Which Distro?

[embj]

Ok....I'm hoping one of you guys can help me decide this here. I've said that I am going to install Linux in the past but, now I'm actually going to do it. I would like to know what Linux distro I should pick. I need it to be Mandrake, Redhat, or SuSE because that is all nVidia supports for the nForce2 drivers.

I need it to be able act as a web server, mail server, ftp server, dns server, and to work good with a Sony DVD+-RW DRU-500a.

So what distro should I choose?

Thanks.

[Joseph11]

Use Mandrake, It's kewl.
, Well: Just do it!

[soulja]

mandrake, but don't count on linux to execute .EXE

[embj]

Ok....not many replies but, I'm guessing on going with Mandrake.

[athlonxpguy]

Go with Mandrake..just do it

[krohnjw]

Well, as you seem to know little about linux I would go with mandrake. Mandrake is simple and will hold your hand through many things. It will allow you to still have a functioning system that you can administer without knowing the linux file system.

Linux can execute any file, it just doesn't use the windows apis So nothing will work. If you must use your windows programs go download codeweavers wine, and use that. Otherwise stick to native programs, there are enough to do just about anything you need to do.

FYI you can comile the Nvidia Nforce2, along with all of their drivers, for any linux distro. So you arent limited to using the binary packages.

[embj]

Honestly, I don't know anything about Linux. I have just researched it a lot and I am getting tired of Windows.

I really need help now. I'm in the middle of an installation and it's giving me errors. I have it on a tri-boot system. I have XP and Server 2k3 installed on it. I have it on an 80gb w/ the partitions 25gb a piece and a 1gb swap file for Mandrake. I have XP and Server 2k3 on NTFS and I formatted the other one in the installation for ext3. It's already given me two errors about it not being able to install some things. Here is what it gives me:

There was an error installing

grep-2.5-7.mdk.i586

Go on anyway?

I clicked go on anyway and now I have one up there that says the same thing except the file is different. It is giilbc-23.1-10mdk.i586.

Please help me. Thanks.

[athlonxpguy]

VMWare might make life a bit easier
Tri-booting is sure pushing things. What about using a removeable HB bay setup and get a smaller drive to put Linux on? Cheaper than the first option, and will be a whole lot less hassle.

[CMonster]

You are probably getting those errors because of a bad download -you may have errors on the CDs.

look into md5 sums -it is a way you can check the CDs for errors

Another possible cause of those errors is the CDROM drive itself, it may have difficulty reading the CDs especially if they were recorded on CDRW media.

I've also seen those errors on systems with faulty/marginal memory, but usually there were numerous other symptoms and lockups as well.

FYI -one of my boxes is a QUAD-boot running XP, Redhat, Mandrake, and SuSE -no problems at all

[krohnjw]

Well, it sounds like there is either some trouble with the physical CD, or the burn didnt come out right. It cannot install those packages, grep is a command to search files, and i will assume you mean glibc there, which you would certainly need . Try some better media or redownload the ISO.

edit : Too quick Cmonster