Linux - chapter 6: Strange but True.

I am running Ubuntu Linux 8.10 from my Dell laptop. No, it is still not installed.

I had multiple failures, usually during the Ubuntu partitioner program. I could always run Ubuntu from the CD but that, of course, was VERY slow. I stumbled around with Ubuntu and eventually tried something that wanted to create a boot on my four gig USB flash drive. By this time I figured, what the heck. It created successfully and I rebooted to try to create a new partition for Ubuntu and load Ubuntu into that new partition on my hard drive. The Ubuntu partitioner program failed again, this time with an inability to do anything other than wipe out Windows and have Ubuntu take over the entire hard drive. This would happen when the Ubuntu partitioner program failed AND I did not reboot to Windows so that Windows could fix or at least stabilize the hard drive.

Then I removed the "bootable" CD but left in the bootable USB flash drive and rebooted. Ubuntu booted off the USB flash drive. There was no dual boot with an option to boot to Windows but it booted Ubuntu OK. The best part is that USB flash drive is MUCH faster than the CD. It may be faster than the hard drive since it's solid state memory. Ironically, the USB flash drive's four gig is the same amount as that in the Dell Mini 9 netbook PC that Dell had loaded with Ubuntu Linux 8.04.

Amazing.

I am sending this message from FireFox browser within Ubuntu Linux 8.10. The real test will come when I try to load Skype.