It's just so vastly different from Windows! The main thing keeping me from using my new Linux install is I have to connect to the internet with a USB adapter that has no drivers for Linux. I looked up tutorials to make it work but it all just made my head spin.
Also, I have no idea what the different versions of Linux mean. I have Ubuntu, but what about Fedora or the other ones I hear about? I've done a lot of searching around but I can't find help.
Is using wired not an option? Honestly, linux just hates wireless. Does it not working automagically in ubuntu?
And for now I wouldn't worry about other versions of linux until you learn how to use linux. Buuttt. Just to enlighten you, really fedora and ubuntu are very similiar from where you see it. They both use gnome for you everything works basically the same, but under the hood they have many differences. Ubuntu is probably the most user friendly version of linux. If none of that made sense to you, then keep using ubuntu.
Ah thanks. Wireless is my only option, sadly. I looked up some more instructions and it does not make one bit of sense to me. I can follow them until they begin to assume I know how to do some Linux things when I really cannot. There are no tutorials for a newbie like me.
Copy your Windows drivers for your wireless card then use NDISWrapper.
Linux Mint is a little more user friendly than Ubuntu, but more bloated for one who's a linux regular.
[QUOTE=Van-man;21896118]Linux Mint is a little more user friendly than Ubuntu, but more bloated for one who's a linux regular.[/QUOTE]
@OP you might want to just try linux mint to see if wireless works automatically which it might. Otherwise definitely stay with ubuntu.
I would really like to stick with Ubuntu, if that's alright.
I transfered over my card's drivers and the ndiswrapper .gz to my Ubuntu desktop. Now what? I read ndiswrapper's install file but it majorly confuses me. I couldn't extract it with the terminal and right clicked> extracted instead. That's fine, right? Then how do I proceed from there?
[QUOTE=Crit-Sandvich;21898032]I would really like to stick with Ubuntu, if that's alright.
I transfered over my card's drivers and the ndiswrapper .gz to my Ubuntu desktop. Now what? I read ndiswrapper's install file but it majorly confuses me. I couldn't extract it with the terminal and right clicked> extracted instead. That's fine, right? Then how do I proceed from there?[/QUOTE]
You've been reading the wrong guide. [url=https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/Ndiswrapper]There's a much more concise, helpful one for Ubuntu here[/url]. You shouldn't need to download ndiswrapper.gz.
Take a look especially at "2.2. Installing Packages (With Internet access on another computer)". You should be able to download a .deb file, try the three files for 9.10 Karmic Koala. Save the .deb files to a USB stick or something, and then when you look at them on your Ubuntu computer, just double-click them and they'll bring up installation dialogues for the packages automatically.
On the guide, look at "3.1 Disable free drivers"
and "3.2.2. USB Wireless Adapter".
Then "3.4.1. Installing Windows driver using ndisgtk (ndiswrapper graphical interface)"
and "3.5. Load the new driver module".
Finally, look at "3.6.1. Configuring Wireless Network Settings using nm-applet (GNOME front end for Network Manager)"
and "3.7. Automatically loading at start-up".
That's probably the easiest approach to take, looking at the guide. Has the least amount of using a terminal and typing in commands, for you.
EDIT: and as for your original post/thread title... don't worry, you kinda' get thrown into the world of Linux (well, Unix), but if you persevere you eventually figure out how to do everything you need. Once you're compiling your own kernels, you know you've come a long way :v: and most other OSes that aren't Windows are some Unix derivative (I know that's probably completely wrong but shhh), so the stuff you learn with Linux distros can apply to, say, BSD, Mac OS, etc...
Okay well I can get to step 3.4.1 but every time I load the .inf file It says "Unable to see if hardware is present." Then when I click away that window it says "Hardware present: Yes."
Also, in step 3.5 typing "sudo modprobe ndiswrapper" returns this warning:
"WARNING: All config files need .conf: /ect/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper, it will be ignored in a future release."
Typing "ifconfig" shows that the adapter is not recognized. Besides running the three packages in the beginning of the tutorial, I don't think I've gotten anywhere.
If it helps, my USB adapter is a Belkin N+ f5d8055 v2.
[url]http://ubuntu-ky.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=960642[/url]
I also read somewhere that this may be a bug in older kernels, so can you type 'uname -r' in the terminal and write it down?
2.6.32-21-generic
Well, follow that tutorial and get back to me.
[QUOTE=Crit-Sandvich;21893029]It's just so vastly different from Windows! The main thing keeping me from using my new Linux install is I have to connect to the internet with a USB adapter that has no drivers for Linux. I looked up tutorials to make it work but it all just made my head spin.
Also, I have no idea what the different versions of Linux mean. I have Ubuntu, but what about Fedora or the other ones I hear about? I've done a lot of searching around but I can't find help.[/QUOTE]
Ubuntu, Mint, and the Facepunch Distro, are some distrobutions of Debian. Fedora is a continuation of Red Hat. Basically, they're the same thing to the user. It only matters to a programmer or someone of the like.
Different distributions tend to have different ideas of what makes a good OS. They all run on the same Kernel (think of it like an engine in a car) but different things sit on top of it to bring you an operating system. Some Distributions focus on tried and tested software, where as some prefer to be as cutting edge as possible. Some go for usability and give you lots of graphical interfaces and help systems, others value productivity and throw you right in the deep end with a command line.
There's a distro out there for everyone. You'll find one eventually.
If you don't find one that you like, try out Arch Linux. You make your own distro easily and learn your way around it.
[QUOTE=CPPNOOB;21918614]If you don't find one that you like, try out Arch Linux. You make your own distro easily and learn your way around it.[/QUOTE]
I think you mean that you'll be setting everything up from almost scratch. This isn't making your own distro, really.
But yes, starting from nearly scratch gives you more control of how it's going to turn out in the end.
Mostly it does keep things understandable.
The "unix experience" is different from the "administrating and setting up unix experience", though, so I do suggest getting a shell account and trying that out too.
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