I want to boot linux

[jbrown]

Here is what I'm looking to do.

I'd like to download a version of Linux, that I can install onto a partition, or better onto an 8 gig usb drive, and then boot from that drive or partition.

Can anyone point to a site that I can download a usable version?

In the long run, in Linux I want to run GParted - a formatting program.

I know next to nothing about Linux.

cheers all

 

[MaskingTape]

GParted has a live cd. You can just download/burn that and boot off of it if that was your only reason to use Linux. Seems like they also have a version that can be put onto a USB stick.

 

[jbrown]

Thanks Maskingtape -

Now I have downloaded the gparted-live-0.4.6-1 file. I tried mounting the files and burning them to a cd, but it wouldn't boot from the CD.

Do I burn the .iso file directly to the CD ( without mounting it first )

In essence, how do I create ( step by step please ! ) a bootable Gparted CD -- so I can then go on to format an SD card.

Thanks for your help

 

[macrem]

Just to try linux, I would recommend either running it from a live CD or install VirtualBox to run a Linux distro in a virtual machine on top of OS X.

Or just to run X applications on OS X, try MacPorts.

 

[run-kmc]

Do I burn the .iso file directly to the CD ( without mounting it first )

Yes. Just burn the iso. If you burn the files contained in the iso, that wouldn't create a bootable cd.

 

[MaskingTape]

Thanks Maskingtape -

Now I have downloaded the gparted-live-0.4.6-1 file. I tried mounting the files and burning them to a cd, but it wouldn't boot from the CD.

Do I burn the .iso file directly to the CD ( without mounting it first )

In essence, how do I create ( step by step please ! ) a bootable Gparted CD -- so I can then go on to format an SD card.

Thanks for your help

You're on OS X right? Just load up Disk Utility, click on burn, select the ISO file and let it do it's thing. To boot off of it, restart your computer with the disk in while holding down the OPTION key. It should show up for you to boot from.

But I'm curious - all this to format an SD card? Can't you do that from Disk Utility?

 

[jbrown]

Long story - but rooted my Hero phone, and want to install apps to the SD card, and I need an Ext3 partition,

I'll try what you said