Total newbie...how can I change windows XP to Linux

[Ludwigkarl]

Hi!
I am so newbie I don't even know where to begin. One thing I know is that I want to get rid of Windows XP on my PC and run Linux instead. But where do I begin. What do I have to do? There are so many different Linux version out there it seems. I'm kinda lost. Here is my question: How can I change my Windwos XP PC so it runs completely on Linux?

Any help is appreciated!

Thank you

- Ludwig

[oz]

Hello and welcome!

Check the link in my signature for a good starting place for new users. You'll find a couple of quizzes there that will help you to choose your first distro, or two, along with lots of other good to know information. Once you've made a choice, download your chosen distro, burn the ISO file to disk as an image, then boot your machine with the newly created installation disk in your cd/dvd drive. If you are sure you don't want XP, you can use the Linux installer to overwrite Windows.

Have fun with Linux!

[Daan]

Hi Ludwig!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux.

A good GNU/Linux distribution for beginners and advanced users alike is Ubuntu. It is the most used distribution and aims at user friendliness. Installing is really easy. Just go to their website and download the CD, burn it, and pop it into your computer, reboot and the installer will guide you through the process. It can remove Windows from your computer and replace it with Ubuntu.

It is quite brave of you to remove Windows and replace it with Linux if you do not have any experience wit Linux. Most users who change from Windows to Linux, dual boot, meaning that the can make the choice between Windows and Linux during booting their computer. If you want help to make it so for you, let me know.

The Ubuntu CD can do more than just install Ubuntu. It is also a Live CD, meaning that you can run Ubuntu from it without installing it or making any other changes to your computer. This is handy for trying out Ubuntu to see if you like it.

Let us know if you have questions.

Have fun!

[Ludwigkarl]

Thank you Daan for you quick and informative reply! I will follow your advice!

Thanks!

Ludwig

[Ludwigkarl]

Thank you Ozar! I will read the link and follow the advice!

Thanks!

Ludwig

[jayd512]

Hi, Ludwig! Welcome aboard!

Adding to the advice already given, check out DistroWatch.
There is plenty of information on every version of Linux. Including links to reviews, screenshots and download sites.
Also, most major distros offer LiveCD's these days. Just like Daan mentioned about the Ubuntu disc. So for the price of a few blank CDs, you can try out several versions and make your choice based on what you like the most.

[MASONTX]

Welcome to linux. I did the same thing 3 1/2 years ago, wiping my windows os and installing ubuntu. Distrowatch.com is the place to find which distro's you are interested in, they have a top 100 listing (by popularity), and a search function that can help you narrow down your choices. If you really want to try out a bunch of different distro's, use rw disks so you can reuse the ones you eliminate. Most important thing, is have fun and try out different desktops and windows managers. Try enough distro's, and you will see a pattern emerge as to what DE and WM you like, and what base you like your distro based on. I like gnome 2, lxde, and xfce on ubuntu or debian based distro's, but you may have other likes. The great thing about linux is that with over 600 distro's, someone, somewhere, has probably come up with a distro that is the way you like it.

[cynwulf]

I did the same back in '02/'03 installing Mandrake... it was a mistake (but you learn from those) as back then GNU/Linux was certainly not as polished and easy to install and use as it is today. I ended up reinstalling windows on a second HDD and dual booting. If you're completely new to this I'd advise that you dual boot for a start just to be sure as there can be unforseen teething problems - i.e. networking may not work "out of the box" making it awkward for you to get online and look for help. This is why it's a good idea to try a livecd first to help identify any potential problems.

In the long run however, ditching windows altogether is the way forward. It forces you to learn and adapt to a different way of working. I haven't had windows installed for about 3 years now, before that I spent a few years dual booting XP to run the odd game. (unfortunately I still have to use it at work... oh well...)

[Randicus]

I am so newbie I don't even know where to begin. One thing I know is that I want to get rid of Windows XP on my PC and run Linux instead.

I am one of the people who switched to GNU-Linux without dual-booting first. I simply replaced Microsoft with Linux almost four years ago and have never looked back. I only see Microsoft on screens when I am in an office or classroom where people are using it.
By all means, give it shot. You will not regret it. I suggest starting by burning discs for three or four distributions and trying them all. Then use the one you like best.

[Ludwigkarl]

Thank you Jay, Mason, Caravel and Randicus for this great information! I just installed Ubuntu 11.10 and I really like what I see so far. This version I installed though seems to be slow on my computer. So I will try out other distro's and see if they run smoother. Thanks again for all your help!