tired of Knoppix install, should i try SuSE?

[adamherb]

I was having issues with installing knopix. I have just giving up. I am going to try to install SuSE. Is the installation similar, or totally different. What I want to know is, can I install the bootloader to /root, and then just make a boot floppy to boot into it. I know you can do that with Knoppix, but can you do the same thing with SuSE? Or should I just use Debian? I know lots of people here like Debian, so are there any sugestions? It has to be able to do the floppy thing that I explained earlier.

[Particle]

Knoppix is just a customized version of Debian. Debian itself is tough to install due to the lack of a nice installer GUI, but the OS itself is nice.

[j.drake]

FWIW, I hated SuSE's live CD . Knoppix and variants are my favorites. Some people call SuSE "simple". To me, it was "dumbed down" to the point of being frustrating - it was harder to do what I wanted to do. My current favorite is Kanotix. I don't install to HD (I use PMI exclusively), but I keep hearing that Kanotix is the better choice for HD installation as well.

jd

[eon]

It might be helpful to know what kind of hardware you have since that makes a world of difference.
Having said that though in my experiance Suse has great hardware recognition, and the installer
is very good.
You do have to get used to its way of doing things but I have used SuSE since version 7.3 and it gets
alot of things right. It is a commercial distro so I agree it has some quirks-so does debian. Install woody
sometime to see.
I recommend SuSE 9.0 or higher if you don't want to learn, or bother with configuration.

As far as creating a boot floppy; I believe that SuSE stills gives you that option. It did with 8.2.

[adamherb]

These are the specs for my system:
160 GB Hardrive Windows Xp Install, 1 partition
80 GB 3 Partitions NTFS, Swap, and future Linux install
512 MB RAM
Athlon 64 3200+
128 MB Video Memory

[monkeyking]

Well it really depends on your needs....
I'm using knoppix as a emergency bootdisc, and for this it does an excellent job.

But I wouldn't dream of using it as my "linux" system, they shouldn't have removed the tetex stuff, and thats for sure.
Also the memory footprint for knoppix is enourmous.

And it also depends on how you like your computer or how new to linux you are.
If you want some basic distrubution info you should go here. http://www.distrowatch.com(linux only), or here http://www.osnews.com/(everyting)
And quite frankly you can't believe what people are telling you, you are asking in a knoppix forum, and we have to assume that people floating aroung here, are somewhat biased.

I think most people new to linux start with a windows alike version of linux. (like mandrake, feodora/redhar, debian).
And after some time you get tired of all the eyecandy and stuff going around in the outskirts of your filesystem. (strange config files being altered, by even more arcane installation procedures).

But gradually you learn more and more linux, and after some time you want a more "basic system", and then you move on to something like slackware or gentoo.

I'm running slackware currently, but it's been a long and hard work, making it work :?
But you learn by doing it, for me I would say that the windowsalike distibutions never allowed me to learn unix.
But thats just me.



You should be more explicit about your system.
What kind of soundcard do you have, what kind of graphiccard do you have, and also your internet connection. Is it a network card, and is it supported.

god luck

[rrfish72]

Adamherb, what did you try to install knoppix? The steps are very simple to do and it is a better distro than Suse I believe also. The Suse installer wolks through the install process, like knoppix, but I think it a person might have to know alittle more to install it. Knoppix sets up pretty much the entire install, with the exception of the partitioning part-which it can do for you too.
Kanotix works great for hd install. It is better geared for a hd install, maybe that is an option for you if you want to stay close to the knoppix/debian distro.

[markb]

Kanotix and Mepis are 2 live CD's closely related to Knoppix but targetted more specifically to HD installs.

[eon]

Adamherb, what did you try to install knoppix? The steps are very simple to do and it is a better distro than Suse I believe also. The Suse installer wolks through the install process, like knoppix, but I think it a person might have to know alittle more to install it. Knoppix sets up pretty much the entire install, with the exception of the partitioning part-which it can do for you too.
Kanotix works great for hd install. It is better geared for a hd install, maybe that is an option for you if you want to stay close to the knoppix/debian distro.

I have tried many distros. I do use knoppix as my main linux, and I think SuSE has one of the best installers.
It's not true that you need to know more to install suse compared to knoppix because suse will do it all for you if that's what you want.
If for some reason you want to stay with a debian compatible system then xandros has a very easy installer and great hardware
recognition.

[adamherb]

I installed Knoppix, but there were errors. It did get done the install though. When I booted, it would run fsck and then say it failed, and to run it manually. I thought it meant from the K Menu. Then I tried a reinstall, and this time I ran fsck, and then it worked. So really I dont need any more help. I like how it works. I just installed the bootloader to /root, and then i use Smart Boot Manager, on a floppy when I want to use Linux, because there are other people that use the system. A bootloader menu would confuse them, and then I would have to explains to them why I need Linux!

[thick_guy_9]

ADAMHERB,
why don't you give YOPER or MEPIS a try?
With Yoper = you won't have security upgrades - as it is not debian based, but a mix'n'match of diff distros.
MEPIS = Debian based, Like Knoppix - but you can only have 2-3 partitions (same with YOPER).
or try Slackware = if you want Linux, but you'll have to ask questions and try the answers and gradually tune your OS. Package Management is non-existent.

I suggest YOPER.

Good luck