Linux and XP

I suspect that the Ubuntu format is a linux native type, like Ext3, which XP cannot read by default.

The solution is to install a driver for it - this looks like a candidate. Be warned that I haven't tried it, it could be malware, it could hose your system. Read up on it first.

Incidentally, I've recently downloaded Ubuntu myself - only running Feisty in liveCD mode so far though. Something's wrong with the networking... I've configured it with my IP/subnet/gateway/dns, but it doesn't connect to the outside world. Still trying to work out why... Pinging 127.0.0.1 works, pinging the IP of the machine doesn't.

Would help if there was a troubleshooting flowchart for it. Ubuntuforums looks useful, and surprisingly helpful, but I want to try and fix it myself. It's giving me a migraine trying though - not least because it's the network that doesn't work ;)

Thanks Lan, I'll try that. I managed to get the wireless connection ok once I'd discovered that my Belkin adaptor has a Broadcom BCM4318 chip! All fascinating stuff.. Works perfectly now, in fact better than XP which has an annoying habit of disconnecting if I leave it unattended for more than an hour. Good old Feisty Fawn stays connected with no worries. It's growing on me. If only they did PS CS2 for Linux..

You might be able to use Crossover Office - check.

As for XP, desktop or lappy?

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<hr>Is there any way I can get at the second drive from the C: drive.<hr></blockquote>

Try this. Works great...

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<hr> Something's wrong with the networking... I've configured it with my IP/subnet/gateway/dns, but it doesn't connect to the outside world. Still trying to work out why... Pinging 127.0.0.1 works, pinging the IP of the machine doesn't.<hr></blockquote>

It's not connected to your Windows network, or not to the Internet at all? I'm on Ubuntu 6.06 and I am able to just plugin to a Windows network and navigate to the machines through Places > Network Servers... no setup required.

If it's an Internet connection problem, try clicking on the network icon in the taskbar (top right of screen). Click on your network interface. Disable it. Click OK. Then go back and re-enable it. Then click OK. That usually works in Dapper. I'm not sure about Feisty because I've been too busy to upgrade...
:S

Thanks again, that could be the way if I'm to be ruthless. I suppose I need to know what is the equivalent of the killer app for Linux compared with Windows. For the moment I'll keep the two running until I'm convinced of an advantage. In some ways the UI reminds me of an early version of Windows although I guess it's what's happening behind the scenes that's more relevant.

It's just on a desktop for now.

Thanks for the link boatcrew. I shall look at that one. I'm definitely a noob here. Like navigating through directories is puzzling me right now.. I'll stick at it though :)

boat: internet connection - well actually just all network connections, it won't ping itself or anything else (except for 127.0.0.1), nor can it see the internet. i'll try the disable/re-enable trick, see if that works. it may just have been "one of those things™". it's frustrating because it's the one thing i can't search for solutions to - if the gfx were stuck at 640x480, i'd be able to google it, but as it stands i have to drop out of ubuntu to return to vista to look for answers ;)

now i know to use lspci to find out what pci devices ubuntu is seeing, and that "ip addr show" is similar to ipconfig. it's all fairly logical, but it's just too different for me to be able to guess.

thanks!

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<hr>I suppose I need to know what is the equivalent of the killer app for Linux compared with Windows. For the moment I'll keep the two running until I'm convinced of an advantage. In some ways the UI reminds me of an early version of Windows although I guess it's what's happening behind the scenes that's more relevant. <hr></blockquote>

When I first started with Linux it was an older version of Knoppix. There was no anti-aliasing on the fonts. It didn't look good to me. I eventually moved to Fedora and then Ubuntu. After using GNOME (Ubuntu) for a while I can't go back to Windows. Windows fonts look terrible to me now.

What do you use computers for? Maybe I could recommend an app that you would really like.

Some suggestions:
Try Amarok for music player. It's great.

Browse through Synaptic for new programs to download. There are thousands of free programs.

Learn the GNOME keyboard shortcuts, like Alt-F2 (launch program), Alt-F9 (minimize window), Alt-F5 (unmaximize window), Alt-F4 (close window), and many others...

Learn how to use virtual desktops. For example, Ctrl-Alt-[arrow] moves you to a different "virtual desktop" (see the bottom right corner of the screen). There are 4 by default, but I configure it to use 6. Each virtual desktop can hold an arrangement of programs. I keep Firefox on the first desktop. FTP goes on #4. Email clients go on #6. Graphics programs on #2... etc. To grab a window and move it to another desktop, use Ctrl-Shift-Alt-[arrow].

* If you do any kind of information processing, learn the terminal. The scriptable shell is amazing.