Help putting Linux on my Windows XP machine

pastywhitegurl · May 03, 2014, 02:18:38 AM

Hi, I'm starting this thread to get help from LilBambi and other Linux users here as I attempt to transition my computer away from Windows XP to Linux. We've been hit for so many unexpected bills lately that even the $100 it would cost to buy Windows 7 would be a hardship right now, so I think I'm willing to put the effort into learning a whole new system if I can do what I need to do on it.

I've used other office programs so I won't miss MS Office that much, but I guess my main concern is if I can still use Photoshop. I have CS3. A friend told me that Wine could possibly make PS compatible with Linux. If so, then I think I'm pretty good with that.

I've done some of the suggested reading, but I don't really understand the stuff about partitions and such. From some other recommendations, I had DH download and burn a live CD of Linux Mint 32 bit with a MATE Xfce desktop. So, is this a good place to start, and is that the right way to go with my operating system? (stats in my signature)

I've read about installing Linux over top of Windows XP ( which I assume would mean no going back), setting up a partition so that both can be used, and booting from a live CD. I'm not sure what would be best for me.

I understand I can boot from the CD and check things out. But I don't know if in doing that, I would be safe using the internet or if some kind of antivirus needs to be installed first, or even how to go about it.

Before I do anything, I want to get some knowledgeable opinions and get my thoughts in order.

Thanks in advance for the guidance that will be offered in this topic. :)

LilBambi · May 03, 2014, 06:14:42 PM

OK, great!

First things first. Let's look at your CS3 Photoshop. I went to WinHQ and found that this version of Photoshop does NOT work at all under Wine. It's a no starter. Won't even install.

WineHQ - Adobe Photoshop CS3 (10.0)

Yes, live CD of Linux Mint 32 bit with a MATE Xfce desktop is a good place to start. See if it works with your system. Don't forget the LiveCD will be considerably slower than the installed version as it won't be running from a CD.

LilBambi · May 03, 2014, 06:31:01 PM

IMPORTANT: Before doing anything! I would make a backup of your data on to external hard drive, DVDs. Then, clone the hard drive. Or you could get another hard drive to put in the computer and put your Windows XP drive away for safe keeping.

The Best Disk Cloning App for Windows - Lifehacker (DriveImage XML - Private Edition Free)

If you don't like that one, all the others are there to look at as well in LifeHacker's article.

LilBambi · May 03, 2014, 06:43:39 PM

NOTE: CS3 Photoshop doesn't even work with the commercial Codeweavers Crossover.

If you need CS3 Photoshop, you may need to keep a Windows computer around; either dualbooting with Windows XP (but XP offline only), or getting another computer, laptop, or a tablet for internet access so you can keep Windows XP as a standalone computer.

The other suggestion would be to add a second hard drive and install linux to the second hard drive. You would have to be very careful to know which drive you can put it on during a Linux install or you could accidentally overwrite the XP drive.

There are other options too. I used to dual boot by having a hard drive tray in my computer so I could remove the Windows hard drive and put in the Linux hard drive to keep from having issues with overwriting the other hard drive accidentally.

The ICY DOCK DataCage MB876SK-B 3.5" SATA 6Gbps Hot Swap Mobile Rack HDD Enclosure in 5.25" Bay - Amazon..

Here's the manufacturer's page.

That was back when I only had one computer and a relatively full hard drive so it was not really feasible to dual boot from the same hard drive.

I could have bought and installed another hard drive but this option was 'safer' since I was relatively new at installing Linux at the time and I COULD NOT take a chance on accidentally overwriting my windows install and lose all my stuff or the install since I could no longer get backup recovery disks for the old Dell.

LilBambi · May 03, 2014, 06:50:27 PM

You don't need an AV if running Linux from a LiveCD. You can copy files to a USB flash drive and scan them when/if you have to bring them into Windows.

The LiveCD is great for surfing the Internet because you can shut the computer down and everything is gone except what you may have copied to a USB flash drive which can be removed when you shutdown linux LiveCD when all is removed from memory of the computer upon shutdown.

DR M · May 03, 2014, 06:53:37 PM

Just a suggestion, perhaps it can help. I don't know what do you do with Photoshop, Pastywhitegirl, but I think that with Paint.Net you can do everything. As I said, just a suggestion (just to say something about adobe products!!! :lol: )

pastywhitegurl · May 03, 2014, 07:10:46 PM

I have a backup of only my documents folders on a thumb drive. But I don't know anything about backing up to an external drive or how to clone the hard drive.

I guess I have A LOT more reading to do. Thanks for the the links.

Before I get started though.... DH is now telling me he would rather see me on a windows system. And the news about Photoshop is really disappointing too.

I would like to put this topic on hold because after our breakfast discussion this morning, its looking like DH is preferrring that we just find the money and get me a new computer. He thinks we can get a refurbed Lenovo desktop with Windows 7 on it for about $130. I would have to add some RAM (it only comes with 2GB, but that seems more comfortable for me than all the stuff I would have to do to switch to Linux.

Good to know another antivirus isn't needed to run a live CD, and

Dr M: I use GIMP as well as photoshop, so I would likely revert back to that, but I have also heard good things about paint.net.

Thanks so much for the advice so far.....I may be back, but I'm going to go with this other idea first and see where it takes me.

LilBambi · May 03, 2014, 07:18:08 PM

Quote from: pastywhitegurl on May 03, 2014, 07:10:46 PM
I would like to put this topic on hold because after our breakfast discussion this morning, its looking like DH is preferrring that we just find the money and get me a new computer. He thinks we can get a refurbed Lenovo desktop with Windows 7 on it for about $130. I would have to add some RAM (it only comes with 2GB, but that seems more comfortable for me than all the stuff I would have to do to switch to Linux.

Good to know another antivirus isn't needed to run a live CD, and

Dr M: I use GIMP as well as photoshop, so I would likely revert back to that, but I have also heard good things about paint.net.

Thanks so much for the advice so far.....I may be back, but I'm going to go with this other idea first and see where it takes me.

Or you could get a ChromeOS laptop for surfing as I have seen some good great prices on them. But if you use things like CS3 Photoshop for business type stuff or work, DH may well be right that another computer would be better for your situation and Windows 7 is great and will last till 2020 before it expires.

RE RAM. Look at the specs to be sure you can upgrade the RAM. Some you can, some you can't.

Either way, you could still install Linux on the old computer for safer surfing and to get used to Linux. The GIMP 2.8 is on Linux too. ;)

LilBambi · May 03, 2014, 07:20:52 PM

There is no shame in not being ready for Linux either you know. LiveCD on the old computer could get you started in that direction for now as long as you remember that installed Linux is much faster than LiveCD. :mitch:

pastywhitegurl · May 03, 2014, 08:00:50 PM

You're right that I'm very overwhelmed by the thought of the Linux move. I am greatly relieved that I may not have to do that.

Super good ideas. Especially about running Linux on the old machine. I do have a Nexus 7 tablet which I hope will be safe to do my banking from until I get things updated. (I have AVG and MalwareBytes installed on it.) I know I will need more RAM, so that's important. PhotoShop just limped along at 2GB of RAM before I added some to XP.

The size of the hard drive is what we are looking at too. Right now, I have 256GB (237GB free space--I'm using 60GB currently). The hard drives on the refurbs are 80GB.

He thinks maybe that we can just put my hard drive in the new machine. Any thoughts on that? Should I start a new thread?

LilBambi · May 04, 2014, 03:15:50 AM

You mean to run as a secondary data drive on the new machine? Are they both SATA drives (old computer and new computer)?

The new one will likely have SATA in it. SATA is faster than IDE. If your old computer has an IDE drive in it, keep with 80GB and add a secondary SATA drive at a later time.

That's my thoughts on it. I wouldn't want to put an old Windows XP drive in a new/refurb Windows 7 computer. That just doesn't make sense to me.

If you want it for Data backup, you could put it in an enclosure and use it that way on either computer.

I would definitely think about that for a minute before moving that old drive in ... you will slow your system down. Not to mention that more than likely your Windows 7 refurb will not come with install media.

pastywhitegurl · May 05, 2014, 03:00:21 AM

Yes, it would run as a secondary drive. I didn't fully understand that when I asked the question.

He says he'll know what to do once he see the new computer and checks everything.

I like the idea of using it for data backup.

LilBambi · May 05, 2014, 06:31:22 AM

OK, secondary drive would not likely slow things down as long as there is a way to connect it IDE/SATA but sure DH will figure that part out.

Likely best to use it only as a data drive to snag your data then you could reformat and use it for Windows 7 backups and Windows 7 hard drive image (both in Control Panel). Of course having a System Repair Disk would be needed as well.