Kubuntu Success Second Time Around

[tparkin]

Hi,

I've been up and running with Kubuntu for several days now, and I'm so impressed with it I felt that I had to write down my experiences, even if nobody reads them!

I've been a Windows user for years and a computer user for since my teens, so I consider myself to be an intermediate to advanced user. I have upgraded PC's, fixed friends software problems, etc, etc, so I feel that I know my way around computers.

I can't quite remember what go me on to linux. I have been vaguely aware of it is the past but never given it much thought. However, back in May I stumbled upon Knoppix and then Ubuntu/Kubuntu. Initially I tried out the live CD versions, and seeing how good they were I decided to take the plunge and install Kububtu.

The installation seemed to go flawlessly. However, when I rebooted my PC GRUB froze, and the PC would not boot. I tried various things with increasing desparation but still could not get it to work. Being the impatient type, I didn't ask anyone on this forum or anywhere else for help, and eventually in desparation (and stupidity) decided to reformat my hard drive and start again.

Problem was I didn't have a Windows install CD. Windows was stored within a compressed and hidden partition on the hard drive and access by a separate recovery programme. The formatting of course wiped this out, and I was left with a bread bin

After days and days of effort, I eventually managed to get a working windows system again, having 'acquired' a Windows install CD. I also had to shell out for some recovery software, and managed to retreive most of my photos, documents, etc.

A lot of people would have given up at this point and breathed a sigh of relief. However, I hate being beaten, especially when it comes to computers, and decided recently to try again. Due to my bad experience I had fitted a second hard drive, and reasoned that if I installed Kubuntu on this all would be well. I had experimented with Slax a few days prior, and tried to install it on the second hard drive. However, it is really designed as a live CD, and as I didn't want to risk GRUB again I was having to change the boot order of my hard drives in the BIOS every time I wanted to use it.

I took the plunge and installed Kubuntu, having set the second hard drive as the boot drive first. With hindsight I should have realised, but GRUB was still installed on the first hard drive, as this was set as primary. However, I'm glad to say that GRUB and Kubuntu installed flawlessly, and I now have a dual boot PC with Windows on one drive and Kubuntu on the other - happy days

I have only had Kubuntu for a few days, and have been very impressed with it speed and features. I have been getting to grips with the command line, etc. and with installing new apps, and I have to say that I am glad I took the 'risk' and installed Kubuntu.

[varaahan]

Re: Kubuntu Success Second Time Around

Welcome friend to the linux world!

I was once like you, using windows alone with frequent virus attacks and hard disk crashes , in spite of anti virus programs installed. And the pity is, some times the anti virus programs were made not working by the attacks. And I had frequent formatting and re-installations. And then, once I had Redhat CDs and gave a try for linux. Slowly, I went to become a member of the local linux user group and suddenly the flood gates were opened.
Now I have , apart from windows which I seldom use, PCLINUXOS, Zenwalk,Puppy Linux and Kubuntu all of them working nicely.

Please share your experiece with all the people you know and let them also enjoy linux.

Good luck.

[nightcrawlers]

Re: Kubuntu Success Second Time Around

Just last week I also installed Kubuntu out of frustration and just plain being tired of the dominance (and tactics) of "the other os". The never ending security problems, virus attacks, security holes, patches and updates ad vomitus of all kinds, had become not only boring but well across the border of stupidity. There had to be some other os that was open source, safer, smoother, but would allow me to listen to my music, email and chat with friends and colleagues, burn cd's and so forth.

I had heard years go that Linux offered much of what I wanted, but working as a windows tech, I rarely had time, let alone time to learn commands of an entirely different os. Kubuntu popped up during a web search I did for "best linux desktop". Kubuntu was touted as having the features that I wanted and needed, but did not require me to jump head first into a lot of command line stuff.

Long story short, I downloaded the Live CD, booted up with it, let it manipulate some hdd space and next thing I knew, I was up and running in Linux! Man, what a feeling! No problems with the install whatsoever. Sweet! I did make some newb mistakes learning commands and trying new things I gleaned from the forums, but heck....even if I screw up badly, it only takes 10-15 minutes to format and reinstall Kubuntu!

The forums offer tons of good info, and allows me to benefit from the experiences and mistakes of others and they, from my mistakes lol. It's quite a large community (worldwide?) and although I am still taking baby steps, I am glad to be a part of it. For the moment, I am dual booting, XP/Kubuntu, but I can see now that "the writing is on the wall" and at some point....in the not so distant future, I will leave windows behind for good; no doubt about it.