Barbara, I'll try to answer to your original question and some comments that followed in the thread. It's very rarely to have problems with installing Linux on modern machines these days. I wonder why you decided to use RAID on your system? Hardware based RAID should not be a problem for Linux. We use ATA and SCSI RAID at work without problems. However, the setup was giving me a hard time with earlier versions of Redhat, 7.0, and 7.1. It's my opinion that unless you are running a server on the network it makes little sense to run RAID on a multiboot machine. I would rather invest into good backup device like tape drive or DVD writer than run RAID configuration in home box. I doubt that performance will be an issue in what I suggest. RAID feature on your high performance motherboard is better suitable for critical servers in corporate environment than home use IMO. It's possible to tweak disk drive parameters in kernel for faster data transfer which will be better than under RAID. Since you don't have requirements for high quality graphics, disk drives will be able to put up with most programs you use unless you run Oracle database with thousands of requests per second from the network or such for example. My suggestion is to setup disk drives in non RAID configuration and install Linux on separate disk drive. That way you are less likely to loose everything in case one OS takes down everything due to virus, hardware problems, or security reasons. I also see no problem in using Redhat 7.2. It's the first in the version 7 series worth using. Some people need to understand that you cannot always go with the latest distribution for all kinds of reasons. We use older versions many times in order to support software for customers who run older versions as well. Some commercial software doesn't necessarily work with the latest distribution due to dependencies issues so you have to use earlier version. I believe it's OK to install RH7.2 and update it with the latest patches. Linux is well supported in communities and industry. Since this is going to be a system for home use I suggest you ask your friend to get in touch with local Linux Users Group in your area. Many Linux groups run monthly installfests where people bring their machines to have Linux installed. Friendly Linux enthusiasts will help you out with it. Quick search for "Boston LUG" lead me to http://www.blu.org They claim to have many meetings at M.I.T. If that's not close enough to you there might be another group in the area. I'm from the West coast and not familiar with Boston Linux scene. And put the old PC to good use. 100 MHz Pentium is fast for many things under Linux. Good luck. -- Rafael On Wed, Aug 21, 2002 at 11:36:50AM -0400, Barbara J Wagreich wrote: > Let me explain. > > 1) I am deaf and blind and would be using brltty. > > 2) I ordered the linux directly from Ree Hat around april 20 and they > said it was the latest. I didn't know there were subsequent releases. > Sigh. > > 3) I don't know of a professional shop in the metropolitan boston area. A > friend of a friend whom I trust is custom building the PC for me. He did > say he has no experience with linux but would try. sothis is a learning > experience for him. I'm sure we can resolve the problems. If anyone > knows anyone in the metropolitan Boston area who might be able to help, > please let me know. > > Barb .................. > > > > HI: > > > > > > i'm having a new PC custom built for me. It already has DOS, Window s98, > > > and Windows 2000 installed on it. It is a 2GHZ Pentium 4 machine using an > > > ABIT motherboard. I just received this message from the person who is > > > building it for me: > > > > > > I've run into a problem with Linux. Linux does not appear to support the > > > IDE RAID controller, at least for booting. The IDE RAID controller does > > > not > > > support CD-ROMs or ZIP drives. The only way around this seems to be > > > moving > > > the hard drive to the main IDE controller in parallel with one of the > > > other > > > drives, but this is undesirable for performance reasons. An alternative > > > would be to install a second hard drive just for Linux (it would still > > > result in reduced performance for that drive). > > > > > > Any comments on this? Is it possible to install Red Hat Linux 7.2 sothat > > > the mail IDE controller is not used? Are there any other recommended > > > solutions? > > > > > > this person feels it would be better to install linux on an older machine > > > by itself. I don't really have room for the machine. It is a 7-year old > > > machine and has the original Pentium chip with a speed of 100mhz. The > > > current disk drive is a small 2GB SCSI disk and we would probably ahve to > > > get an IDE disk. I was hoping to have all three operating systems ont he > > > same machine tos ave space. > > > > > > I'd welcome any feedback you may have on this subject. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Barb > > >