Going to try out Linux Distro's

[mirhagk]

I've always used Windows (I know your all going to yell about software freedom and a billion other "issues" so I won't say anything to defend windows, it's just what I use).

The reason I've always used windows is mostly because of my family. I have a hard enough time trying to tell them the difference between a browser and the internet, so I wanna stick with something that they are familiar with. I have my own computer besides the family one, which I've experimented with Linux on, but I've only ever used Ubuntu. So I've decided I should give Linux distro's a fair chance. I'm taking one machine, and installing as many Linux distro's as I can get my hands/can figure out how to install (a great many are user friendly, but some are not at all).

So I have a couple questions.

First of all, is it possible/how difficult is it to install an OS on an external harddrive (Yes I know it'd be slow, just would be convienent since my other PC's harddrive is very small and I don't want to possibly fudge up my main computer)

Secondly, what's the best/easiest way to install many OS's side by side (hopefully on an external harddrive).

And finally, which distro's should I try out? I plan on trying out Ubtuntu, Debian, Fedore, but I honestly don't know many more beyond that, so which ones should I try?

[Insectoid]

Something you can do to save time and space, is have all the distros use the same home folder. This way you only have to install your programs once, and can use them with all compatible distros.

They should be able to install on an external drive easily, but each distro installation is like 2gb tops so there isn't a real need for that. Your computer should recognize it as a hard drive, but you might need to change boot priority to USB first.

You also might need to install an alternative bootloader, but don't quote me on that.

[ProgrammingFun]

One idea could be to install VMware (workstation or player) or VirtualBox onto your computer. You can then store virtual images on your external hard-drive and access them through the virtual machine.

However, this would only work if your CPU supports hardware virtualization (check your BIOS or use this tool, although this tool will return negative if it is disabled in BIOS) and enough RAM to run an OS on top of another. I used this approach to try out the OS that doesn't allow virtualization (hint) after it's new version came out a few weeks ago.

[mirhagk]

okay thanks guys, I do want a permanent solution, and it was either to use my crappy other PC (which has a 20gb harddrive) or use my external harddrive and boot from that on my regular PC (just so I don't mess things up).

So I'll need to find a bootloader in order to run these distros? Or can I just install them to the hardrive once it's partioned and what not.

[rdrake]

By far the simplest way to install Linux on your computer without virtualizing is Wubi. Download it, an ISO, go through the wizard, and reboot. It piggybacks on the Windows bootloader so even that doesn't need to be changed. If for some reason you want to get rid of it, you can just uninstall it through the Windows control panel.

I'm fairly confident that you could choose the external hard drive as the installer destination and it'll put Ubuntu on it just fine.

[mirhagk]

Thanks rdrake, I now have Ubuntu installed on it, and Fedora ready to go on a usb. I'll install that too. Debian seems a lot more complicated to install, so I'll work on that after getting these two to work.

[andrew.]

I know you're not there yet, but if you wanna try Arch, I recommend that you use a VM first. You'll thank me later.

[mirhagk]

I actually am already having difficults lol. I used the wubi to install ubuntu on my external harddrive. But apparently I need windows installed on that first in order for it to work. So I gotta get a different distro. I also tried installing fedora from a usb, apparently my computer doesn't support that.

[andrew.]

No, you don't need another distro. You just can't use the Windows installer. Boot from the Ubuntu CD and install it on your external drive that way.

The only problem is that (I believe) it's going to install the GRUB bootloader on your computer's main hard drive. So once it's installed, you have to boot from your Windows CD to fix the bootloader back to the Windows one. Then, you have to install GRUB on your external drive so that it has a boot menu.

If I were you, I'd just take the HDD out of the external case and put it in the computer and disconnect the main drive. Then you can use it normally and not have to worry about messing up the bootloaders and accidentally overwriting stuff.

[rdrake]

You can usually tell it where to install it. I had a setup before where Ubuntu was installed to an external drive along with GRUB. I set the external HDD to a higher boot priority than the internal one.

When the computer booted without it plugged in it booted to Windows. If the external was plugged in I was given a choice of Ubuntu or Windows.

[btiffin]

Just a thought, while you experiment. Most distro's come with Live/CD versions now. Knoppix was one of the first to go Live, and it usually does a pretty good job at demoing GNU/Linux for people.

GNU/Linux is cheap. Check a magazine rack for Linux and watch for those that have a Live/CD. You'll get a nice glossy mag to read and an OS for 15 bucks. No risk to your Windows partitions. Well, very low risk, 'stuff' happens.

You can check out a lot of distros using Live/CD, see if they play nice with your hardware, pick one that strikes your fancy.

And yeah pick one, or two, or...

GNU/Linux and POSIXey systems make for beautiful, educational, absolutely free to explore, development environments.

Cheers

[mirhagk]

I will be using LiveCD's (I will probably just download them, to save the money [bandwith is cheaper]).

And to the wubi thing, it did let me install to the external harddrive, and I did, and when I booted it gave me the option of loading windows or ubuntu, but when ubuntu was to be loaded it just gave me a windows not found error message. I believe it's because windows is not installed on the harddrive, and it might expect it to be.

I will be getting the live cds for as many distros as I can get, I'll burn them all to some discs, and try them out, and install a bunch to the external harddrive.

[boscharun]

Live CD has some disadvantages. Like history and config changes are not saved. The easiest way would be to use a virtualbox to install and try out Linux. It is very simple
http://www.skipser.com/p/2/p/running-multiple-operating-systems-in-a-computer.html

[rdrake]

Actually, some distros (such as Ubuntu) allow you to create live USB environments which leave space for your configuration, history, etc. to be saved.

But for the most part you are correct.