually phasing out my use of
> Mac OS
> and Mac programs all together, if possible.
> 
> It seems like laptops and desktops need to be treated differently. 
> Am I
> correct?   One difference seems to be that laptops only can have
> one
> internal hard drive.  Am I correct in stating that you cannot boot
> Linux
> from an external hard drive yet?   Linux will not boot from
> external usb
> and firewire hard drives yet, right?   And because of that, if you
> want
> to run mac and linux, you have to partition your  laptop's hard
> drive
> for mac and linux?
> Will Mac boot from and external hard drive?
> 
> I have a couple of scenarios I am considering.  Any advice or
> alternate
> scenarios would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> 1.  Get a new internal hd with YDL and Mac OS X preinstalled. 
> Remove my
> existing hard drive and put it in a firewire external hd craddle.
> install the YDL/OSX hard drive.
> Does YDL sell internal hard drives for laptops as well as desktops?
>  Is
> there a cost difference?  They do not mention this.  Maybe
> something in
> the specs makes it obvious, but not to me.
> 
> 2.  Partition my existing hard drive to run YDL and leave Mac OS
> 9.2
> alone.  Do I need a Mac boot CD for this?  I don't think one came
> with
> the computer.  Is there a way of making one from my computer?  I
> can add
> linux partitions without disturbing my mac partitions, correct?
> 
> 3.Set up an internal linux hd and an external Mac hd.  Would that
> work
> when booting the computer?  These may seem like dumb questions, but
> this
> is all new to me.
> 
> 4.  Some scenario where I buy OSX and YDL 3.0.1 and install them
> based
> on what I hopefully learn.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
> Dave
> 
> 
> 
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=====
--Norberto Quintanar 

"You belong to something bigger. From birth. And your life is spent rediscovering the underlying principles, through various players -- coaches, mentors, teachers, spouses, kids. It's in your genes. Your responsibility. Destiny. Is all on you.  Lead, follow, or get out of the way."  
--Norberto Quintanar

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