# Should I switch to Linux, Mac etc... ?



## jllipke

My question is if I should switch OS's from Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit to any other OS or just leave it.  Is there anything I should know about the other Operating systems?

any help on this would be nice

My Laptop is a Compaq Presario CQ60
It Is running on a Dual core 2.00 GHz processor
has 3.00GB of Memory (RAM)
and 222GB of Hard drive capacity

if it matters


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## wolfeking

OSX can only be installed on a mac branded computer. In all its glory, that is its shortfall. 

Linux is a good option. I would suggest a dual boot with ubuntu using a Wubi setup. It will install like any other program, and can be removed like any program. The only downside to this is the maximum HDD partition size for WUBI is 30gb.


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## jllipke

That's what I thought I just wasn't sure

so you're saying I should use Linux, is it possible that you tell me why?

just curious

what is wubi by the way??


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## wolfeking

Linux is a freeware, community developed OS program. Ubuntu is the largest developer of the Linux OS at the moment. 

It is more secure than windows. There are literally 0 viruses that can be gotten under Linux. (there are a few that have been developed in the lab, but they have never been released). 
Most linux distros also allow you to encrypt your home folder and boot drive. This allows you to keep trade secrets, terrorist info, school work, porn, etc. from prying eyes. 

Linux, again, is completely free. There is a free program under any distro to do everything you need to replace your windows programs. Most, especially Ubuntu, come out of the box with 90% of them. 

Linux has amazing driver support too. Most, 99%, of the distros will come with every driver you will need. If they don't have the driver, they will offer to download it for you. 

Also, you dont have any OEM vs Full licensing issues. Once installed, you can change computer motherboards all day long if you want to. ( I took a HDD with Ubuntu out of a HP with AMD/AMD and installed it on a Dell with Intel/Nvidia and just had to uninstall CCC and download NCP and was done. Still working well I might add.)


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## jllipke

so Ubuntu can replace ALL or most Windows programs? does it convert the programs or just make simular ones? like micrsoft office to open office


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## wolfeking

It has compatible programs. 11.04 and up uses Libre Office. 10.10 back uses open office. 

Most programs will has a compatible replacement. If you cant find a compatible replacement, you can install under WINE (compatibility layer) just like you would on a windows computer. 

I would however, keep windows installed, as games take a lot of work to get running under Ubuntu. That is not saying it can't be done, but rather that it is not a undertaking for the faint hearted.


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## jllipke

what do you mean by keep windows installed?


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## onipar

In the spirit of helpfulness, I'll mention I installed Ubuntu today.  Having installed Windows at other times, I was surprised how easy Ubuntu was to install.  It was so quick in fact, I was *sure* I had done something wrong.  

I don't have much experience at all with it (literally about 2 hours worth), but it's a slick interface reminiscent of a Mac OS.  There's a small learning curve, but it's limited to getting used to where things are located and how to launch/close/fiddle with things.

A good for instance is that we had set up 2 users (for my parents), and when we tried to shut down, the computer simply would not turn off.  It took us a few minutes to realize we had to log both users off first before the computer would turn off (not sure if this is true for windows as I've never had 2 user accounts on one).  

I didn't set up a dual boot with windows, but that's only because this is for my parents, and they don't game...at all.  

Overall though, it looks like a nice OS.  When installing, it allows you to demo the system without installing, so you can get a feel for it first.


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## onipar

jllipke said:


> what do you mean by keep windows installed?



If you already have windows installed, when you go to install Ubuntu, it asks if you want to install is alongside windows.  If you choose to, I guess you can boot into either Ubuntu *or* windows when you start up.  I've never done this, but I assume you're given an option upon start up?


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## wolfeking

you will be given a list of installed OSs by Grub when you boot. Your choice will be Linux, Memtest, or Vista. 

I mean, Dual boot it. There are things that Linux can not do, and you will want a Windows system for that. It will not affect the system performance to install both, but you have to restart when you want to switch between them.


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## pane-free

jllipke said:


> what do you mean by keep windows installed?



Specs:
Core2Duo @ 2.0GHz
3GB DDR2 RAM
250GB hdd
NVIDIA GeForce 9200M GE

Make a Vista Boot Disk

Use Windows to shrink C:\ partition at least 40% after either copying Recovery Partition to a directory within the c:\ drive or eliminating it altogether (that is, if there is indeed a "hidden" recovery partition).  The goal is to get Windows on no more than two partitions that take up no more than half the hard drive.

Download EasyBCD and leave it untouched on the Desktop of Vista ( http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/ )

Download both ImgBurn ( http://download.cnet.com/ImgBurn/3000-2646_4-10847481.html ) and System Rescue CD ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/systemrescuecd/files/sysresccd-x86/ ).  Install ImgBurn on Vista.  Burn SystemRescueCD to disc with it at no more than 8X.

Reboot your system with SysRescCD in optical drive, tweaking the BIOS so that the cdrom drive is first in Boot Order.  Once SysRescCD is booted to, hit deault a few times until a multi-colored prompt is seen on a page that tells user to enter either "wizard" or "startx."  Enter 'startx' (no quotes).  Wait for the yellow-colored terminal window to get onscreen.  In it, enter 'gparted.'  make a boot ( / ) partition of 10-15GB, depending on which distro is chosen and how much software you want to install (i.e. a Full installation of a 'heavy' DE distro like ubuntu ot kubuntu will take 15), flagging it as 'bootable.' For the remainder of the hdd, make one big Extended partition.  Tell gparted to write the partition table (check mark).  Then, within the Extended partition, make a new swap partition of 2-3GB and a /home partition (Use ext4 file system for both / and /home).

Once your chosen Linux distro is installed, run EasyBCD after again rebooting to Windows Vista (use the Boot Disk, if necessary).

Forget WUBI.


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## wolfeking

that is completely unnecessary. Just use the windows Partition wizard in Vista to shrink your partition by 1024 MB. Then when you boot to Ubuntu disk, it will let you use the easy wizard to install it along side your Vista install. As said above, keep the partition to at least 15GB for the install.


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## NyxCharon

Well, I'm going to assume you're already set on using Ubuntu, so I'm not going to deter you from that, but installing both windows and Linux is really simple. 

Assuming you still have windows installed: 
Just boot up the Ubuntu live disc. The built in partition editor will detect windows, and will give you a slider so you can make room for Ubuntu. Once that is done, it will install grub, and on startup, you can choose between the two OS's. That's all there is too it really. 

If were in a different scenario, I can adjust my instructions accordingly.  Whatever you do though, Never, ever, ever, install ubuntu though wubi. God awful idea.


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## jllipke

I hear that doing that could accidentally delete saved data


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## NyxCharon

jllipke said:


> I hear that doing that could accidentally delete saved data



doing what? There is always a risk of losing data when you partition something. Regardless of how, it's always there. I personally boot into gparted to do my partitioning manually, but for someone like your it's the easiest solution.


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## skycloud112

Recently, I have tried a little Ubuntu. 
It may sufficient from browsing the Internet. But I needed a c++ compiler, which no compiler under Linux is better than Visual Studio 2011. 
Also, ubuntu seems required more memory than windows 7, when I running ubuntu in my EeePC, which is slow, have wait a while for opening more than one programs. My eeepc has 1g memory.
I think you could try installing ubuntu just like I did.


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## NyxCharon

skycloud112 said:


> Recently, I have tried a little Ubuntu.
> It may sufficient from browsing the Internet. But I needed a c++ compiler, *which no compiler under Linux is better than Visual Studio 2011. *
> Also, *ubuntu seems required more memory than windows 7*, when I running ubuntu in my EeePC, which is slow, have wait a while for opening more than one programs. My eeepc has 1g memory.
> I think you could try installing ubuntu just like I did.



Visual Studio =/= Compiler. It does contain one, yes, but it's more then that. As far as just straight compilers, there is the standard GCC one. And IDE's? Well, there's tons of them for linux. Tons.

Ubuntu being slow? Yea, I can believe that. However, don't let that force you into thinking linux is slow. I can gurantee something like crunchbang, debian, arch, gentoo, etc would be many times faster then wind 7


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## wolfeking

skycloud112 said:


> ubuntu seems required more memory than windows 7


Not true. I will guarantee that ubuntu will use less memory that 7 at all times. I will also guarantee that 10.04.2 will boot and run fine on 500 MHz and 128 MB PC133 with Intel DX7 graphics. Windows 7 will not even boot at 128 MB, more less run at anything near a normal level. 

As for slow, i bet you were using 11.04 or 11.10. These are the slowest Ubuntu releases I have seen. Something like Conical's Vista.  10.04 will blow windows away on speed, well general snappiness.


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## jllipke

Thanks guys, I will upgrade my computer to a dual - boot to Ubuntu 

from what I hear about Ubuntu, Its a great OS


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## NyxCharon

jllipke said:


> Thanks guys, I will upgrade my computer to a dual - boot to Ubuntu
> 
> from what I hear about Ubuntu, Its a great OS



I would personally recommend Linux Mint to you. Less bloat.


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## S.T.A.R.S.

skycloud112 said:


> But I needed a c++ compiler, which no compiler under Linux is better than Visual Studio 2011.


 
Wow Visual Studio 2011 already? Wow 

Linux Ubuntu and Microsoft Windows are both great to me by the way...


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