Linux argh

[innerslytherin]

Based on a couple of recommendations, I decided Ubuntu would be my best choice. Downloaded the Desktop Iso of Ubuntu 8.04.1 Hardy Heron, burned the image to a CD, intending to then install Ubuntu on my USB drive to get it to Escrita the Netbook (because the netbook doesn't have a CD drive)...and failure.

Dr Reid the Desktop will boot from the CD, it lets me choose English, then when I say to "Try Ubuntu without changing your computer" I get "Kernel Panic - Not syncing VFS: unable to mount root fs..." The few Unix commands I remember from my days at Purdue don't help me with this. Googling this error turns up a lot of hits, but none of the answers are written with complete and utter n00bs in mind. Apparently I am expected to know something about Linux before I go installing it on a machine, even to play with it.

Ugh, this is why I have said over and over that I learn best when someone shows me how to do something, rather than trying to read about it and learn it on my own. The one exception to that rule has been HTML, but even there I have been unable to teach myself CSS effectively, as my horribly basic and ugly website effectively proves.

*tears hair* I thought this would be somewhat easier than it has been so far.

Comments

[properly-stored.livejournal.com]

I've found that using Linux when it's installed is extremely inuitive, but installing as a n00b is a bit scary:

http://www.linuxvirgins.com/index.html This site looks OK for getting some starter info.

[innerslytherin]

Thanks! I'll take a look there. And I thought that would be the case, that if I could get it installed I'd be fine. *G*

[properly-stored.livejournal.com]

If you have a good set-up, yes. ^___^ At my old university the computer lab was all Linux-based and I LOVED it.

Then one day we had to work in a lab with all Macs. As someone who has been surrounded by computers since around the age of 2, I have never felt more incompetent. NONE OF IT MADE SENSE.

[albydarned.livejournal.com]

I only have a very limited knowledge of Linux, so I can't help much, but I have found that there is a big online community of Linux users who are generally pretty good about answering questions, even from complete n00bs. They've helped me out immensely with my issues with programming language ... maybe just google search Linux forums or find a comm here on LJ? Then maybe you might get someone who really knows who can show you what's going wrong ...

Otherwise, I hope that you get it figured out without too much ulcer-inducing stress. ;)