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A few years ago I posted an article on HTMLfixIT about how, as a Microsoft Windows user, you can try Linux without upsetting or risking your Windows installation. The article attracted quite a bit of attention and support amongst Linux fans, who were keen for Windows users to take an obligation-free test drive of their beloved operating system. It was great to see a number of Linux sites link to the article, which even found its way onto Google News. Some of the links in the original story are now dead and it is a little outdated, so I've re-vamped and reproduced it here.

There are compelling reasons for Windows users to switch to (or at least evaluate) Linux, but when you know no other world than Windows or don’t want to even think about partitioning your precious hard drive, it can be one heck of a leap of faith! As a Windows user wanting to try Linux but scared of losing the world as I knew it, I found a risk-free method of trying Linux without threatening the installation of Windows safely installed and happily residing on my PC.

Mandriva Linux One is just one flavour of Linux that resides entirely on a bootable LiveCD. Others I have tried include Knoppix, Ubuntu, Fedora and PCLinuxOS, but there are dozens more included in an extensive list on the Wikipedia List of LiveDistros page. These "live" Linux distributions are not installed on your hard drive, they actually run from the CD without touching or threatening your Windows operating system in any way. This allows scaredy cats like me to experiment with Linux until their heart is content, then eject the CD and return to their Windows safety blanket exactly as they had left it.

Mandriva Linux One is my favourite, and like most other Linux LiveDistros it is free of charge. You can download your distro or find one on the cover CD of a computer magazine at your news stand. Current versions use Linux-Kernel 2.6.24 (the latest version) and KDE 3.5.8 (a Windows-style interface), as well as OpenOffice.org 2.3.1 (a fully-featured Microsoft Office alternative). Internet browsing is via Firefox or Konqueror amongst other choices, and MSN / AIM Instant Messenger users can still chat to their buddies using Kopete. A comprehensive range of multimedia and other programs are also included, allowing you to perform most common online / offline tasks that you would under Windows.

To give this scaredy cats introduction to Linux a go, simply:

1. Download Mandriva Linux One (about 700MB) or another LiveDistro of your choice;
2. Burn it to CD; and
3. Try it.

The downloads are free, but 700MB is a big ask unless you have a high-speed internet connection. Hence dial-up users need to be really patient or spend a few dollars at the news stand on a Linux magazine with a cover CD. For the uninitiated, downloading Mandriva Linux One requires a tiny bit of guidance to ensure you find the right file.

Firstly, the download is a single file with a .iso extension. Copies of the ISOs are downloaded from public FTP mirrors, although you are also offered the option of using BitTorrent which may provide a faster download.

To download Mandriva Linux One visit the download page and under the heading Public Mirror Network select a country close to your part of the world. You will then be presented with a choice of mirrors and locations. Take your pick and select the link. Next you will be invited to register, but this is optional. After a few moments one of the following will occur depending on how the mirror is set-up:

• The download will start automatically; or
• You will be directed to the mirror download page, usually a plain ugly page with little more than a list of file names. Select one of the files that is close to 700MB in size (I suggest selecting the file named "mandriva-linux-2008-one-KDE-cdrom-i586.iso") and start downloading the .iso file to your hard drive.

Once you have your .iso file you need to burn it to a CD. This couldn’t be easier using Nero or Roxio to turn your .iso into a fully bootable CD-ROM. Assuming you have one of these programs simply fire it up, select File / Open from the menu, navigate to your .iso file [if you can’t see your .iso file change "File type" to "all files (*.*)"], and open it. From there the program will burn a bootable CD for you. A more helpful set of instructions can be found at Petri.co.il if you need it. Note: Don’t fall into the trap of simply copying the .iso file onto a CD; you need to actually open the .iso from within your burning program as described above.

Finally, the magical moment for trying Linux. With your freshly-burnt CD inserted, shutdown / restart your PC. Upon start-up your new version of Linux will fire up, detecting your hardware and preparing itself for use. While this happens all information is being saved as RAM not ROM, which is another way of saying that nothing is being written to your hard drive and your Windows installation remains completely untouched.

You may see options for installing Linux over Windows, but remember that we're not looking to do that. We're simply going to run Linux from the CD without installing to your hard drive.

There is only one way to go from this point, and that is to answer set-up questions, follow your nose, and don’t be afraid to try. You will see a Windows-style interface that functions with a Start menu like you are used to. Go for it - there is very little that can go wrong.

When you have had enough simply shut-down and eject the CD to get back to Windows. After some experimenting and learning you should be primed to research Linux further and see what you’ve been missing out on while you were wallowing in the Windows world!

Got a view or opinion on this subject? Please feel free to add your thoughts to this topic.

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Thanks Champ this was very useful.

I found Mandriva One easy to use and am glad that I tried it. I can still access files on my windows C Drive under Linux this way, which is very handy.

Diver
UK - Tuesday, 20 May, 2008 at 22:41:58 (AEST Australia/NSW)

 

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