[ssm42]

Ok so I'm thinking I should stop whining about vista and do something about it. I'm sick of not being in control of my computer. I don't want my operating system telling me I don't have access to certain system files, I don't want my computer constantly updating and I don't want my operating system telling me I can't install programs with unsigned drivers etc etc etc.

I want a Linux os with 64-bit architecture, 2 I want it to be pretty (I know this is not a usual reason for installing linux but I want it to have more visual features than vista) 3 I want it to be fast.

I will read the linux FAQ following this post but I'd appreciate anyone giving me some input for I am very new to this.

Should I go Ubuntu? Kubuntu? ....


Thanks

[TerryNet]

I don't want my operating system telling me I don't have access to certain system files,

Then don't use Linux, or be prepared to run as root, which few people would advise doing.

I don't want my computer constantly updating

With Vista and XP I use the option to be told when updates are available for download and then when they are ready for install. You could also configure it to do nothing about updates.

I want it to have more visual features than vista)

Certainly many Linux distributions have different visual features than Vista, but not sure about having more.

Of the few Linux distributions I've tried, I think I'd rate Kubuntu as the "prettiest."

[ssm42]

Ya I've seen some pretty cool screen shots from Kubuntu. If I install Ubuntu with the KDE desktop is that the same as having Kubuntu? What about beryl?

When you say I shouldn't use Linux if I don't want my os telling me I don't have access to certain things, what type of things would be locked? And what is 'running as root'?

[Elvandil]

You'll find far fewer files are accessible to the user in Linux and they will be harder to get access to when you want to. And, as mentioned, unless you run as root (not ever a good idea), you will get frequent prompts for privilege elevation in order to perform tasks. Those new features of Vista have been familiar to Linux users for a long time. That is one of the reasons for Linux' relatively good security. So, users complained about the lack of security in Windows, MS remedied it by following the Linux example, and now people complain about the solution.

In both Vista and Linux, you can grant yourself access to most anything, and the methods are quite similar, too.

[TerryNet]

The root account is similar to the special Administrator account in XP or Vista.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by ssm42

Ya I've seen some pretty cool screen shots from Kubuntu. If I install Ubuntu with the KDE desktop is that the same as having Kubuntu? What about beryl?

When you say I shouldn't use Linux if I don't want my os telling me I don't have access to certain things, what type of things would be locked? And what is 'running as root'?

You will need to elevate your privileges to do most anything that is system-related: making connections, mounting drives, installing programs, accessing most files and folders, installing the constant and never-ending stream of updates, etc., etc. You'll have maybe 10-20 updates a week and sometimes well over 100. After installation, there are a great many right away. Ubuntu's version of an update advisor will pop up the first boot after connecting to the net.

[ssm42]

Elvandil- do you know how to disable vista's driver signature enforcement without having to do an f8 boot everytime?

I don't understand the big deal about running root. I've had to do it like ten times already

[Elvandil]

Try:

bcdedit.exe -set loadoptions DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS

Nothing special about running as root, except that it is very insecure to hackers. And a pain, sometimes, to keep elevating.

[ssm42]

ya I tried that it didn't work. I also heard that it only works for the next boot. I tried to create a task that would automatically run that script when I shut down but I couldnt get it to work.

im now having ubuntu issues. I tried to set up my monitor and it doesnt work. now I log in and both screens go black.

[Elvandil]

An update may have changed that. I'm sure we can find another way.

If you are booting Ubuntu with the Vista bootloader, try one of these for repairs (if you can boot Vista):

VistabootPro or EasyBCD

[ssm42]

I tried both of those and neither worked. The one that selects the disable driver signature enforcement manually worked to a certain extent. It was able to select the ddse option but no matter how many times I reconfigured the amount of "up strokes" required to select my operating system, I couldn't get it to pick the right one. I tried the default 1, then 2, 3, 4, 5 and none worked. It seemed like it kept going to far. After the 1 up stroke, it kept going up.

The one that you edit the boot and select disable signature enforcement didn't do anything.

I read that you have to disable certain updates and I disabled every one that I could find (if anything I disabled too many) but it still didn't work.


My monitor still doesn't work after I boot into ubuntu either