I've used a knoppix live CD several times for repairing broken windows PCs. I'm now considering installing Linux to learn more about it, and therefore have a couple of questions:

Which flavour? Probably be best if it was simple, quick and small.
What size partition would be suitable, and what file system would it require? I'm having a new HDD delivered soon and would like to setup this up right first time, before I fill it up with junk and have to shift stuff around.
Is there a best position for the partition, ie before or after the windows ones?
I've not setup a dual boot before, will I encounter any problems?

It will be setup on the following:
C2D T5450 @ 1.66GHz
4GB RAM
640GB HDD
Radeon 8400m GS

TIA

Thanks Jim.

I've probably heard the name Ubuntu more than any other but it's good to know there are several variants of it. I'll try one of the variants as you suggested as I just want something small and nippy to play around with.

As for drive space, I'm replacing a 500Gb drive with a 640Gb one. I'll probably have 100Gb for Windows, 500Gb for data and the remainder for this. Thanks for the tips on partition order and installation.

Oopsies - forgot to say: Xubuntu is easier to use than Lubuntu.

Just so as you know.

You might also want to take a peek at Mint

As for default boot, you can

and choose whichever way you want to boot and how long to wait before a default decision is made.

I'm using ubuntu 11:10 (Oneiric Ocelot)

If you like "Pretties" than Kubuntu might be more to your taste.... Just remember that KDE has eleventy kazillion options for EVERYTHING!!

[Edit]

Might be wise to have a read of THIS

Before starting on your quest !!

I know that this is an old thread, but thought this might be useful to somebody... Has anyone heard of Zorin Linux?

I've been running it for a few days and it seems really good... more information to come, but I'm busy installing various versions of Internet Explorer, using PlayOnLinux at the moment, (for web testing) at the moment, so watch this space.

How did you get on JV?

I've been considering Mint lately for my 3rd attempt at a Linux dual-boot in a decade. I tend to space them out as it invariably annoys me enough to not bother trying again for several years!

Had to revert back to Windows only, as the wife couldn't get on with it, but now that she's been given a new work tablet I might reinstall a new distribution. Mint is supposed to be really good for put off the box multimedia support so if that's your bag give it a go.

It might be a good idea to install virtual box first, so you can test a few different versions before you make a final decision.

Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk 4

Just as Windows and OSX are very different beasts, and their ecosystems even more so, Linux and its ecosystem are vastly different in nature from that of the closed OSes.

Many people trying Linux come as proficient or advanced users from the Windows universe. In my experience, these users find little or no issue with getting the new operating system up and running. In fact, I'd guess that the majority find it rather fun. However as soon as it comes to using the OS, configuring the OS and using applications, the enjoyment soon comes to a shuddering halt.

When I first started into the Linux world, most problems I encountered centred around the fact that all of my abundant Windows knowledge was now thoroughly useless. I suddenly found that what I thought were operating system basics were actually just MS conventions. For instance, I had spent years using the backslash as the path delimiter; now suddenly the backslash is an escape character and I had to use the slash as the path delimiter. Now that's only a simple (and rather trivial), Windows-specific example, but because the little differences are so numerous, it very quickly becomes death by a thousand cuts. A user suddenly finds they are taking many minutes to accomplish tasks that on another OS would only require a few seconds.

Even if one can get past the operating system, the applications can be a problem. Back when I used XP, I had a certain workflow for more advanced tasks. Converting to Linux utterly shattered not just the things I was doing, but also a large proportion of the underlying assumptions I was making. Speaking frankly, it was an utter pain in the ar$e. I used a lot of closed-source, single-platform, proprietary software whose function had to be replaced. That took time - a lot of it.

So I think my main advice to anyone trying Linux would be this:

• Do your research
  
  
  • Before you try anything, make sure you understand what the project's underlying rationale is. For instance, KDE sets out to be a very pretty, full-fat, ultra-configurable desktop environment whereas Gnome sets out to be equally pretty but minimally configurable instead. If you want your desktop to be fast and you don't care as much for prettiness, you may want to look at other projects.
    
    In particular, make sure that you choose a distribution whose attitude to proprietary software, closed-source drivers, browser extensions etc. matches yours
• Change your workflow to be as cross-platform as possible
  
  
  • Many of the applications available for Linux are available for Windows and OSX. I have found that there is a great advantage in being able to use the same applications across platforms.
• Start out on a mainstream distribution
  
  
  • Simply put, "with enough eyes, all bugs are shallow". The larger the project, the more support is available both for bug fixes and the faster the project is likely to progress
  • Also, the larger distros (Ubuntu, OpenSUSE etc.) have much more 3rd party software available
• Avoid one-man projects
  
  
  • The examples abound (ReiserFS anyone?). However I would strongly advise giving preference to the larger (and inherently less risky) projects unless a pressing requirement dictates otherwise
• Take your time
  
  
  • You are going to be utterly frustrated and there's no way around that. After a while though, you will likely find that the conventional differences aren't such a problem and you can weigh up much more accurately whether the software is for you
• It might not be for you
  
  
  • There are significant, well-documented use cases where Linux just doesn't cut it. If you're doing high-end video editing, professional image editing or using bleeding-edge GPUs, you're going to struggle