Ubuntu Intrepid – kiss Windoze goodbye!
Posted on December 27th, 2008 in future reference, observations computers, life, linux, ubuntu
About a month ago I bought a new SATA harddrive. 1.5 terabytes for around $150 from newegg.com, it was going to solve my limited harddrive problem. And it did… eventually. Problem was when it was installed, windows wouldn’t boot up.
Now, this is the first SATA drive I’ve ever had, so I spent about a week computerless (oh noes!) switching jumpers around trying to get the winning configuration. I also tried re-installing windows – big mistake. In trying to format another partition, it corrupted not only my MBR but the partition table as well, so I lost just about everything. Windows wouldn’t install, and none of the linux disks I had would install either. You’d think i’d be tearing my hair out after a week of this right? Not really – I mainly drank more rum and watched more tv than usual.
I did realize, however, that this was a new drive, and my disks were all from 2004 or earlier. So I downloaded the new ubuntu – intrepid. Let me just say now I am a big admirer of the GPL movement, the open source movement, and the “free as in speech and beer” movement, and thus naturally of linux itself. However back in 2004 when I tried the operating system out it still had too many rough edges for a “windoze noob” like me to get cut on. My wireless card couldn’t be detected, my graphics card worked like crap, and biggest of all – the most common objection to linux in fact – there were games and programs that windows had that I just couldn’t leave behind.
So, fast forward back to 2008 where I’m running out of choices and I don’t even have a windows to go back to. What I end up doing is connecting only my SATA drive and, while windows still won’t format it, Ubuntu works with it like a charm. Install is easy as pie, and fast. Network is running. Updates are so easy a 3rd grader could do them, or (mentally) a senior like me. I have an operating system, i have internet! I am ALIVE!
So, right out of the box I have my internet, cd burning, and office programs to give a sense of decency back into my life. And the following week goes by looking through the very intuitive updater and program installer tool, Synaptic – downloading drawing programs for my wacom tablet (yes – it works!), extra games (simple stuff), music programs and fun stuff. I also boost up the desktop effects, so the windows wobble when I move them around my desktop – very cool.
But that empty feeling comes again. All those things I left behind. As a frequent gamer, I’ve been loving Fallout 3 lately, and am a big fan of fantasy genres like Oblivion and HOMM. I also play Prey and Bioshock. Not only that, but I need my old versions of photoshop and flash to make pictures with, since that’s what I know. Will these be the end of my linux experience this time around?
First off, Ubuntu comes with virtualization software installed. Pretty sweet huh? If anyone has ever tried VMware on Windows, for example, they know what I’m talking about. Virtualbox OSE is just about the same thing. It works just as well, although with less advanced options. I installed windows xp on my virtual machine (more on that later) and got Fireworks, Photoshop and Flash all working on it fine.
Second, wine has come far since i last tried it. Standing for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”, its basically an emulative application layer to run windows programs on linux. Sounds scary, how does it work in practice? Well, I had the linux version of Heroes of Might and Magic III, which I installed (more on that later too), but I couldn’t get the sound working on it and couldn’t get it to save. Rather than spending hours working on those, I downloaded HOMM3 Complete Portable and ran it through wine, which works perfectly.
Fireworks, Photoshop, Flash; HOMM,Fallout, Fallout 2, Rune…. check, check, check. All of them no problem. And I have heard that there’s a linux version of Prey, which I will be looking into later. Fallout 3 I am still missing, but oh well – the originals are better anyway.
So, all’s well that ends well. Almost a month and no windows. I’ve ordered an external hot-pluggable hdd casing from Newegg, and will be working on getting back my data later. And I’ll be writing details on all the trials and tribulations of getting the little details working.
December 29th, 2008 at 11:13 am
sounds like you were more successful than dan when he tried to reformat the hard drive or something and we lost all of microsoft office and our ability to print anything.
it’s all fixed now, but it put a damper in my job search because i had to format my resume at work on my work computer… which isn’t really a good idea in any sense.