Few questions about archlinux

gauntface · 2007-10-31 09:59:34

Hey everyone

Ive bn using linux for a year now, been using ubuntu, i love gutsy gibbon, but it jus feels a bit slow on my laptop.

Basically what i wanted to ask you guys - since ive heard that archlinux is alot less bloated is this

1. Will archlinux be any faster than ubuntu?
2. Does archlinux hav repositories?
3. Ubuntu has .deb package installer - install the programs itself - can i get something like this for archlinux?
4. Can i get things like all my drivers installed quickly and easily with archlinux?
5. Can i get compiz-fusion working on it?
6. Last but not least - Does archlinux have new releases quite often or are they quite far apart??

Thanks is advance for anyone who helps me out

Matt

gunnihinn · 2007-10-31 10:26:02

Well, you really could have found out the answers to most of the above with a couple of google searches. I'll get you started:

1: It is much faster than Ubuntu for me. Your results may vary on the amount of bloat you choose to load.

2, 3, 4 and 6: Have a look at these reviews here:

http://www.osnews.com/story.php/10047/A … -It-Rocks/
http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/212/104/

and the installation guide and the wiki:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Off … tall_Guide
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Main_Page

5: No idea, haven't tried it and have little need to.

Next time you have a couple of questions, try google first. Asking these very elementary questions that can be answered by a quick search is a very good way to get flamed.

grizz · 2007-10-31 10:26:25

1. y
2. y.
3. pacman
4. y
5. y
6y itc continous distro,

gauntface · 2007-10-31 10:30:24

Cheers guys

Sorry bout them bein so elementary

Matt

somairotevoli · 2007-10-31 15:53:01

Newbie Corner
New to Arch? There are no stupid questions here!

You won't get flamed here ask away.

Dusty · 2007-10-31 16:14:31

Indeed... people who ask these kinds of questions usually turn out to be people that really enjoy and appreciate Arch. So welcome aboard! :-)

Dusty

gauntface · 2007-10-31 16:59:46

Im really glad u guys have come and said that

To be honest i was kinda of thinkin that i would just drop the idea of arch linux because felt like i annoyed everyone all ready

Anyway thanks for the welcome, im hoping to give archlinux a go sometime soon

I like ubuntu - jus not sure i like the way everything is installed without my control, which leads me to one more question.

Is there a way i can install arch without have any programs installed jus the OS itself and 'pacman' (I hope thats the repo manager) to install what i then want??

Gaunt

somairotevoli · 2007-10-31 17:05:56

That's exactly all you will get after install. Just a base system w/ pacman.

Dusty · 2007-10-31 17:08:15

gauntface wrote:

Is there a way i can install arch without have any programs installed jus the OS itself and 'pacman' (I hope thats the repo manager) to install what i then want??

That's basically all you get with a default install. Its hard to know what you mean when you say "just the OS", but the basic install is just the most core applications required to get started. There's no GUI, only basic command line tools... including pacman. From there you can run "pacman -S gnome" to get your GUI and it will automatically pull in Xorg and the other deps you require.

If you're worried about being annoying, check out our wiki: http://wiki.archlinux.org/. Most of the questions you can possibly imagine are answered there. However, if you ask them in this forum you should get a friendly response too, often from another new user who has just gone through whatever you are currently tackling.

Good luck and have fun!

Dusty

gauntface · 2007-10-31 17:10:52

Cheers Dusty

Im definately goin to give archlinux a go, hopefully tonight

Gaunt

Mikko777 · 2007-10-31 18:16:45

Dusty, why not give link to beginners guide

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

And yes you should get a faster system and faster boot than with ubuntu. And no need to upgrade/ reinstall every 6 months.
Also you will know your system better and learn to modify, customize and sometimes fix problems with latest and greatest updates ^^

Btw if you have a slow pc install xfce as desktop environment and you will be happy.

gauntface · 2007-11-01 10:30:52

I ran into a little bit of a problem last night

I have no understanding of GRUB boot and how it works, ubuntu always took care of it for me.

Now here is how i had hoped to set-up my laptop

I was hoping to have

XP
Ubuntu
Archlinux
Swap(Used by ubuntu and Archlinux)

But the bootloader gives me the option of installing the GRUB to

sda
sda1 - XP
sda2 - Ubuntu
sda3 - Archlinux
sda4 - Swap

I tried installing the bootloader on sda1 and sda and no luck so what do i do??? :-S also when setting up the partition manager it had the XP partition as have the Boot on it, do i need to only have XP to have the boot part on or do i need archlinux and ubuntu to have it as well??

Matt

retsaw · 2007-11-01 10:45:37

Because Ubuntu auto-generates its GRUB menu.lst file when it updates kernels I recommend using Ubuntu's GRUB for booting since you seem to want to dual boot Ubuntu and Arch.

Add these entries for Arch at the end of Ubuntu's menu.lst after the auto-generated section.

title           Arch Linux
root            (hd0,2)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda3 ro
initrd          /boot/kernel26.img
boot

title           Arch Linux (Failsafe)
root            (hd0,2)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda3 ro
initrd          /boot/kernel26-fallback.img
boot

gauntface · 2007-11-01 17:23:47

Nope tried it and no luck

I get an error messgae

Error 17 : Cannot mount selected partition

Press any key to continue . .

Any ideas or tips on where i might have gone rong on the install

Gaunt

ProzacR · 2007-11-01 17:57:40

Double check if:
root (hdx,y)
line is ok.
Boot live cd like DSLlinux (50Mb to dl) and look what you see in all partitions. Maybe you will found what is wrong.

gauntface · 2007-11-01 18:51:26

Ok kool cheers ProzacR

Tryin it now

Gaunt

Arch Linux

#1 2007-10-31 09:59:34

Few questions about archlinux

#2 2007-10-31 10:26:02

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#3 2007-10-31 10:26:25

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#4 2007-10-31 10:30:24

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#5 2007-10-31 15:53:01

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#6 2007-10-31 16:14:31

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#7 2007-10-31 16:59:46

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#8 2007-10-31 17:05:56

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#9 2007-10-31 17:08:15

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#10 2007-10-31 17:10:52

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#11 2007-10-31 18:16:45

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#12 2007-11-01 10:30:52

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#13 2007-11-01 10:45:37

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#14 2007-11-01 17:23:47

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#15 2007-11-01 17:57:40

Re: Few questions about archlinux

#16 2007-11-01 18:51:26

Re: Few questions about archlinux

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