Linux Choosing and Assistance...

[zapoqx]

Question all...
Ok, So I may be rooming with 2 other people by end of May or early June. We want to put linux on a server that we will all be pitching in on. For now, I am trying to get training since none of us know much about any linux and the only one I know of that can help is Playing WoW too much.

Anyway, soo for starters:
I want to put Windows XP Pro on this server system.
I also want to put a Linux System on it so that I can learn as much as possible.

For right now, I need a Linux that I can get that I don't need too much trouble in setting up and can be easily understood along with understanding alot of Linux based Apps.

So what can you all help me on about it?

 

[albybum]

Setting up the machine install XP first, then install Linux.

For a starting version of linux, I would recommend Fedora
http://fedora.redhat.com/

It is very easy to install and I think it would give you a good jumping point for linux.

Redhat has some excellent documentation for Fedora and older versions of Redhat on just about anything you want to do with linux.

Here is the install guide for Fedora
http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/fedora-install-guide-en/fc4/

 

[Luna]

Never had the chance to use Fedora, but I would recommend using Ubuntu. I found it very easy to transition from XP to Ubuntu, and it's not so complex that you have to understand Linux off the bat to set it up correctly. You can do any research you need afterwards to fine tune or set up certain functions.

http://www.ubuntu.com/

 

[zapoqx]

WeLL I've heard of ubuntuu a few times. I don't know about fedora. I'm downloading Ubuntuu DVD format via BitTornado right now. I am wondering if I should also download Fedora
Wait... here is a question... can I install both and have 3 different choices?

EDIT: One other thing, What is the download differences on Fedora's 4 CD's? I see 4 CD's and 4 SRPMS cd's

 

[zapoqx]

UPDATE:
I am on the forum now using Ubuntu. Looks like it went without a hitch! Now I gotta learn what else I can do to this.

Next will soon be Fedora on the 3rd Hard Drive to see what that is like. Can that be done though?

 

[Son Goku]

I haven't specifically tried this; but I'm fairly certain that you can run multiple distros of linux on the same hard drive. The important part is that there are entries for it in lilo.conf (or the grub conf file) depending which boot loader you use.

That basically presents the menu, or whatever you've seen after installing Linux that lets you select which system to load. You'll get whatever boot loader you last installed this in (I'm gathering you told it to put it in the MBR, though not sure what you selected), aka if you install Fedora next you should get Fedora's boot loader. If all goes well, you'll then have an additional entry, one for each version of Linux, and one for XP.

 

[zapoqx]

Ok, thanks for that info Goku.

Anyway, uhh one more question... I can connect to my Windows network from the Ubuntu side, but I can't connect to Ubuntu from my Windows comp. It keeps prompting me for a user name and password I've tried adding another login on the system, I've tried using the current login, but I have not been able to get anywhere. What do I have to do here? I don't know what is it I need to search for on the ubuntu's forum's because I get too much info and not alot of info relating to anything.