Switching to Ubuntu

[ArmatageShanks]

So Windows has been giving me some shite lately, thought why not install Ubuntu when I get home with Windows in a Virtual machine if necessary.

Now I've had Ubuntu in a virtual machine before, just installed, looked around and then left so I don't have much experience and also don't have constant access to the internet for problem solving.

Say I'm a noob coming from Windows what are some things during and after the installation you would recommend I do.

Side note windows has knackered one of my drives, the partition is now no longer readable, I'm thinking of booting into Ubuntu, seeing If I can access it, IF i can I wont be formatting the drive before installing, otherwise I will, suppose this wont matter? What will the install do with all my files?

 

[SauRoNZA]

Use this thread as your "transformation" experience and don't be scared to ask questions as you go.

Commit to a 30-day make or break experience of using Ubuntu without reverting to Windows and at the end of that you should be able to make an educated decision.

Don't be scared to even ask the most basic of questions, everyone asked those very same questions at one point or another. But asking specific questions as you get stuck in a specific situation is the best way to go about it over the generic open ended questions you already asked.

Basically learn by doing.

"Say I'm a noob coming from Windows what are some things during and after the installation you would recommend I do. "

Things you should NOT do is go down the rabbit hole of modding the OS and in turn breaking a lot of stuff.

• Choose an Ubuntu LOOK/GUI that you think you'll like BEFORE installing, don't add this after the fact as it complicates things. So go look at Elementary, Mint (both versions) and vanilla Ubuntu or even Kubuntu and make a decision on what you think will work best.
  
  
• Stick to vanilla for a month and just learn how it all works and how to operate things.
  
  
• Avoid just copy and pasting stuff from the internet without understanding what they actually do. (Come and ask here if you want to be sure)
  

Mint is most "windows like" but that might actually count against you as you'll still apply "windows logic" to things because it looks the same and therefore often struggle. So in my opinion the best option is using something that is completely different in execution.

Side note windows has knackered one of my drives, the partition is now no longer readable, I'm thinking of booting into Ubuntu, seeing If I can access it, IF i can I wont be formatting the drive before installing, otherwise I will, suppose this wont matter? What will the install do with all my files?

If you don't install onto this drive it won't do anything. But for safety sake (because drive mounts can be confusing) plug out all other drives when installing Ubuntu and only keep the drive you want to install on connected.

Then you can connect the rest after the fact.

 

[newby_investor]

+1 to the above suggestions for the most part. Feel free to ask questions, most of us have gained our experience from doing just that.

Try Ubuntu, but if you're coming from Windows I recommend Mint, the default desktop layout is just a bit more familiar. Ubuntu's Unity interface annoys me so I never use it.

Linux is actually pretty straightforward these days, hardware support is good, and most everything Just Works right out the box. Not to say there aren't potential challenges or pitfalls, but it won't be as difficult as you think.

The most challenging thing often is finding Linux equivalents of the apps in Windows that you used to use. Coupled with that is getting your head around package management, it's done differently (and far better) in Linux than in Windows.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Use this thread as your "transformation" experience and don't be scared to ask questions as you go.

Commit to a 30-day make or break experience of using Ubuntu without reverting to Windows and at the end of that you should be able to make an educated decision.

Don't be scared to even ask the most basic of questions, everyone asked those very same questions at one point or another. But asking specific questions as you get stuck in a specific situation is the best way to go about it over the generic open ended questions you already asked.

Basically learn by doing.



Things you should NOT do is go down the rabbit hole of modding the OS and in turn breaking a lot of stuff.

• Choose an Ubuntu LOOK/GUI that you think you'll like BEFORE installing, don't add this after the fact as it complicates things. So go look at Elementary, Mint (both versions) and vanilla Ubuntu or even Kubuntu and make a decision on what you think will work best.
  
  
• Stick to vanilla for a month and just learn how it all works and how to operate things.
  
  
• Avoid just copy and pasting stuff from the internet without understanding what they actually do. (Come and ask here if you want to be sure)

Mint is most "windows like" but that might actually count against you as you'll still apply "windows logic" to things because it looks the same and therefore often struggle. So in my opinion the best option is using something that is completely different in execution.



If you don't install onto this drive it won't do anything. But for safety sake (because drive mounts can be confusing) plug out all other drives when installing Ubuntu and only keep the drive you want to install on connected.

Then you can connect the rest after the fact.

Some good advice there, I don't intend on modding anything much, I don't do much with my PC appart from Multimedia & the occasional session of Grid AutoSport.

Actually talking about Grid, should probably run this in Wine, I know there are Linux Drivers for my 470 so will attempt to run as much as I can directly but I'm interested in Wine as I have a anoying addiction to my choice of software, Winamp is a must along with PotPlayer (please don't reccomend VLC) and Audacity.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

+1 to the above suggestions for the most part. Feel free to ask questions, most of us have gained our experience from doing just that.

Try Ubuntu, but if you're coming from Windows I recommend Mint, the default desktop layout is just a bit more familiar. Ubuntu's Unity interface annoys me so I never use it.

Linux is actually pretty straightforward these days, hardware support is good, and most everything Just Works right out the box. Not to say there aren't potential challenges or pitfalls, but it won't be as difficult as you think.

The most challenging thing often is finding Linux equivalents of the apps in Windows that you used to use. Coupled with that is getting your head around package management, it's done differently (and far better) in Linux than in Windows.

I do have a ISO for mint as well, might just do that.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

I'll commit to 30 Day's

I'll be posting my experience on this forum

 

[newby_investor]

Actually talking about Grid, should probably run this in Wine, I know there are Linux Drivers for my 470 so will attempt to run as much as I can directly but I'm interested in Wine as I have a anoying addiction to my choice of software, Winamp is a must along with PotPlayer (please don't reccomend VLC) and Audacity.

Wine is very much YMMV. I haven't had much joy with it. Do you mean Radeon 470? (Not terribly up to date with GPUs). The AMD support on Linux is typically pretty good. Mint or Ubuntu should be able to detect it and install the right drivers for you.

WinAmp - There's Audacious and XMMS (I think) which try to be WinAmp clones.
PotPlayer - never heard of it but there are any number of players on Linux which work just fine. I personally use VLC, but there are lots of others.
Audacity - you're in luck! Can run natively on Linux, your package manager will have it.

 

[Binary_Bark]

I might just ask here.
I have run linux before but never had anny issues. Recently I tried to use linux on a new laptop but with troubles.
The os keeps randomly freezing, this issue is with Ubuntu, Mint and had it with open suse as well

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Wine is very much YMMV. I haven't had much joy with it. Do you mean Radeon 470? (Not terribly up to date with GPUs). The AMD support on Linux is typically pretty good. Mint or Ubuntu should be able to detect it and install the right drivers for you.

WinAmp - There's Audacious and XMMS (I think) which try to be WinAmp clones.
PotPlayer - never heard of it but there are any number of players on Linux which work just fine. I personally use VLC, but there are lots of others.
Audacity - you're in luck! Can run natively on Linux, your package manager will have it.

Nope, old ass Nvidia GTX 470 OC

I could probably do without PotPlayer, nothing fancy about it I just like it, used to be a fan of MPC-BE and VLC but I love the thumbnail when seeking on the progress bar, must for me that. If something else has it I'd give it a shot.

Audacity I only use to edit equalization on music for a better experience with my car audio.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

I might just ask here.
I have run linux before but never had anny issues. Recently I tried to use linux on a new laptop but with troubles.
The os keeps randomly freezing, this issue is with Ubuntu, Mint and had it with open suse as well

Might be a Hardware issue that.

 

[newby_investor]

I might just ask here.
I have run linux before but never had anny issues. Recently I tried to use linux on a new laptop but with troubles.
The os keeps randomly freezing, this issue is with Ubuntu, Mint and had it with open suse as well

There are several reasons why that might be the case. Hardware drivers or bad memory are the most common, assuming you're running the stable versions of the operating systems. It's kind of difficult to debug that, since I've never really had it happen to me.

If it happens, then when you reboot check through /var/log/syslog to see if there's anything suspicious. Google any error messages, you might get some hints.

 

[TheMightyQuin]

Side note windows has knackered one of my drives, the partition is now no longer readable,

How did Windows do that?

 

[SauRoNZA]

Some good advice there, I don't intend on modding anything much, I don't do much with my PC appart from Multimedia & the occasional session of Grid AutoSport.

Actually talking about Grid, should probably run this in Wine, I know there are Linux Drivers for my 470 so will attempt to run as much as I can directly but I'm interested in Wine as I have a anoying addiction to my choice of software, Winamp is a must along with PotPlayer (please don't reccomend VLC) and Audacity.

I don't quite get the fascination with Winamp in the modern world but there are loads of options on Linux.

I've largely embraced the cloud and I believe most of them are supported now on Ubuntu, but Rhythmbox used to be pretty cool although simplistic in approach for offline music.

Actually let me fire up an Ubuntu VM to see what it's like these days.

 

[newby_investor]

I could probably do without PotPlayer, nothing fancy about it I just like it, used to be a fan of MPC-BE and VLC but I love the thumbnail when seeking on the progress bar, must for me that. If something else has it I'd give it a shot.

Not quite sure what you're describing here. Apps in Linux often aren't as polished as their Windows counterparts, even when they're available on both. For example, the Windows Aero-esque features (I'm thinking of the VLC controls if you hover over the taskbar for example) - available in Windows, not in Linux.

 

[Binary_Bark]

Might be a Hardware issue that.

Might be.
Happens even with the smaller OS's

There are several reasons why that might be the case. Hardware drivers or bad memory are the most common, assuming you're running the stable versions of the operating systems. It's kind of difficult to debug that, since I've never really had it happen to me.

If it happens, then when you reboot check through /var/log/syslog to see if there's anything suspicious. Google any error messages, you might get some hints.

Will have a look.
This even happens with Chromium

 

[ArmatageShanks]

How did Windows do that?

Crashed during startup repair which was busy fixing disk issues, upon restart boot media was not detected, once running the portable Windows of my thumb drive the partition reported as inaccessible, drive health is OK though.

 

[newby_investor]

I don't quite get the fascination with Winamp in the modern world but there are loads of options on Linux.

I've largely embraced the cloud and I believe most of them are supported now on Ubuntu, but Rhythmbox used to be pretty cool although simplistic in approach for offline music.

Actually let me fire up an Ubuntu VM to see what it's like these days.

You do get a Spotify client for Linux, worked pretty well for the week that I tried it out. I use Clementine for offline music. Haven't used Rhythmbox in ages, I usually run KDE though so I try to avoid pulling all the Gnome libraries..

 

[SauRoNZA]

How did Windows do that?

That is a bit of a worry because you definitely don't want to switch to Linux on an otherwise broken system and have a really hard time about it only to discover it's not Linux at all.

 

[newby_investor]

Crashed during startup repair which was busy fixing disk issues, upon restart boot media was not detected, once running the portable Windows of my thumb drive the partition reported as inaccessible, drive health is OK though.

If you can see the drive in your BIOS then the hardware should be okay. Whether or not the files are recoverable is another story, if Windows messes the file-system up then I've not been able to successfully read it on Linux yet.

There are some professional file-recovery services, though you'll have to be prepared to pay a few hundred rand.

 

[SauRoNZA]

You do get a Spotify client for Linux, worked pretty well for the week that I tried it out. I use Clementine for offline music. Haven't used Rhythmbox in ages, I usually run KDE though so I try to avoid pulling all the Gnome libraries..

It could actually be Clementine I was thinking of as I did have a fruit in the back of my mind.