some installation problems anyone wanna help?

[heandrea]

ok so I'm new to Linux and currently am not running any version on my computer because I'm a moron and messed up while installing and now i could use some help hooking up everything. So i have a macbook pro, i can provide more details about the machine if you need, and last semester i decided to run ubuntu and requested a disc from them, which i have recently lost anyway. So when i go to install ubuntu I somehow in the process messed up real bad becasue ever since then my computer is not the same. When i restart my laptop it now will no longer recognize any operating system unless i hold down option in the process, the computer simply says it doesn't see a system disk and requests one to be put in if i dont hold down option. The hard drive has been partitioned for ubuntu to use and it is installed on my computer there just is no way, as far as i know, to tell the computer on startup to go into ubuntu mode. I would really like to have linux as my primary os but i am stuck where i am right now. I hope someone can help me on this. Another problem i'm having is getting another disk with ubuntu on it. I lost the one they mailed me and will be going away to school b4 they can send me another so i just decided to download the iso and burn it myself by my mac is being a dick and giving me writing errors when i try to burn it. I can get around this and just use my other computer to burn it but i would like to fix both these problems while i'm at it. THe installing linux problem is the more important one if anyone could help me with the writing error problem that would be cool too. thanks and i hope someone can help me out

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

Sorry, but it's against the forums rules to post duplicates:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...ums-rules.html

Your duplicates have been deleted, but you can continue any discussion in this thread.

Thank you.

[computerophil]

Hallo, there are various beginnerfriendly distros. The best way would be to try them out via LiveCD before installing something but you have already problem burning one CD.

Important: Download an iso-file
If you burn with windows I can recommend Nero.
Burn as slow as possible (4x) and disk at once.
Never unpack the iso. (Burn "image to disk" and choose the iso-file (this is your image))

OpenMamba KDE
Mandriva Gnome or KDE
Knoppix LXDE
SAM XFCE
I consider as very beginnerfriendly

Generally I think you describe several problems. Best way would be to seperate them and to solve one after the other. So different specialist could help you better.
Because that your computer doesn't see a system disk has nothing to do with linux. It might be a bios problem (I do have something similar: it is trying to find a raid that I'm not using yet)

[gnuunix]

From your post i understood that you need to install linux and windows. Also linux needs to be primary OS(currect if i am wrong).I recommend , if you need to study about linux in deep , you can select open suse,free BSD, or fedora.

Download those iso from respective website and burn it by using any thrid party software like nero.

Once this process complete we can go head with your installation of dual booting.Before that please make sure that u have backed up your entire data.

[computerophil]

From your post i understood that you need to install linux and windows. Also linux needs to be primary OS(currect if i am wrong).I recommend , if you need to study about linux in deep , you can select open suse,free BSD, or fedora.

Download those iso from respective website and burn it by using any thrid party software like nero.

Once this process complete we can go head with your installation of dual booting.Before that please make sure that u have backed up your entire data.

It is recommended (easier) to have Windows on the first partition (but it can also be different)
You recommend freeBSD: this is again another Operating System. This isn't a Linux.
Both are Unix derivates so they have the same origin in some way but that's all.

For preparing a Harddisk for miltiboot it is recommended to.

• Make a Backup
• defragmentate the WindowsPartition(s)
• start a Linux LiveCD
• start GParted
  
  • reduce the Windows partition (normally a primary one, ntfs) to have place for the others
  • create a second primary partition (of max. 4)
    
    • create logical (virtual) partitions in there,
      • at least one for data ntfs (so windows and Linux do have access)
      • at least one per each Linux distribution you want to install (min 10GB, ext3)
  • create a third primary partition (size 2x Ramsize, formated Linux-Swap
  
  
• apply, close GParted and install the Linux with the help of the included installer

You should make yourself a note:
hda5 (or sda5) ..data
hda6 (or sda6) ..Linux Mandriva (or openmamba, Ubuntu,...)
hda7 (or sda7) ...
this will help you when you are installing not to get confused and not to overwrite another OS.