Computer Questions (formally Your Desktop)

Yes, wubi should automatically recognize the 64 bit vista and download the 64 bit ubuntu as a result. ... oh yeah... this is also handy... you should still be able to access your windows files even when you booted into linux!

http://wubi-installer.org/faq.php

Install the correct codecs yeah, but will it want me to buy them? Isn't there a k-lite code mega pack equivalent or something?

To answer your first question... haha ... no need to worry linux is free the codecs too. So when you booted into linux and want to open a media file, most likely a pop up screen will appear which mentions that you need a codec. Just click on a install button and that's it. If that doesn't work for some reason, let me know, its easy to download a whole pack of media codecs at once. In case you didn't know yet, you can download thousands of programs for free (open source) by just simple ticking a box. (go to add/remove, it should be somewhere down in the first pull down menu) type any search description and it will display matches which you can download with one click. All free, all safe. To uninstall any program, just go into add/remove and untick the program. That's it. (but don't forget your admin password!!!, otherwise you can't install/change a thing!)

So there is for example a pack of codecs... for all kinds of multimedia files available... just type 'codecs or codec' or 'flash' or 'mp3' or whatever and it will display results. Then just tick your choice and that's it. Simple.

There is no need to hit any 'F' button while booting, it will show the boot option automatically, just try it and you will see, no need to touch anything. Its easy.

Just start tweaking it to you liking, another wallpaper, theme etc. its pretty straightforward.. and then slowly try to play around with Compiz (the effects), standard the effects are all fixed under 'appearance', this you can find in one of the menus, I don't know by heart which menu, just fiddle around. There is a compiz setting manager which will allow all kinds of impressive 3d window effects, but you'll have to install the setting manager first... don't worry... just search for "compiz setting manager" or something like that in "add/remove". Just search and you will find, I think that's the best way, that way you can learn best. Any questions just let me know here. I love to help. (there is a great forum, with thousands of people here, waiting to help anyone out: http://ubuntuforums.org/

What's your opinion on VINE and other Windows emulators under LINUX, Talos?
I'm *this* close to switching to LINUX, but -as said before- there are just a few too many crucial winodws programs I can't (or am unwilling to) migrate to a LINUX-variant.
A proper emulator would really cinch the deal, but I read a lot of differing opinions on them...

hmmm... chris... dunno about that particular kind of error. I would suggest to post your question on the ubuntu forum. My first wild guess would be that Vista wasn't shut down properly before you rebooted.

Did you try to boot into Vista first.... then shut down cleanly and then reboot again and choose linux in the boot option? If not, I would try that first. If that doesn't work, I would uninstall Wubi and try the whole thing again. Please keep in mind that there are often some issues, I didn't say it will be perfect the first way round. But this i see as a positive thing, you'll see you will learn a lot right away by problem solving, seriously. haha.

If you want to make sure your pc is linux compatible, you can also burn the ubuntu iso on cd, and run the live cd first, that way you can see if that will work or not. Based on this you will know that ubuntu will work or not, so that there something has to be resolved first. I am not an expert... hope that I could offer a better solution straight away.

Note that sometimes files are moved by Windows into a hidden folder called c:found.000. You need to have c:ubuntudisksroot.disk and c:ubuntudisksboot. (somewhere in Vista's c: drive)

If you do not see those, look for "found.000." (without quotation marks)

You need to change the windows explorer settings to be able to see hidden folders first, then move the files from found.000 to their original location.

I got the above info from here:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide

One more thing, if things for you guys don't work out, I still have to give thanks to you guys for trying. For that is a thing many ppl even don't want to do. Respect... but remember just keep on digging and sooner or later you'll find the solution. Just use the ubuntu forums. These guys are really good and very enthousiastic to help.

What distribution would you recommend for people that don't even want X-Window? Just oldschool console writing and stuff demanding some intelligence.

No idea, but this link has all linux distros group together (see right column) many choices available, but my preference would be a linux distro which can handle 'deb' files (which is a kind of linux variant to let say.. '.exe'. 'Deb' files are super easy to install and it will offer the most choice of programs easily installable.

http://distrowatch.com/

Talos, i continue to get this problem; whilst i DID log in all right and everything works properly, whenever i try to install any of the 2 recommended by linux driver packages for my 2 NVIDIA geforce 8800 gt's, i get the same error when i install and reboot. The stupid dos console thingy.

Thanks Talos my friend, will try it tomorrow and inform you about the results.

Hijacking of what?

-Erik-

Any luck with the driver install, Chris...?