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Thread: Help in setting up new desktop

  1. #1
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    Help in setting up new desktop

    I have been using my ageing Dell E520 for several years now as a dual boot with Windows XP pro. Unfortunately it's struggling with space I think, and the number of upgrades there have been since I first installed vn 9.04 form CD back in July 2009. I am currently on Release 12.04 (precise) 32-bit, with Kernel Linux 3.2.0-39-generic, GNOME 3.4.2, Intel® Celeron(R) CPU 3.06GHz and 1.5Gb RAM with a Seagate external 1Tb drive and a CDRW drive. There is a Belkin NWireless device connecting it wirelessly to my Broadband BT HomeHub and I use Evolution as my email client and Chrome for my browser.


    I am seriously considering a new Zoostorm desktop with the following spec:
    AMD A4-3300 2.5Ghz Dual Core APU Cache: 1MB, with 4GB DDR3 1333Mhz RAM and a 320GB SATA 2.5” HDD, AMD Radeon HD 6410D Graphics Card High Definition, Audio 5.1 channel It has 1 x PS/2 Keyboard Port, 1 x D-Sub VGA Port, 1 x HDMI Port, 6 x USB 2.0 Port, 1 x RJ-45 Port and 3 x Audio Jacks and 1 x PCI-e x 16 Slot, 1 x PCI Slot, and 1 x PCI-e Slot.


    I envisage running XP on the current Dell (still a few things only run on Windows) and use the new pc for my normal home computer running just Ubuntu. Moving files etc from one PC to the other is not a problem.


    Are there known incompatibility issues with Ubuntu and any of the proposed new PC's components?


    I do have the original Ubuntu set-up CD - v 9.04, but the proposed PC is a 64 bit machine, so is that appropriate?


    If not, is there a step by step guide to setting up a new PC?


    Any advice / guidance would be greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Get a new install disk for either 12.04 or 12.10 64 bit. Installing an obsolete version and upgrading to the latest version is much more trouble and a larger download than just getting a new installation disk (or usb) and you can't upgrade from 32 to 64 bit.

    It's a processor with integrated graphics, combined with a separate graphics card, which sometimes gives problems, but it seems most people get it to work OK. It seems proprietary drivers are available for that graphics card, but, being from AMD, I wouldn't really count on it they will continue to support it for Linux for as long as you're going to use that computer. Their reputation isn't very good on that matter.

  3. #3
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    So, you are clear in your mind that you want this hardware. The real test would be to run a Ubuntu live session. If more of us ran System Testing on Ubuntu then this web page would be more useful to people like you. It is called Ubuntu Friendly.

    https://friendly.ubuntu.com/

    Regards.
    It is a machine. It is more stupid than we are. It will not stop us from doing stupid things.
    Ubuntu user #33,200. Linux user #530,530


  4. #4
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Thanks so much for that.

    The Zoostorm comes without any o/s so will the pc on being switched on automatically see the usb stick (previously loaded with vn 12.10) and activate it?

    Is there any advantage in using my old CD to at least get the pc up and running with Ubuntu and then switch it off and re-boot with the usb stick and it's new version?

    Alan

  5. #5
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Thanks grahammechanical.

    I noticed
    Ubuntu Friendly this morning somewhere for the first time when I opened a gizmo called System Test. I guess that is what you are referring to. More than happy to System Test if that's of help.

    I am not committed (some would argue that I should be!) yet to the Zoostorm, but it's a a good price and I am not a heavy PC user as regards gaming and the like. I use it mostly for transcription work (paper data to database), a bit of Desktop publishing and email / voip.

    Regards
    Alan

  6. #6
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Quote Originally Posted by harfin View Post
    Thanks so much for that.

    The Zoostorm comes without any o/s so will the pc on being switched on automatically see the usb stick (previously loaded with vn 12.10) and activate it?
    yup. download the iso. check the md5sum, then use unetbootin or linuxlive useb to "burn" the image to USB stick. then test the stick to see if it works well.

    live OS will load into ram and won't touch the disk. if they allow it that is. i was recentl yin a country where 90% of notebooks ship with no OS preinstalled. but no one allowed to boot before you bought it. lame!

    Is there any advantage in using my old CD to at least get the pc up and running with Ubuntu and then switch it off and re-boot with the usb stick and it's new version?
    in linux drivers are built into kernel for the most part. so with 9.04 you would be using old kernel likely from 2008 on hardware from 2012. how well do you think it will go? sure some thing will work or some generic drivers will be used but chances of things going wrong / not working are quite high.

    so i suggest as others did to use the latest version and 64 bit (if not latest then at least 12.04 LTS). latest version is also very different from version before it in that it uses unity interface which need 3D acceleration to work well.

    you also asked if everyting will work. hard to say. it should. one thing to consider besides APU and another GPU is also the sound chip. will the sound card work? i don't know. but if this is a built in chip a new linux compatible card costs as little as 12 or 13 EUR.

    edit: forgot to mention - you needed a step by step guide - have a look at ubuntu manual link in my signature.
    Read the easy to understand, lots of pics Ubuntu manual.
    Do i need antivirus/firewall in linux?
    Full disk backup (newer kernel -> suitable for newer PC): Clonezilla
    User friendly full disk backup: Rescuezilla

  7. #7
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    Question Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Thanks for that
    Quote Originally Posted by mastablasta View Post
    so i suggest as others did to use the latest version and 64 bit (if not latest then at least 12.04 LTS). latest version is also very different from version before it in that it uses unity interface which need 3D acceleration to work well.
    So should I be using the latest version or the 12.04LTS

    Quote Originally Posted by mastablasta View Post
    forgot to mention - you needed a step by step guide - have a look at ubuntu manual link in my signature.
    I have downloaded that on to the same USB stick that I'll be downloading the o/s to. Thanks again for that!


    As to sound,I've had hassles with my existing PC with sound (incorporated chip), so no change there! Even now the sound often doesn't operate after a 12.04 new linux kernel upgrade, but it does after a subsuquent boot (or two)

    So it seems like the consensus is to give it a go! I'll hold off for a couple of days before I order it, just in case there are any other thoughts arrive.

    Thanks all.

    Alan

  8. #8
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Thanks for that mastablasta

    Re
    check the md5sum
    isn't that to do with dual boot systems of Ubuntu? The new pc will be a sole ubunto machine

    Re unetbootin? linuxlive?

    I have the ISO now on my external expansion drive, but when I tried that start-up disk creator it seemed to be wanting to do something to my existing PC, I haven't ordered the new one yet, so at that point I aborted the USB Stick bootup

    Regards
    Alan

  9. #9
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Checking an md5sum or shaXsum is to verify file integrity, and is not relevant to dualboots. It's useful to check that the file is not damaged and was not tampered with; the download page lists the correct values you should get.
    Because Core 2 is still not to be underestimated.

  10. #10
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    Re: Help in setting up new desktop

    Quote Originally Posted by harfin View Post
    So should I be using the latest version or the 12.04LTS


    For new hardware use the latest version. Though i suppose 12.04 should also work.

    [/QUOTE]
    As to sound,I've had hassles with my existing PC with sound (incorporated chip), so no change there! Even now the sound often doesn't operate after a 12.04 new linux kernel upgrade, but it does after a subsuquent boot (or two)
    [/QUOTE]

    What is the chip? suggets you post separate thread on this. if it's intelHD i know a work arround that work like 70% of the time. i have simillar issue.

    Quote Originally Posted by harfin View Post
    Re isn't that to do with dual boot systems of Ubuntu? The new pc will be a sole ubunto machine


    As explained it's done to check file integrity. i.e. to make sure that the image you downloaded is exactly the same as the one on server. if oyu download via torrent then this is done for you during torrent download process.
    Re unetbootin? linuxlive?
    not sure what is wrong. but here is how i use them. i install them on my windows mashcine. i have .iso there located in some folder (for example downloads). then i plug in a usb stick. launch the programme. select the USB stick as install destination and the linux image file as the linux i want to put on the usb stick. the programme then does it's job and that is it. USB stick get's reformated (if this option is selected - i think linuxliveUSb can do it without reformat. it's best to have fat32 file format on usb stick for this to work nicely. i think it might also work well with ntfs though i am not sure.

    LinuxliveUSB has an option of adding portable virtual box on the key. you can then just click on virtualise this key and the linux will start in virtual box inside windows.

    if you do this on linux you can use dd and you need to be carefull with that command. unebootin also has a linux version.
    Read the easy to understand, lots of pics Ubuntu manual.
    Do i need antivirus/firewall in linux?
    Full disk backup (newer kernel -> suitable for newer PC): Clonezilla
    User friendly full disk backup: Rescuezilla

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