A few questions for PC freaks. Topic Linux/Windows?

Question

HI,
I built my PC late last year, with to great success. Everything went were it was supposed to, i even had to ghetto rig some stuff! :) I tell you this because I know enough on the base level, i know enough to build a computer, but i dont know enough to know why my OS wont want to install..

My first and highest priority is... I want to get Ubuntu Linux on my custom desktop. (Honestly I would even spend time in other linux distros as well, but right now thats what i WANT) Problem is, something in my computer is rejecting it. I think i have it narrowed down to a Bios/UEFI problem? Wouldnt that mean that my MOTHERBOARD is the sole reason the OS is refusing to install?
It literally freezes/ hangs during install.. THe machine never has ever once froze except on the many occasions i tried installing linux..

Could the problem be that I am trying to isntall on a system that has windows 7 already installed?
Would completely wiping the machine and trying to install linux as my first OS solve this problem?
I dont think it would but then again thats why I'm asking, since the Bios/Uefi is motherboard related i've concluded that my motherboard is simply incompatible. I went to the manufactureres page and of course the only "supported" OS logo was windows 8, but i have win 7... i guess ill assume they consider it acceptable... I also tried installing ubuntu through various means. Boot disc, Bootable USB, the legacy version of the OS, but my bios menu doesn't have that 'legacy' option...

If I were to go shopping for a new motherboard, how do i look and see if something is compatable with multiple OS's? I've tried to just look at the specs on newegg and i couldnt find a slot for that info.

Question 2: I am planning on wiping my desktop anyways, but in the end what version of windows runs that fastest? I realize this may be a hard to answer question. But i figure the latter and latter versions of windows are probably far more advanced and have layers and layers of coding that need to be processed.. Wouldn't a higher end machine of today, be able to take a 'simpler' OS (and by simpler i mean older, i dont actually know if it really is simpler) such as win95, or win2000 or even winXp, and just run it much more effeciently with less resources?

I guess this may go completely against my thinking, but i would probably use windows exclusively for Online game, MMO's specifcially so i would need to look and see the oldest compatable OS's for each correct?

finally, when i install a new motherboard, or even a new processor, do i need to reinstall the OS?
WHat about when i ADD a new harddrive to a system, not replace the HDD.

I may be ahead of myself here, but if the motherboard is the issue, can anyone recommend an up to date, rather new motherboard that is compatible with multiple OS's and good for a moderately high end gaming pc?

Answer 1

There are known issues installing/booting Linux-based systems from UEFI. You'll need to Google this yourself because you haven't told us the make and model of your motherboard.



For speed in Windows go for 8. Do not consider going back beyond XP because there are no security updates available - and probably no recent antivirus. Do not go online without AV. Good options include Avast.



You will not need to reinstall when you add or upgrade individual components.

Answer 2

Just having windows 7 installed is not a problem for dual booting linux.

Wiping the drive and reinstalling would not help.

Motherboard makers do not generally qualify their boards for linux.

WHen shopping for a new board and wanting to know if it will run linux it is best to simply google for "linux brand_model_motherboard"

If you get a new motherboard you will have to reinstall the OS because the new board will probably have different drivers. If you simply add a second HDD to a system you do not have to reinstall.

Before buying a new board I would suggest that you read the ubuntu documentation for dual booting with UEFI.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

Pretty sure you have a UEFI problem. You can shut it off in the bios. You may also have a bad download so check the MD5 code. And try a different distro, and run the live disk first without installing, to see what's compatible.



I dual boot most of my machines. Or triple, or quad. Can't decide which Linux I like better: Mint, Ubuntu, Puppy, or Bodhi.