Test Driving Ubuntu 6.06 LTS

[scrolljoe]

Greetings All !

I am a septuagenarian that loves computing and came through the Windows environment. Another old timer recently gave me a Ubuntu 6.06 LTS and told me to try it and if I like it then move on to a later version . My present OS is Win XP and my HD is choc full of files. I do not want to install the Ubuntu - I simply want to test drive it and see its pros vis-a-vis Windows. Googling for instructions leave me in doubts as to what really I should do ; could some fellow poster walk me through the steps ...thanks.

[oldfred]

Welcome to the forums.

The 6.06 is pretty old and not supported any more. It really would be better to download a more recent version. But some older computers now cannot run full Ubuntu. But other versions like Lubuntu or Xubuntu work for those older systems.

If you have a liveCD, you should just be able to insert CD and in BIOS choose to boot from CD. It will be slow as it is running from CD not hard drive but functional.

You would need room on your hard drive if you wanted to do a full install. And NTFS partitions really like 30% free space to work well.

Do you know if your computer can boot from a USB flash device? About 2006, BIOS were updated to allow booting from flash drives. If older you may have to use Lubuntu.

You can download newer versions of Ubuntu and copy to a CD or flash drive. Instructions are here:
Also instructions for CD or USB
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
Write image or burn image not copy ISO as one large file to CD.
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/help/...-cd-on-windows
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...n/FromUSBStick
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromCD
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootOptions

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu

https://help.ubuntu.com/12.04/instal...are-reqts.html

[scrolljoe]

Oldfred ,Thanks for your reply.

Here are some specs for my PC:

Boot Sequence:

• Onboard USB – CD Rom Drive
• Onboard USB – Floppy Drive
• Onboard SATA Hard Drive
• Onboard IDE Hard Drive - not present
• Onboard USB Device – not present

O S – Windows XP SP 3
CPU – Pentium 4 - 280 GHZ
HD – 24 Gigs with 12 free
Ram - 1 Gig
File system – NTFS

Once the CD is placed in the tray and Ubuntu starts to load I get the following:
Start or install Ubuntu
Start Ubuntu in Safe Graphics Mode
Check CD for defects
Memory Test
Boot from First Hard Drive.

What I need to do is to see how Ubuntu works without install. When I press Enter with Start or install Ubuntu highlighted, a countdown starts and I get out because I don’t know whether it will just load Ubuntu or install same. My old friend left on a vacation and I can’t get in touch with him for advice. Downloading 12.4 or 12.10 to any removable drive will take a minimum of 5 hours based on the DSL speed in our rural area. Hope I have covered all bases.

[snowpine]

It is safe to choose "Start or install Ubuntu" for your purposes. What will (hopefully) happen is that it will boot yout to the "live/demo" Ubuntu desktop, and there will be an icon to install Ubuntu on the desktop. If you don't double-click that icon and answer several screens of questions, then Ubuntu will not install or make any permanent changes to your hard drive. (You should also stay away from disk utilities such as the Partition Editor at this stage in your journey.)

Ubuntu 6.06 is completely obsolete in every way and you will not be able to experience what is, in my opinion, Linux's number one best feature: the ability to easily install thousands of stable/tested/trusted applications with a few mouse-clicks in the Software Center. But it will be a fun learning experience and introduction to Linux, you will at minimum experience the concept that Linux is an alternative to Windows, with a bunch of useful free software applications like browser/word-process/spreadsheet/media-player, stable/user-friendly/virus-free!

[fballem]

By the way, if you do decide to download a newer version of ubuntu, I would suggest the 32-bit version of Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop.

Another option is to purchase a CD from here: http://shop.canonical.com/product_in...roducts_id=976

Ubuntu 6.06 is really so old and there have been a lot of very good changes - including better hardware support, upgraded software. The CD will allow you to boot from the CD and try it without installing.

Hope you enjoy,

[Impavidus]

By the way, if you do decide to download a newer version of ubuntu, I would suggest the 32-bit version of Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop.

If you've got just one gig of ram I'd suggest to use Xubuntu, wich is the light version (or lubuntu, even lighter). Xubuntu 12.04 looks very much like Ubuntu 6.06, the first version I used. Besides, 12 GB of free disk space is really tight, but if you're carefull it will work.