Question for the smarter Linux user

[The-Donkey]

What I need to know is, if I perform a DBAN can I install Linux? I ask this because I want to basically "start over" on my computer, but don't have the OS install disks on this computer. Bought from Best Buy or something over a year ago, but the vista disks weren't included.

I want to start over, because I downloaded a .rar around a month ago that messed up my computer even though I didn't run the program or anything. The night I downloaded the shit, Norton(ohlol) was being a bitch and said I should delete, so I did. Windows update needed running, so it did it's stuff while I slept. I wake up and turn on my monitor, and see an essentially new computer. Desktop was changed to the one that it's defaulted to, my sidebar had none of my gadgets, no desktop items.

So I go to my documents and look in the Desktop folder, all my items are there. Didn't think to save them, just thought about restoring. So I do that, but and "unexpected error" comes up. Every time I try it, even on later dates. So, I lost a lot of porn vids, my wallpaper collection, and some program files. So I just want to fuck it all, basically.

tl;dr- read the first paragraph.

[The-Donkey]

Shameless self bump.

[UnknownFear]

I'm no Linux expert but, if you do perform that DBAN, and you do burn a copy of a Linux OS/"flavor", I'm sure you will be able to boot from the LiveCD and install Linux on the new, clean hard drive.

[The-Donkey]

At 3/8/09 08:20 PM, UnknownFear wrote: I'm no Linux expert but, if you do perform that DBAN, and you do burn a copy of a Linux OS/"flavor", I'm sure you will be able to boot from the LiveCD and install Linux on the new, clean hard drive.

Over an hour, and I get my answer. Thanks. Anyone else on that can confirm/ give advice?

[RageOfOrder]

Why bother with the whole 'DBAN' step in the middle

Go burn yourself a linux distro on a DVD and install away. Any linux live cd can format a hard drive for you.

[PhoenixAndThor]

Actually, if you're just starting out with Linux, I HIGHLY recommend partitioning a graphical tool, like GPartED. You can get a live CD ISO file from here. As for burning the disk, you don't have pay tons of money, just grab InfraRecorder. After you burn the Live GPartED system to a CD (it's pretty small) just reboot the computer, making sure that the BIOS is set to boot from CD first. Depending on your system configuration, you might have to mash the Delete key a few times at startup to get access to the BIOS. Read the documentation for your system or search the web if you have problems getting to BIOS. Most computers also have a boot menu, triggered at startup when a certain key combo is pressed, allowing you to tell the computer where the OS is (GPartED live actually contains a small Linux OS). When booting into GPartED, just wait for the window to pop up. It will automatically scan all storage devices connected to your motherboard (hard drives, flash drives, and even some cell phones). Editing your hard drive partitions is a simple point and click procedure from here. Just keep in mind that nothing happens to the drive until you click the Apply button. In fact, when using GPartED, it actually uses your mouse clicks to create a script or list of steps to be performed, so use the Undo button as soon as you make a mistake to avoid unnecessary disk formatting. GPartED can create, move, shrink, grow, and even copy various filesystems. Just check out the features page! Using an external drive with sufficient capacity (excluding optical media, like CDs and DVDs) you can use the partition copy function to backup data. Keep in mind that the entire partition (and filesystem) is copied AS IS. If there are any errors on the filesystem, like corrupt fies, these will get transferred to the copy, so be careful. If you're just starting out with Linux (which your post suggests) then I suggest as a starting point. Ubuntu. Be sure you grab the Live CD image. If you are new to Linux (and thus, the entire world of Open Source), the first thing you have to know is that Linux is, quite literally, a child of the Internet. As a Linux user, 90% of all your software (including updates and full distro upgrades) will come from the net, as not many stores stock Linux ports of popular commercial apps. You also have to prepare to spend just a little more time working in a terminal, which is like the command prompt from Windows on steroids.

Please note both the Ubuntu CD and GPartED CD must be burned and tested prior to editing your hard drive with GPartED!!! Otherwise, if you mess up, you will have NO OPERATING SYSTEM! If this is your very first Linux isntall, I suggest shrinking the NTFS partition (Windows) and leaving the rest of the drive blank, because then the Ubuntu installer will give, in my opinion, the best partitioning option: "Use largest continuous free space" or something similar. The installer is also very good at detecting some operating systems like Windows, so if you shrink Windows instead of deleting it, you should wind up with a duel-boot system. However, if you are using Windows Vista, you may have manually edit /boot/grub/menu.lst in order to get Windows to work I remember reading somewhere that Vista remembers it's surroundings on the hard drive, and may refuse to boot if something on the the hard drive doesn't look kosher. The good thing is that Vista can edit it's own partitions, so I think you'll want to check out this HowTo, which contains a link to a known working tutorial on how to shrink the "Windows volume" on the hard drive.

I hope you have a lot of fun Ubuntu, as it contains some very nice software in it's online repository. Here are some packages that I recommend installing upon first boot of your new Ubuntu system:

fusion-icon
compiz-fusion-plugins-main
compiaz-fusion-plugins-extra
compiz-config-settings-manager (cause the Simple CCSM included by default is crap)
emerald (a NICE window decorator, you can even make your own themes!)

Also, when running any 3D games at all, SWITCH OFF COMPIZ (hence fusion-icon above). There are so many posts on tons of forums from new users wondering why their screen went all funny when they started Open Arena, Nexuiz, Torcs, and other 3D games while compiz was running. Please don't make the same mistake.

If you like Ubuntu, but feel it's a bit slow, check out CrunchBang Linux

[Ryuzaki1]

If youre only just starting with Linux i suggest ubuntu. Just put the live cd in and follow the instructions and you can format your pc from there.

[iMate900]

Short answer: yes.

Long answer:
Once you have ran DBAN on the hard drive, you need to create a DOS partition label, then you can install Linux.