[SOLVED] Install Linux in my second hand Desktop

[sanjeevkumar7]

Hi,

I'm a windows user. Suddenly I got interested in using Linux and I bought a old desktop from my friend to use it for Linux. Now I'm not sure where to find the drivers.
I once installed ubuntu in my laptop and it was not possible for me to make the wirelesss work and I again formatted the whole system.
Now I'm really in a confusion whether to try installing it or to get the drivers first and then install linux successfully.

here is the link to the desktop i have with me.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00677533&lc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3184154&dlc=en

hope someone could help me with how to install in this desktop. I'm sorry if i was such a basic question and I'm posting here. I asked lots of people around me and no one knows linux.

Thanks for your help.

[snowpine]

Hi,

I'm a windows user. Suddenly I got interested in using Linux and I bought a old desktop from my friend to use it for Linux. Now I'm not sure where to find the drivers.
I once installed ubuntu in my laptop and it was not possible for me to make the wirelesss work and I again formatted the whole system.
Now I'm really in a confusion whether to try installing it or to get the drivers first and then install linux successfully.

here is the link to the desktop i have with me.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00677533&lc=en&cc=us&lang=en&product=3184154&dlc=en

hope someone could help me with how to install in this desktop. I'm sorry if i was such a basic question and I'm posting here. I asked lots of people around me and no one knows linux.

Thanks for your help.

Hi Sanjeev, that computer should run Ubuntu okay. The newest version (8.04 Hardy Heron) is really easy to install. Just go to ubuntu.com and download the .iso for the live CD. You can try it out, and if you like it and it runs okay on your computer (it will be a little slow because it's a live CD, but don't worry, it will be faster after the install), you can then install it to your hard drive. It will auto-detect all of your hardware.

Certain wireless cards have problems with Ubuntu, it's true. The best thing to do is connect through ethernet while you are doing the install. Then, you can research your wireless adapter here on ubuntuforums.org and find a work-around.

Good luck!

[sanjeevkumar7]

Thanks Snowpine.I appreciate your help. I'm actually installing Ubuntu to learn linux. I'm inspired by open source community.

I just want to know if I do not want to install any of the device drivers as I do in windows?

[avtolle]

No, you do not. As a general rule, the drivers are in the kernel in Linux, so you don't need to search drivers down now. Once installed, then there might be something to do to get the wireless working. I suggest after installation that before doing anything else, you download all the updates and get them installed, as this might help avoid (and might not, in the interest of full disclosure) some problems.

[snowpine]

Thanks Snowpine.I appreciate your help. I'm actually installing Ubuntu to learn linux. I'm inspired by open source community.

I just want to know if I do not want to install any of the device drivers as I do in windows?

Ubuntu is different from Windows. :)
You will find that most hardware is auto-detected and "just works" when you do the installation. I see that your computer is a Compaq with an Asus motherboard, so I think you will be okay. Asus usually works well with Linux.
Maybe one or two things won't work, for example your wireless card or your sound card. Then you can ask specific questions here on the Ubuntu forums. Or better yet, use Search. :)

I think that Ubuntu is the easiest way to learn Linux. Welcome to the community!

[sanjeevkumar7]

Oh that's beautiful avtolle. I was talking about the wireless in my laptop and I want to install Ubuntu only in my desktop which just has the ethernet card. So let me try installing Ubuntu today. I hope I could access internet without installing any LAN drivers. It's a good start and I appreciate all the people in the community helping.

[sanjeevkumar7]

Ubuntu is different from Windows. :)
You will find that most hardware is auto-detected and "just works" when you do the installation. I see that your computer is a Compaq with an Asus motherboard, so I think you will be okay. Asus usually works well with Linux.
Maybe one or two things won't work, for example your wireless card or your sound card. Then you can ask specific questions here on the Ubuntu forums. Or better yet, use Search. :)

I think that Ubuntu is the easiest way to learn Linux. Welcome to the community!
I'm excited that everything would work fine. Thanks a lot !