Step 1: Install!

I just want to start off by saying installing a linux system is a pain for a newbie. I downloaded the install ISO CD from the Ubuntu website, but there was an error during the file transfer. But I didn't figure that out until I was in the middle of the installation. Luckily, when the install program craps out, it gives you an option to check the CD for errors. The second time I downloaded the ISO, everything was correct.

One of the most important steps during the install was partitioning the hard drive. I wanted to be able to boot both linux and Windows XP, because I still do alot of stuff in Windows. But the Windows partition took up the whole hard drive. Luckily, the Ubuntu installer has a partitioning program. So here's how I went about it: First, I ran the WinXP disk cleanup utility on all accounts, and then I defragmented the hard drive. This cleared up a lot of space and compacted everything nicely to the front of the hard drive. Then I rebooted the computer with the Ubuntu install CD. When the partitioning part came up, I selected to edit the partition tables manually, because all the auto options would delete everything on the hard drive. Looking at the partition tables, I wanted to free up space on the drive, known as hda1 so I reduced the partition size from 40 GB to 30 GB. I saved these options and went back to the auto configuration menu. Now there was a choice to format the remaining space on the drive, and I selected that one. It made a 9.5 GB linux partition (hda2 and a 0.5 GB swap partition (virtual memory). I also had to manually tell it to put the root directory (/) on that partition. Then I let it do its work.

After installing the base system and programs, the next big step was the boot loader, the program that tells the computer which operating system to load. Both Windows and linux have boot loaders, but I wanted to use the linux one (GRUB) for now because the partitioning program had selected the linux partition to boot from. All hard drives have a bit of space at the front reserved for booting, called the master boot record (MBR), but I heard bad things about overwriting the MBR once Windows has been installed. So when the boot options have up in the installer, I selected to use GRUB and to put it on hda2 instead of the MBR. My motherboard is relatively new, so I didn't have to worry about having to put the boot loader at the beginning of the hard drive. It works fine for me having it 30 GB into the hard drive.

Most of the install was simple (when the CD was error-free, that is), but, when I tried to boot up linux for the first time, the X system wouldn't work, and I ended up with just a text prompt...