[ajrettke]

Ok my only experiance with linux is having to use it for a semester in which I would open a file on the desktop and do java programming. I would like to learn a little more, and seeing as I got a new dual XP1600 machine I figure why not dual boot windows and linux ya know.

My questions, can linux save files that will be accessable to windows? If so how complicated is this?

Next question, I want the dual 1600's to serve this computer, as our house has a WAN network I'm not buying another WAN card, and I can manage to run one more line between 2 computers. Is this easy to setup on a linux box? and how would I go about doing this? I plan on installing mandrake 8.1 and KDE....that sounds right correct?

*edit* also why type of file system does everyone recomend? I plan on using eithier partition magic or the mandrake partition utility....what is everyones thoughts on that?

also how do i get drivers? Dlink doesn't offer drivers for linux for thier WAN card.....


forgive my ignorance of linux

[moorcito]

1. Yes, it can save files. And no, it isn't that hard to do. Most linux distros already have that support built in.

2. Getting linux on a network is pretty easy, at least it was for me. If you don't have it, you'll need a hub/switch and or router. (BTW, are you sure you have a WAN, or is it a LAN in you house. WANs usually span great distances, and connect many far away sites, where as a LAN is a smaller more localized network)

3. I used partition magic when I first started with linux, years ago. I was great at setting up dual partitons, so I would recommmend that. About file systems, can either be ext2, ext3, or reiserfs. I haven't used reiserfs, so I can tell you how that works. Ext2 is the standard, and ext3 is ext2 with a journal. I recently converted all of the computers over to ext3 because there are said to be more stable and less prone to accidents. Check out this page for more info. http://www.symonds.net/~rajesh/howto/ext3/toc.html

4. Drivers. Do a google search, something along the lines of linux and the model of NIC that you have. If it is supported then some site should tell you.

Basically, you can find out how to do all of this by reading the documentation the comes this the linux distro that you will be using, and on the net. Some good sites to try would be:
http://www.tldp.org/
http://www.linux.org/
and the home page of the distro that you choose.

[zachj]

What model is your NIC? Every D-Link card I've ever used was supported out of the box by Linux. You can check the hardware compatability list on your flavor's web site to see if it's on there. Linux will sometimes install a different driver, assuming that your card is a different model. If it works, I say leave it alone. Hasn't hurt me yet.

Z

[ajrettke]

It is a WAN network, as in wireless...i beleive you may be thinking I ment wide access network? either way the router is in another room and I will have my WAN card and a NIC as well in my linux box then send a cat5line (crossed over) directly to a NIC in the the box i'm on now.

My WAN card is a D-Link DWL-520, the non + version....

thanks for the help so far guys

[zachj]

Best advice I can give you currently is just to try it and see what happens. It won't hurt to try, it just won't work or it will.

Good Luck

Z

[kevmarks]

yes, what moorcito said. But just a little ore info

My questions, can linux save files that will be accessable to windows? If so how complicated is this?

Windows cannot read linux partitions, however linux can read windows (FAT) partitions. So in order to do this you will have to have a fat32 partition on your system that you can share between windows and linux.

Next question, I want the dual 1600's to serve this computer, as our house has a WAN network I'm not buying another WAN card, and I can manage to run one more line between 2 computers. Is this easy to setup on a linux box? and how would I go about doing this? I plan on installing mandrake 8.1 and KDE....that sounds right correct?

It depends what you are connecting to. But generaly this is pretty easy to do.

lso how do i get drivers? Dlink doesn't offer drivers for linux for thier WAN card.....

Mandrake should come with drivers. Dlink are pretty common.