[RoSS]

Ok, so I finally decide to put Linux on a computer that I have. I was planning on putting it on one of my two shitty computers, but neither of them boot from CD, so c'est la vie. Thus I had only one other choice--the family computer. I decided I'd install it, put a bunch of impressive, free software on there and show my mom how cool it was.
So I ask my friend for help, he points me to System Recovery, a Gentoo-based linux boot that has a partitioning tool (QtParted, a graphical version of parted), and a Debain Linux installation. The instuctions were simple, and I was assured it would work-- the best laid plans of mice and men...
So during the day, while my mom was at work, I booted up with System Recovery, ran QtParted, took the last 10GB off my second partition (the Windows partition), and freed it so that Linux could create its file structures. Then I boot up with the Debian installation disk and everything installs peachy. I finally restart the computer, and I see GRUB-the multi-OS boot-loader. I run Linux and everything seems fine, so I restart again and I run Windows. Well, I didn't quite see Windows. What I saw was HP Recovery, which theoretically resets all Windows files to their factory-initialized states, without deleting any other files.
I assumed that since I had changed the size of the partition, Windows was just being stupid and freaking out, but I wasn't sure whether I should run it or not. Well, it was already 5:15 and my mom was coming home at any minute, and I had been trying to reach my friend for the past hour, to no avail. I finally decide to just run it, as my mom would never notice anyway (all she does is check her mail =P). It finishes and a restart the computer to find... a blinking cursor. What one would expect to find on a computer lacking an OS. I decide that I don't have time to fix this right now (with my mom coming home any minute), so I'll just turn the computer off and pray she doesn't try to turn it on.
Well, the night goes by and she hasn't once thought about the computer. Theeeen, just as she's about to go to bed and I'm thanking my lucky stars, she turns it on. After freaking out a bit, me telling her what I did, her freaking out even more claiming that I had destroyed her expensive computer, and me assuring her I had not, and that I would fix it tomorrow, we went to bed.
I wasn't able to get in touch with my friend until early evening the next day, so I tried a few things on my own. I cleared the linux partition, and reinstalled, wanting at least a working copy of linux (just in case), and that seemed to go ok. GRUB came back and I had the same problem with windows, but I didn't dare try to run HP Recovery again. When I finally contacted my friend, he seemed just as confused as I was that this had happened. He tells me that he'll do some research and think about it and call me back.
A bit later, he calls me back saying that he has an idea. Linux DID realize that I had Windows XP installed on this computer, but it was probably confused as to which partition it was on. It was then that I remember that the first partition, the partition before the standard windows partition, was the "backup" partition, containing the HP recovery stuff. So he instructs me how to change where GRUB looks for windows, and I realize that GRUB was looking at the wrong partition and I fix it. However, HP Recovery's damage had been done. Windows, for whatever reason, refused to load. Just a blinking cursor when I selected it.
And that brings me to today, when I called the HP Tech Support line and they told me they would send a Recovery CD that should set the harddrive up just as it was when we first got it. So my mom was relieved, especially since I had backed up what few files either of us actually cares about ( 2 total =) ). Then I remembered that System Recovery had a copy of Links on it (a graphical version of the ancient lynx browser), which, although not the best browser (for example, we can't check our mail), is currently allowing me to post here =)

If anybody's got any ideas of how to fix this before I use the installation CD (which'll probably be monday, since I'm leaving town tomorrow=thursday), I'd like to hear it. ...wow, that was a long post XD

p.s. DMZX looks absolutely retarded in this browser, but it's all good XD

[Dr_Dos]

the moral of the story is don't use linux

[Xombie]

incorrect. the moral of the story is don't use HP

[Dr_Dos]

I'LL MORAL YOU!

[Xombie]

I'm immune to morals

[ShloobeR]

The moral of the story is don't mess with computers because they will most likely break.

[paulguy]

That sounds like something PMpro would do!!!

[Dr_Dos]

XOMBIE I'M WILLING TO COMPROMISE AND ACCEPT TECKI'S MORAL. WILL YOU DO THE SAME?

[Xombie]

I agree to said terms

[Koji]

Yay everyone, group hug!

[weasel]

"Greetings, moral. Are you ready to die?"

RoSS: I'm sorry to hear about your Linuxian misfortune. I haven't had the best luck with Linux myself, ending up with a copy of Mandrake that didn't run, a copy of Topologi in which I could not set up internet, and a copy of Knoppix Live-On-CD that never saved my settings to a floppy disk.

[Spectere]

WildWeasel, on Aug 5 2004, 01:31 PM, said:

I haven't had the best luck with Linux myself, ending up with a copy of Mandrake that didn't run, a copy of Topologi in which I could not set up internet, and a copy of Knoppix Live-On-CD that never saved my settings to a floppy disk.

I've had pretty good experiences with Linux (besides a small...err, large...incident involving Mandrake's old buggy partitioning software, which basically means "say good-bye all those hours of work you did with Impulse Tracker and ZZT, because right now the Zip disk that you backed that stuff onto is going to stop functioning"...I wish I were joking), it's just that Linux isn't as useful to me as Windows is. Pretty much the most work I've done with Linux was program an interpreter for a silly little programming language I made, and it didn't take long for me to shift to the Visual Studio .NET IDE (which, surprisingly, I own...legally ) because it's much nicer than emacs (which I started using after I realized that KDevelop sucked).

To each his/her own, I figure. I consider Linux to be more of a toy (before any Linux buffs get up in arms over that statement, keep in mind that that's merely now I use it -- I know it can easily stand alone) and Windows and OS X to be my workhorse operating systems.

[GetDizzy]

I hope RoSS does not give up on Linux. Get back on that horse and try again my friend. Just remember to set grub to the second partition after you restore windows.

[gofer-chan]

Insidious, on Aug 5 2004, 07:39 PM, said:

I hope RoSS does not give up on Linux. Get back on that horse and try again my friend. Just remember to set grub to the second partition after you restore windows.

why would anyone want to use linux

[hob nado]

keep spreadin' the linux gospel my friend zaph

I hope nobody here has to go on a tirade about how silly operating system elitism is. Use what you need, or use what you like.

[Spectere]

I'm so glad that the MegaZeux community is no longer filled with OS elitism. I remember the first time I tried to get involved in the community; if you so much as said that you liked Windows in the IRC channel you would earn yourself a ban or a good flaming. The current community is just so much more mature overall.

Hehehe, if I mentioned that I was a part-time Mac user to the Olde Commune I'd be flogged.

This post has been edited by Spectere: 06 August 2004 - 02:06 AM

[Dr_Dos]

LUNIX IS THE SUPERIOR OPERATING SYSTEM

[Aussie Evil]

Apparently, Dr. Dos is stuck in the 1997 MZX community.

Edit: and he also spelled Linux wrong. Har!

This post has been edited by Aussie Evil: 06 August 2004 - 04:43 PM

[Zenith Nadir]

you are a moron

he was talking about this; http://www.something.../usarfreindley/

HATE IS MINE ^_____^

[Koji]

WINBLOWS! HAHA!

LINUX RULEZES ALL!

UR !1337

[Aussie Evil]

4th rule, guys.

[Koji]

I suppose you are refering to this rule

Quote

4) Don't post any kind of annoying nonsense messages, such as all-caps messages and long "lol" strings.

Now our posts were not nonsensical. They were satires of the megazeux forum's posts from back in the late 90's and whenever else a stupid OS battle broke out. Enevitably some idiot hybrid between a lamer a newbie and supposed 1337 person came around and posted such a messages.

And if you didn't catch that that these post were infact related to the topic at hand, well then that's your own problem.

[Dr_Dos]

lol 1st amendment