Text 3506, 164 rader
Skriven 2005-04-09 16:56:04 av Mike '/m' (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 3498 av Gary Britt (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: Tribulations Of Installing Linux or Johnny O is right.
==================================================================
From: Mike '/m' <mike@barkto.com>


My first Linux install (a few years ago) went fine.  At that point I did not
know Linux, nor did I have any problems with the install routine.  I just
followed the prompts and answered the questions.

In actuality, I find Windows 2000 to be a more difficult install nowadays. 
Especially since I don't necessarily have a floppy drive in my PC, and Windows
2000 expects install-time drivers to be on a floppy.

What can I say?

  /m<shrug>

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 16:04:31 -0400, "Gary Britt" <zotu@nospamforme.com> wrote:

>Maybe its because you know linux and I and the others with problems here
>don't.  Combine that lack of knowledge with a far less than adquately
>informative install routine, and you get a horrible linux install
>experience.  Or in my case and others a non-install experience.
>
>Gary
>
>"Mike '/m'" <mike@barkto.com> wrote in message
>news:50if51pi8gh7dksn9cgka0u727fho0ua10@4ax.com...
>> I really fail to understand why everyone here seems to have so much
>trouble
>> installing Linux.  I have installed various versions of Mandrake Linus,
>SuSE
>> Linux, Red Hat Linux on three different desktops and two different
>notebooks.
>> I have also installed FreeBSD and OpenBSDs on most of the same hardware.
>>
>> The installs have been smooth and progressed much, much more quickly than
>the
>> install of Windows 2000 on the same hardware.
>>
>>
>>  /m
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 01:16:38 -0400, "Gary Britt" <zotu@nospamforme.com>
>wrote:
>>
>> >OK, Spent several hours off and on trying to get MandrakeLinux 10.1 to
>install.  After trying just about every possible video choice finally got
>the install to complete and tell me congratulations I had successfully
>installed Mandrake Linux.  Gave off a deep sigh of relief with the thought
>FINALLY!!  Rebooted with excitement awaiting my first try of Linux.  Machine
>goes into the same constant reboot cycle I got when I didn't get the install
>successful message.  Took the 3 MandrakeLinux install disks and threw them
>away.  Thought, well at least they came in this nifty DVD Type Case that
>holds 3 CD's one on top of the other in safety.  This turned out to be both
>the best and only good thing about MandrakeLinux.
>> >
>> >I sure hope nobody here owns any stock in the company that puts out this
>Mandrake crap, because that's exactly what it is.  Someday I will give
>Novell Suse Linux Desktop or Lindows a try on this same machine.
>> >
>> >Gary  (at least os/2 would install with this kind of effort, not Linux or
>MandrakeLinux)
>> >  "Gary Britt" <zotu@nospamforme.com> wrote in message
>news:4256cd14@w3.nls.net...
>> >  About 6 months ago I bought a magazine that came with Mandrake Linux
>10.1.  I did so to install linux just for the hell of it on an old laptop (2
>gig HD, Pentium 200 MMX, NeoMagic 2mb Video, capable of 800x600 on LCD and
>1024x768 on external monitor.)
>> >
>> >  I know windows and dos and PC Hardware, but I know nothing about Linux.
>Unlike when I first began installing windows or before that OS/2, I made no
>effort to study anything about how linux works and how to install it.  So I
>approaced the install as a normal uninformed computer user.
>> >
>> >  Plunked in the CD, but it either didn't want to install under windows
>or I didn't give it enough time.  Decided to just boot the CD and let it
>install, but this laptop won't boot any CD, even though it is supposed to
>have that capability.  A problem for me but not Linux's fault.  Made up a
>dos floppy with cdrom drivers and tried to get linux to install, but when
>this didn't work realized that Linux needs its own boot floppy to install
>this way.  Directions in a text file for creating this floppy were VERY
>incomplete.  If I wasn't familiar with dos commands I would have never
>figured out how to create the needed linux boot floppy.  The text file said
>use this command and gives and example of the command, but the example omits
>the needed full paths to the util file in question and the image file it
>takes as a command line option, and these two files are NOT in the same
>directory.  So if you type in the command as shown in the text file it fails
>every time because it can't find the
>> >needed image file that is in and entirely different branch of the
>directory tree.
>> >
>> >  Then in using the command to create the floppy you have to choose one
>of five file names to fill in one spot of the command.  The descriptions of
>the choices are so poorly written that you are unable to determine for sure
>which one is the real choice you are looking for.  After a couple of wrong
>guesses about which image file to use, I finally lucked into the right one.
>> >
>> >  Finally, reboot with floppy and CD in place and installation begins.
>Graphics screen in high resolution comes up and I get to the first install
>screen.  Select language.  The screen is not clear as to what to do next.
>Select other items, hit advanced or hit next.  Hitting next causes the
>install to immediately fail and the machine to reboot, so I think maybe I
>should have done something before hitting next.  Couple more tries with
>similar failures and I finally notice an error message going by the screen
>so fast you barely have time to read it, that hints that maybe the problem
>is video related.   Boot again and select advanced options for install, look
>at my choices that are video related.  Now the install has no problem
>displaying graphics to the point of that first screen.  It just can't figure
>out how to do it after that first screen.  Seems odd, but I play along.
>Select lowres graphics install option and reboot.  Get to same graphics
>screen, now in low res, and same error,
>> >crash-reboot..  Ok try a different option, reboot, graphics screen, hit
>next, same error crash-reboot.  OK try text mode install.  Finally,
>something works and I get passed the first screen in text mode.  Next come a
>series of screens to choose various setup options, sadly some of these
>screens are so poorly written and documented that they are impossible to
>decipher as to what to pick.  Like a screen with at least 50 files or
>programs or options, not sure which :-( ,  that is nothing more than a list
>of unintelligible names that look like a series of random letters thrown
>together with absolutely no meaning in the name, no description of what the
>thing is, does, or when it should or should not be selected.  With such
>complete lack of info, unable to decided to select anything on the list or
>not, so I just hit next and keep going.  Install continues for about 1 hour
>more now.  Finally, install completes and I start getting some screens for
>configuration of various items, like root
>> >name, server name, security level choices, etc. etc., absolutely NO
>explanation is given for any of these items.  Nothing NADA.  You have no
>clue as to whether you should fill something in or leave it blank.  You are
>given no clue as to what the ramifications are if do or don't fill in
>something or not (like root password or user password, etc etc).  Finally, I
>get to a screen that shows a summary of what has been configured.  I note
>the video has not been configured.  While given absolutely no clue by the
>install routine that anything that wasn't configured could be a problem or
>not, I decide that the video not being configured could be a problem.  So I
>select the video and hit a button to try and configure it.  The install
>immediately gives me a screen that correctly identifies the video card as a
>NeoMagic 128XD but it asks me to choose which resolution and color depth.  I
>remember I used to run it at 1024x768 so I select that option (unfortunately
>I forgot that the internal LCD
>> >will only run at 800x600).  Computer proceeds to lock-up, install is
>trashed and I need to start over.
>> >
>> >  Bottom line.  In some respects the install routines of Linux are not as
>good as say OS/2 around 1993.   In other ways, it is as good as OS/2 1993.
>The almost complete lack of onscreen documentation and help files that can
>be pulled up for each of the install screens, etc. is a HUGE drawback to the
>quality of the install.  When the install crashes, it never tells you why.
>If you don't catch something as a log entry goes flashing by at the bottom
>of the screen by accident, you have no clue what the problem is with the
>install.
>> >
>> >  A real newbie would have never gotten past the create boot floppy part
>to even begin the install with help from someone else.
>> >
>> >  I am going to try the install again over the weekend, but I sure hope
>linux runs a hell of a lot better than the install routine.
>> >
>> >  Gary
>>
>

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