From vista to linux

How to convert my laptop with Windows Vista to Linux base?

I want to learn Linux, so thinking about to convert my laptop from Vista to Linus. Please show me what are the right steps to do this.

4 Answers 4

You don’t need to convert Vista to Linux : you can have them both, using Linux as an application within Windows.

See the following two linux distributions:
andLinux.org — Run Linux natively inside Windows
Wubi — an officially supported Ubuntu installer for Windows

You have several options in this scenario, I would recommend one of the following

1. Download a LiveCD. A lot of the flavours of Linux have a LiveCD, you can boot from this CD into the linux operating system to give you a feel for the operating system. It can potentially be a little slow as your running off a CD, but it gives you a good insight to what you’re letting yourself into. The plus side is that it doesn’t touch your Vista installation so no harm will be done.
2. Install VirtualBox, then install a distro of your choice. This would be the best option as you get to learn how the installation is performed, and if you restart you won’t lose any data as you’re not running from a CD.

As far as choosing a linux distro, Ubuntu is very popular and user friendly, if you prefer more of a challenge and don’t want to be spoon fed with setup wizards, try Slackware, its not normally recommended to beginners, but worth a shot!

These references should help you start learning :

• LinuxQuestions.org — useful forums, plenty of articles there to get you started
• Ubuntu forums — If you take the Ubuntu Route
• Linux Documentation Project — ’nuff said, plenty of useful HOWTOs etc.
• Linux User groups — Find yours here
• Linux IRC — Lots of channels here to ask for help / suggestions

If you do go with Ubuntu, when you install it there’s an option to «install inside windows». There are a few things missing (it doesn’t hibernate properly, that is the one that comes to mind) but for the most part you get a full install and you can choose when you boot up whether you want Windows or Linux.

edit: or just listen to harrymc 😉

If your computer can boot from a USB device, such as a USB stick, I’d recommend installing Ubuntu on such a device. You can then choose to either boot off the USB stick to enjoy Linux, or boot normally from your hard disk if you want to get back to Vista. I wish we could do the other way around, keeping Vista on USB stick.

This will give you an actual installation of Linux, as opposed to a LIVE version, where most likely all your changes will be lost once you reboot. But also, it will give you a better speed. Not as fast as an internal SATA hard could give you, but closer to reality than booting off a CD.

Also, if you use a free (and open source) program known as UNETBOOTIN, under Windows, you can transfer a distro such as Ubuntu from its ISO file to an actual USB device, from which you can boot. Then you can install Linux, or use it LIVE, as usually.

I use UNETBOOTIN to put my favorite distro on a memory stick, from which I can then install on other computers quickly, and I do many installations. As far as my personal favorite distro, I would use UBUNTU, but I read that there are some hardware issues with the latest, 9.10. You should be safe with 9.04.

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How to Install Linux on Windows Vista?

You dont need to convert Vista to Linux : you can have them both, using Linux as an application within Windows . Download a LiveCD. The plus side is that it doesnt touch your Vista installation so no harm will be done. Install VirtualBox, then install a distro of your choice.

Can I Replace Windows Vista with Linux?

While there really isnt anything you can do about #1, taking care of #2 is easy. Replace your Windows installation with Linux! . Windows programs typically will not run on a Linux machine, and even the ones that will run using an emulator such as WINE will run slower than they do under native Windows.

Can I Install Ubuntu on Windows Vista?

If you want to install both on the same drive, you have options: Install Vista . Install Ubuntu using the Windows setup tool provided on the Ubuntu CD; OR. Partition the drive.

How do I Install Linux on an Old Computer?

Download Mint. First, download the Mint ISO file.
Burn the Mint ISO file to a DVD or USB drive. Youre going to need an ISO burner program.
Set up your PC for an alternative bootup.
Boot up Linux Mint.
Give Mint a try.
Make sure your PC is plugged in.
Set up a partition for Linux Mint from Windows.
Boot into Linux.

Can I Upgrade from Windows Vista to Linux?

1 – Unlike Windows, consumer versions of Linux are completely free. Simply download and install the Linux distro of your choice and youll be good to go.

How do I Run Ubuntu on Vista?

Make sure you have a USB stick that is at least 2GB big.
Check your BIOS settings and make sure that it is set to boot from USB.
Download a program to burn the image to your USB stick.
Once the burn is complete, keep the USB stick plugged in and reboot Vista, for the last time!

How to Install Linux in Windows XP/VISTA/7/8/10 for .

Table of Contents

Can you Run Linux on Windows Vista?

Can I Replace Windows Vista with Linux?

Can I Install Ubuntu on Windows Vista?

How do I Install Linux on an Old Computer?

Can I Upgrade from Windows Vista to Linux?

How do I Run Ubuntu on Vista?

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Moving from Vista to Linux

I am interested in changing the Operating system on an old laptop of mine from Vista to Linux. Problem is I don’t know anything about Linux. I have been told Fedora is a good distribution for me to get started with. Are there any tutorials or resources available on the internet to help me uninstall windows and get started with Linux?

3 Answers 3

I’d say Fedora is a big step if you’re just getting your feet wet. There are many facets of the OS you probably wont explore at first due to complexity, and neglecting these areas may not give you the best user experience if unused features are using your resources in the background. I’d recommend Ubuntu for a beginner in the Linux world. This distribution has been fine tuned to assess the end user and will include more programs by default that are common on a desktop platform. There is also a wealth of information available from Canonical as well as other Ubuntu enthusiasts to get you started.

If you wish to wipe out Vista, there is the option in the Ubuntu installer to use the entire disk:

this will effectively get rid of every other operating system that resides on the drive. I’d strongly recommend installing Ubuntu within Windows first using Wubi or installing into a virtual machine. These options will make removing Ubuntu easy if you find it is not for you.

You can try Linux through a virtual machine on Windows.

You can download VMWare Player for free (there are other programs that do the same thing.) http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Then download a virtual machine with the OS you want. You can download the latest Ubuntu (which I recommend for you) release from here: http://www.vmware.com/appliances/

Give those a download, get a Unix book and go have fun!

I had a wtf moment when reading your answer for the first time. I think you should obviously state that the guy who asked the question could use a virtual machine on a modern computer which is powerful enough to run it, not on that poor old machine which is planned to be switched to linux.

@vtest — good point! You do need a half way decent machine to run virtual machines. Memory is the key here. You probably want at least 2GB of memory, preferrably 3GB+.

If you’ve never tried Linux before, it’s not one of those things you want to just jump in and get started on. It’s somewhat like buying a car. If you know somebody who’s been with Linux for a while (and you trust them to speak to you without babbling jargon) consult with them. There are many great tutorials online too. When you get stuck on a hitch, there’s almost always a tutorial on your specific problem.

Getting Started

That said, Fedora isn’t a beginner’s OS. If you want to get your feet wet, start with Ubuntu. Better yet, Linux Mint which has its own little tweaks here and there, as well as resembling Windows more concerning behavior.

If your computer is strong enough, run something like PortableUbuntu or VirtualBox to get started. If not, install Linux onto your computer using either Wubi or Mint4Win. To use those, just download and burn the appropriate disc and insert the disc while still running Windows. Again, like buying a new car, it’s better to get a feel for it before you splurge and buy into it. Even when your old car is barely drivable anymore :-).

Installation

If you feel like you want to go full-on with Linux (which shouldn’t be too quick—take your time to look around, create a backup as well as a backup plan in case of screwups) and you don’t have any data on it, just burn a CD and select «Use Entire Disk» choosing the partitioning—there’s no real «uninstalling» of Windows, just wiping it off the drive. But before it does any actual wiping, there’s a Migration Assistant that’ll copy off your data and settings for cross-platform programs like Firefox. Make a backup anyway.

But if you do have some data, and you went with Mint, Mint has a wonderful backup utility called MintBackup that’ll backup your data (everything important, i.e. data and program settings is all in the same folder, unlike Windows and the registry) and even a list of programs you have installed. You can backup your stuff onto a flash drive and restore it after install.

Tips

I wrote a few tips here about stuff on Ubuntu. One thing I would add though, is don’t be afraid to sound like a total n00b. Ask questions on the Ubuntu or Linux Mint forums. They have appropriate forums for um, those who want to get started. And the ever-wise, «Don’t be afraid to ask questions!»

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