Comparing windows and Linux installations
I have this computer. It came with windows xp pre-installed. I formatted it and installed CentOS Linux for some tests. The computer was then needed for an employee so we put windows xp back on. This is a step by step comparison of installation of the two operating systems on the exact same hardware.
The computer hardware is an ASUS Vento case (not the cool one which looks like a computer Ferrari, just a standard black box) with an Intel Desktop motherboard inside. Onboard graphics and lan, sata hard disk and 1Gb ram. Of course an IDE cdrom as well. The motherboard model is DG31R if your interested.
First of all there is the Linux installation. I put in the first CD. Clicked through the setup process answering the few questions. Swapped CD's when I was asked to. In the end after about thirty minutes I had a working CentOS Linux installation with all hardware recognised and working. I then installed the latest updates and was doing my Linux stuff (in this case installing and configuring clustering).
That was all hunky dory for quite a while. Then we had a new person start so I had to give up my plaything so they could work.
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today's howtos
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re: Install
What a bunch of FUD BS.
If it "came with windows installed" that means it has a FACTORY RESTORE DISK, which is a customized installer that has ALL the drivers, etc on it.
re: install
when manufacturers first started doing that the outcry was heard all the way here in Linuxland, but I got to tell you I consider them almost a Godsend. They do "restore" exactly to factory specs - meaning you'll lose anything else on that disk including partitioning - but I'll take that over the hunt/install/reboot driver routine any day. Well, mainly because if I'm reinstalling Windows it's for a relative and I have a strict "make sure you back up what you don't want to lose before you bring it over here!" rule. Linux has made me so lazy.
It does not mean
that it has a factory restore disk if the computer was a noname box. HP, yes. Dell, yes. Noname, your on your own. If it had a factory restore disk don't you think I would have used it?
THINK first before you start calling FUD BS or you show us as immature and stereotypical.
re: FUD BS
But I think you ARE immature and stereotypical.
For your ONE instance of Linux installing smoothly and Windows having problems - I've had hundreds that are the EXACT opposite.
Your Linux story is nice, but throw in a missing NIC and Video driver and lets see how smoothly it goes.
The bottom line is - neither install is all that tough - right up until something doesn't work as expected - then it's a tedious nightmare sorting it out
//ps - if your whitebox vendor isn't including a restore disk - either find a new vendor or show them Clonezilla/Ghost/True Image/Etc. (of course that doesn't address why you would blithely install a new OS on a system without first creating your OWN disk image so that the revert procedure would be quick and painless - I guess then you wouldn't have your little FUD rant to write about - or perhaps you just like bashing Microsoft?)//
Windows installation has gotten better
A few years ago, Creative's drivers and software would cause great hardship on my Windows install. I've had to start over a couple of times. Since then, not only have I stopped using Creative's sound cards, but Windows installations have gone much smoother. However, if you're smart enough to run nVidia graphics and popular motherboards and other parts, being a savvy Linux user, you'll not likely run into too many problems. There are occasional problems, still, but there are also occasional problems in Windows installation.
BTW, I'll never lower myself to buying another whitebox PC. I can build them much cheaper and better, since I build using the higher end stuff. Comparing reinstalling Windows with a restore disk isn't even fair. However, reinstalling Linux takes less than an hour, all the software included for me. And I do it the hard way. Couldn't even think of doing that with Windows without devoting an entire evening, if not more, to the cause.
re: FUD BS
Being called immature must have smarted huh
The bottom line is - neither install is all that tough - right up until something doesn't work as expected - then it's a tedious nightmare sorting it out
I agree totally. It just happened that in this particular case windows had the problems instead of Linux. So many times it has been touted by ms shills that Linux makes problems that I wanted to show that windows has problems too. I guess that makes me a Linux shill
If you have read my other articles you may notice that I am pro-Linux so of course I like bashing microsoft. I also bash Linux many times. Especially when remotely connected via ssh. Then it's all bash. Besides, ms advocates give amusing reactions.
Personally I always reinstall
Personally I always reinstall from scratch and avoid restore disks. It can be a hassle locating drivers sometimes but I'd rather not have all the extra crap that HP or whoever install. Outdated versions of Adobe Acrobat and advertising I dont need...
re: reinstall
oh yeah, that's true. that is a hassle - on my own computers. Relatives are on their own there.
FTFY Windows Sucks!
FTFY
Windows Sucks!