Need help getting started with linux

[Angelo Sonnesso]

I created a startup disk under windows me, and use it to start in dos.
Hit number 4 when the disk pauses and it will give you the minimum
configuration.
zip speak should take care of the support you need.

> Hi everyone,
>
> Ok, I'm very new to linux  and I've got a ton of questions. Here goes.
> Well, I'm ready to try installing linux. I'm kind of nervous because I've
> been using windows since windows95 came out and it will be a big change. I
> would like to set up the system so that if linux proves not to be for me I
> can go back to windows without having to reinstall it.
> I've heard that you can create a partition for linux separate from
windows.
> This sounds great, but how do you tell the system not to boot to windows?
> Also the idea of buying a $50.00 or $60.00 partition program I'm only
going
> to use once and then forget about isn't very appealing. Are there any free
> partition utilities out there?
>
> To help me get started I decided on the zipspeak distribution as my first
> taste of linux. It sounded so easy to use because if I understood
correctly
> the readme says you can run it from the same drive as windows with no
> partition needed.
> I'm having lots of trouble though. I'm using windows ME right now and I
> don't think it has a way to boot to the dos prompt.
> The file says to restart the computer and press F8 for the boot menu and
> choose the command prompt option and run the linux batch file from there.
I
> read somewhere that windows ME doesn't support dos like that any longer.
If
> it does I can't find the option for it in the boot menu, but then again
it's
> kind of hard to navigate around that menu without speech.
> I know you can still run things in a dos window but that certainly won't
> work for linux. I wouldn't think one opporating system would do very good
> running under another. Lol.
> Can I not do it that way with my version of windows?
>
> Sorry for asking so many questions on just my first day on the list.
> Unfortunatly I get the feeling I'll have a lot more before I'm done with
the
> conversion to linux.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help.
>
> Justin Ekis
>
>
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