Formatting HDD

[Mark Haney]

horse wrote:
> I am fed up with internet malware and have been told that a Linux-based program gets little or none.
> I loaded the complete DVD of Fedora Core 4 on my old Fujitsu laptop. It went smoothly. The HDD is 10Gb and FC4 loaded about 5Gb!
>
> Most of it is superfluous to my requirements. I intend using FC4 on the laptop as the only internet-facing computer in my 3-computer network until I become more comfortable with FC4. Who knows, I'd eventually like to completely migrate away from the evil empire (Microsoft).
>
> My questions:
> 1. How do I format the HDD so I can start with a fresh and minimal installation.
>   
Congratulations.  It's the first step to freedom.  Okay, maybe not.  If 
I read this correctly, you downloaded the DVD ISO?  You need to burn it 
using your burner of choice (Nero is good), something that can burn the 
image.  Does your laptop boot from the DVD drive?  You don't really 
mention the specs of the system, which makes it hard to detail the 
instructions.  The setup program in Fedora will automate a lot of that, 
do an automatic partitioning and select a laptop install (I really don't 
remember if that is still an option in the setup).  The total 
installation won't take up 5GB, more like 1.5GB or so, IIRC.
> 2. I only want to access the internet, use Fedora's version of Outlook as an email client, use Fedora's 'Word' program, and use Adobe Reader.
>   
There are many versions of apps that do what Outlook, Word and Reader 
do.  Adobe even offers a linux version of reader, but I don't think 
Fedora includes it by default.  The basic setup in FC4 will have 
Evolution (feels like Outlook), OOo Writer for word processing, and gpdf 
for Reader.  I'll be glad to help you off list if you need any more help.



> Your help would be appreciated.
> TIA,
> Horse
>
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>   


-- 
Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum

Mark Haney
Sr. Systems Administrator
ERC Broadband
(828) 350-2415