Total beginner needs help!

[tpot]

Hey guys, so I need some help with Linux:

I need to know how to:
1) Find what version & type of linux my computer is running
2) Enter the BIOS on boot up with my version
3) Format the hard drive and install a fresh version of Linux, or windows
4) Live happily ever after

Currently I have a very limited version of Linux which only allows me access to firefox, and I also dont have any boot disk/CD or passwords for the computer. Please help me in any way you can!!

Thanks a lot

[Thrillhouse]

1) Find what version & type of linux my computer is running

Try executing

$uname -ar

2) Enter the BIOS on boot up with my version

This would depend on your hardware. For most systems it's one of the Function keys (F8 on my machine). There should be a little disclaimer telling you as your machine boots.

3) Format the hard drive and install a fresh version of Linux, or windows

You want to erase everything on your drive now? If so, you can simply pop in a Linux install CD and tell it to clear out everything when you get to the partitioning stage. I believe you can do this with Windows as well.

4) Live happily ever after

Very easy on your new Linux install.

[tpot]

Ok, so what you are saying is if I have a linux or windows install CD, I should be able to format even if I dont hold any of the passwords for the computer? I am writing in reference to my friend's computer and we literally have NO idea about linux. He is running some kind of GUI which seems to make it impossible to run commands or anything-it just kinda looks like an OSX/windows hybrid with LITERALLY no options except logout and launch firefox.

Do you have any idea how I could try to run a command, or better yet - do I even need to run any commands if I can simply reformat from CD?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[eraker]

If you want to get to a command line and the computer you're on is running Linux, you can do so by pressing CTRL+ALT+F1 or CTRL+ALT+F2, F3, F4, F5, F6. All of those are virtual terminals reserved for the command line. To get back to the GUI, you need only hit CTRL+ALT+F7.

Also, depending on the GUI, you should try right-clicking. Some smaller GUIs (like Fluxbox) run almost everything through the right-click, and you might get a good menu just by right-clicking.

Finally, you can totally reformat with some kind of install disc. If you want to totally wipe the drive clean before installing something, you can download something like the ultra-rad UBCD.

In conclusion, it's somewhat suspicious that your friend has something on his computer that he doesn't know how to use. Did he install it? What did he install? Where did he get this computer?

[Thrillhouse]

Ok, so what you are saying is if I have a linux or windows install CD, I should be able to format even if I dont hold any of the passwords for the computer?

Yeah. I know, at least for the Linux installation, that when you get to the partitioning stage you have a few options. You can install Linux on some existing free space. You can choose to remove all Linux partitions and install Linux. Or you can choose to remove all existing partitions. There may be others too, can't recall at the moment.

Do you have any idea how I could try to run a command, or better yet - do I even need to run any commands if I can simply reformat from CD?

I'm not sure exactly what's going on with your system right now based on what you've said but yeah, you should be able to install over what you've got without any problems.

[tpot]

Thanks a lot for your help thrillhouse!

Ps, love your icon - thanks for the simpsons flashback!!

[tpot]

So I found out he is running PXELINUX ver 2.09 (A slight variation of SYSLINUX). I have visited the website [http://syslinux.zytor.com/pxe.php] for more information regarding this OS, but as a beginner I am having trouble trying to find any information on how to format. If I download the installer from their website and run it on a bootable CD (of course by changing the BIOS setting), so you think I will be able to format and then do a clean install?

In answer to the previous poster, I have no idea exactly where he got it, but he bought it very cheap off someone who didnt need it, or didnt know what the hell they had done to their PC. I dont know, but theres noting worse than a wasted computer (I mean reboot and firefox are just dandy, but without any other applications it is pretty much a websurfing machine only)

Thanks a lot and I hope to hear from you lovely fellows again

[Thrillhouse]

I'm a little confused. Do you want to keep it a PXELINUX machine or do you want to try something else? I know zilch about PXELINUX but what I get from their website is that it's not exactly user-friendly. If you want to try a different distribution that is easier for a new user to understand you can try downloading Fedora, SuSE, Ubuntu etc. which are all easier to operate. Just go to their website, download the ISO images and burn them to some CD's and you can use those to install your new system. It would probably be easier to do this on a different machine than the PXELINUX one, though. If you have a Windows box handy that is connected to the internet, you can download the iso's and then burn them using ISORecorder then stick the first one in the CD-ROM and enjoy!

[mvantuyl]

Just a suggestion - you can download an Ubuntu CD image and burn a CD (on another computer, of course). Then you can set the boot sequence on your friend's PC to boot from CD first.

You will then be able to run from the CD and decide whether you like it before installing. Ubuntu is a very gentle introduction to the world of Linux.