Changing from Windows

[simongreen30]

Hi,

I have been thinking about changing to Linux from windows for some time but am unsure which distro would be best for me. I have a couple of requirements, the main one is I network shares.

I am running a Windows Home Server that has all my music, video's, pics etc on in different shared folders. I have tried both Ubuntu and Mint and have run across the same problem in both.....I can't access the shared directories in the apps. I can mount them onto the desktop and browse them but I am unable to see them in the apps. For instance I cannot import my pictures into Picassa or my music into Rythembox or songbird. I have managed to solve many "problems" i was having using forums like this (gotta love google!!!!) This is the only one standing in the way now.

This may seem like a very simple questions but which distro would be easiest to begin with maybe have this ability natively and once I am comfortable with the OS....can you import between the different OS's using the same program on them both....i.e. import the picture database from picassa on Mint to picassa on Redhat etc

Many thanks

[reed9]

There won't be any particular difference in this regard between Ubuntu/Mint and another distro.

The thing to do is actually mount your windows share.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Mo...resPermanently

[simongreen30]

Many thanks for the reply and the link, I will give it a go.

So Ubuntu or Mint are the "less technical" distro's of Linux? I know they get progressively more difficult but I am unsure which of the many versions there are will be easiest to start on.

[devils casper]

I would suggest you to try as many as you can. Ubuntu is definitely a new user friendly distro.
Check out this Poll.

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, OpenSUSE, and Mandriva are all considered good and easy to use distributions for new Linux users.

Do let us know what you wind up going with.

[reed9]

I generally recommend Ubuntu or derivatives like Mint because 1) they aim to be user friendly, and 2) they have a wealth of community support and documentation, which makes finding solutions to any troubles easier for folks.

[computerophil]

Hi,
I have been thinking about changing to Linux from windows .....

Hallo, there exist ~500 distros and they differ also very much.
To find the one best suitable for you I'd try some as a liveCD. So you don't have to install them to see how it does.
I recommend usually:
openmamba, mandriva, Knoppix, Sam and Puppy
Those are also quit different but I consider them as beginnerfriendly.
Ubuntu and derivates are the best documented distros and this is the strongest argument for them. Even if in some details others are better Ubuntu is probably the most used distro and so you will get help easier than with others.

[simongreen30]

many thanks for all your replies....I think i'll stick with Mint as it is already installed.

I followed the walkthrough reed9 left the link to earlier but still couldn't access the shares properly but I think it's because I haven't installed the NFS software on the server......D'oh

[simongreen30]

ok that didn't work....what am i doing worng?????

what i need is a way of convincing Mint that the ntfs shares are local disks/folders. Similar to the way windows maps network drives.

Any suggestions would be really appreciated

[reed9]

Various guides:

Ubuntu install: SAMBA file share in fstab

Configure a system to automount a Samba share with /etc/fstab

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