Separate OS's

[The Batman]

I want to install a separate OS on my computer i have 120gb of memory and 1gb of RAM but I was thinking of installing it on my flash drive (2gb) and running it off of there. I was thinking of Linux but I don't know how to install it on my flash drive, so can you guys please help?

[Blahages]

I want to install a separate OS on my computer i have 120gb of memory and 1gb of RAM but I was thinking of installing it on my flash drive (2gb) and running it off of there. I was thinking of Linux but I don't know how to install it on my flash drive, so can you guys please help?

There is this for Ubuntu...

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2008/04/14/ubuntu-804-usb-hard-drive-install/

It says 4GB+ Flash Drive. I don't know how much you really need. 2GB might not be enough for Ubuntu.

I'm not sure of any Distros that I consider "Good" that are small enough. DSL (Damn Small Linux) would certainly fit, as it's only 50MB, but it's not really the best OS especially for someone wanting to do too much with it, or someone who hasn't used Linux very much.

You can repartition your Hard drive, with the Partition Program in the Ubuntu Installer, and it'll resize it, but there's always chances something could go wrong, and you could lose things. So, backing up things might be an idea...

If you just want to screw around with Linux, and NOT mess with possibly screwing something up on your HDD, try this:

It's called Wubi (http://www.wubi-installer.org/). It's an installer for Ubuntu that runs from within Windows, and it creates this "Virtual" Hard Drive on your Windows Install and installs Ubuntu to that, and then lets you choose between Windows and Ubuntu when you boot up.

It doesn't actually change the layout of your hard drive either. It stores the Ubuntu install in the C:\Wubi Folder.

And, it's easy to get rid of if you decide you don't want it later on without messing anything up.

Might give it a try. It's also part of the Desktop Live CD for Ubuntu that you can download.

There's also VirtualBox (http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Screenshots), which is a "Virtual PC" Program. It lets you create a "Virtual Computer" Basically, where you can run one Operating system within another, and have it seem as if it's two entirely seperate computers.

This is the safest method, although it uses "Virtual Hardware" as opposed to the hardware your computer actually has, so it limits a few things, like some of the graphical effects that Linux offers now. But, it's worth a mention.

If you can't tell, I'm sort of partial to Ubuntu, but there are others. Many others have similar things, although I'm not sure about a Wubi-like installer for other Distros, but you can run others in the VirtualBox.

[The Batman]

ok I'm downloading Wubi right now and I'll do VirtualBox too. Also I'm thinking of getting Xp on another hard drive so that I can have a more educated guess when I'm comparing the two.

Whenever I try and install it the setup can't access the website could it be because of my firewall or something.

[Electric Cheese]

mandriva linux can be run off pen drives, and the live distro comes on a CD which is ~700Mb, so there'll be plenty of room

[Patchy]

wouldn't putting a os on a pen drive cause quite a lot of problems such as if you install it and make it work for ur computer hardware then it might not work properly on another computer

[The Batman]

Ok I have Ubuntu now installed as a second OS, and I'm sorta torn between it I'll have to play around with it till I like it.

[Electric Cheese]

**uses power of telepathy* ubuntu....ubuntu....ubuntu!!