Windows to Linux beginer tips.
As file based audio gains popularity there is an increasing interest from audiophiles in OS systems that concentrate more on sound quality than visual quality and convenience.
The two main operating systems Windows and Apple are getting increasingly complex and hardware intensive and I can’t see either bringing out a stripped down operating system specifically for audio replay in the foreseeable future; this leaves Linux.
There are Linux distributions (different types of operating system) that concentrate on audio replay under development, but this is part of the problem; they are under development (not necessarily working for a wide enough range of system architecture (Motherboards, Processors)) and they don’t necessarily cater for the particular method of transferring audio files to your computer you prefer (storage attached directly to your computer rather than a network streaming arrangement for example) or provide a GUI (General User Interface (think something you can look at on a screen and click on to do stuff)).
In theory at least, all Linux distributions can made to give a GUI and recognize your music storage system but so far I haven’t come across one that you can point and click at that covers enough option to be user friendly to a Windows or Apple user.
This guy is getting close.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=70052
If you like your file based audio go over and give the guy some encouragement.
We’ve had this working out of the box so to speak but it’s got some limitations, for example, if you want to use a directly wired USB external hard drive and collect your music files from, or have a media player you can actually point and click at on a screen you have to make system changes.
There are others that can be “adapted” such as
http://linux.voyage.hk/voyage-mpd
but, you cant chuck this on any old system architecture and get it to run.
My point here is, so far I haven’t found a Linux distribution that the average Windows user can point and click at and get an audio file from a drive to a Dac without having to use the CLI (Command Line Editor), think DOS prompt, for those who are old enough to remember.
TIPS
1) You need to view getting to know Linux as a long term project. It just ain’t going to happen overnight. There is no project “point and click”; there is however every chance of project “crash and burn”.
View it as a new hobby instead of watching that shite on the TV.
2) Don’t use Wubi to install Linux.
I tried doing this a couple of times and it all went horribly Pete Tong. Apparently this is quite common.
3) Download an ISO image of the distribution you are interested in and burn it to a RW CD.
While the idea of running an operating system from a USB drive sounds great lots of older BIOS setups don’t allow for USB booting and if you’re the average Windows user even sorting out upgrading BIOS can be enough to put you off the whole idea.
Virtually every computer will boot from a CD.
4) Don’t install Linux and another operating system on the same drive as another operating system.
4a) If possible use another computer.
This way there is no chance of accidentally deleting your everyday working computer stuff.
4b) Back up anything you can’t afford to lose be it on the same drive or not…..seriously.
Yes, you can partition your drive. Yes you can use a Virtual machine. Unless you are very confident with using a partition manager from a live disc it’s going to end in tears.
The main problem is Linux uses a different boot manager to Windows (Grub and MBR respectively)
Once Linux is installed everything (including Windows) boots from Grub (Linux takes over the boot process basically) this is fine while you are using Linux, but if you want to get rid of a Linux distribution and return to Windows only you’ll have to remove Grub and reinstall MBR and this can be a major headache for a beginner.
Considering Linux distributions are free its well worth buying a small hard drive just for Linux. You’ll then be able to swap crash and burn to your hearts content and when you want to actually do something with a computer you can just change drives. Don’t say you weren’t warned. You will crash Linux if you’re learning.
5) Make sure you have a bootable copy of your Windows distribution (XP, Vista, Win7) that works.
I’ve been burned a couple of times with this; once with an XP installation where three quarters of the way through a new install Windows couldn’t find some vital files on it’s own disc and once again with a Win7 install due to a dirty disc.
5a) Make sure you have a partition manager that will run “live” from a CD ready. This is free and basic and will get you out of trouble.
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/boo...generation.htm
instructions.
(When downloaded run the exe in there. You can then make a bootable floppy or cd your choice. This puts the program on you choice of media so you’re ready to go. (the cd option makes a cd .iso so you will need a program to burn it.) Both the floppy and cd contain the same program. Next you will restart your computer with the cd or floppy in the drive. Once you boot into the program do not install it to your hard drive. Just click cancel to just run it off the cd or floppy. Then go to partition work. Click the circle for your primary drive on the left side of the window. Select and delete every partition except for your standard windows partition. Now you should have a format less partition that says free space after it. Then select your windows partition and click resize. It will run an error check which may take a while depending on your partition size. Once that finishes type in the largest size in the prompt unless you have other plans for some of that space. Once you do that it will allocate all that space back to your primary partition. Next, if you installed grub the bootloader you will need to reset you mbr or else you can't boot up because grub will crash. To do this select you windows partition go to view mbr on the left. When in there select your windows partition and click std mbr. This will take grub off and set your mbr back to the way it was before. Click apply and the changes will be made.
Or this one.
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootit-bare-metal.htm
So, you should start out with bootable copy of Windows on a CD, a copy of a partition manager you can run live from a CD burnt on CD and a copy of the ISO burnt to CD for the particular Linux distribution you want to play with.
Linux tends not to do stuff quickly. Just because it isn’t showing an egg timer or clock spinning doesn’t necessarily mean it ain’t thinking (a bit like some Hi Fi forum contributors) so have patience and only hit the power off switch when you’re sure its terminally crashed.
6) Something that confused the crap out of me when I first started using the Terminal/CLI (DOS style window needed to get Linux to do stuff) is it wanted a password for everything. What nobody tells you, is when you type your password in it doesn’t show on the CLI screen although it’s been accepted. Take note! Just go on to the next command.
7) Another thing nobody tells you is Linux has different levels of administrator rights.
You can get halfway through something and the CLI pops up a notice that you don’t have permission to do this; extremely frustrating!
Basically you need to have “root” permission for your system. It’s a bit like user accounts in Windows. You need to find out how to be a “root” administrator for your particular Linux distribution if you’re going to make major system changes.
8) For some commands/scripts you need to know the name of your particular distribution (Ubuntu 10.04 for example isn’t enough. You need to know if its called Hardy Heron, or whatever.
9) The easiest way to try commands and scripts out is often to copy them from source and paste them into the CLI, deleting out the commentary where necessary.
Working out what symbols are supposed to be entered and what are in fact commentary quotes for example can be interesting to say the least.
10) There is loads of stuff on the various Linux forums regarding the different distributions and how to get stuff working. You just have to try things out and hope they will work on your setup.
The main hinderances to learning and Linux in general imo are:
Out of Date.
Even the “official” forums for certain distributions suffer from this.
The Linux geek.
Plenty of these around. Unfortunately while many seem to know their stuff they seem totally incapable of understanding that reams of command lines just doesn’t mean shit to the average Linux wannabe and when they find they can’t talk geekish they piss off back to their caves.
Every now and then you find someone who is capable of expressing themselves in English and conveying the necessary information in an intelligent and understandable manner.
11) It’s worth setting up an Internet Relay Chat client (irc) and joining a channel that concentrates on Linux.
I’ve had some very good “walkthroughs” help for a couple of problems on irc
A couple of threads worth reading
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/co...les-Voyage-MPD
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Linux-101
To get started I’m going to recommend any Ubuntu distribution from 10.04.
I’ve just upgraded from Ubuntu 10.04 to 11.10 (what pratt said the advantage of Linux is you don’t get endless patches like Microsoft)
I like it so much I’m tending to use it more for the everyday stuff than Windows XP and for me that is saying something.
Ubuntu isn’t ideal for audio as far as I can see but it is excellent for learning a bit about what Linux can do. Ubuntu 10.04 onwards does a lot of regular stuff out of the box (most of the time) and looks pretty decent. It’s a bit slow and doesn’t like multi taking much so not for the frantic mouse clicker. However, alongside a Windows user friendly GUI it has the dreaded Terminal/CLI and is reasonably crash proof.
This seems to me so far the easiest distribution for the Windows user to learn how to use the CLI and experiment with getting the various Linux audio drivers to work while still having a useable system, albeit possibly with out audio at times
I just want to add finally add here I have not successfully installed, got up and running and managed to retrieve an audio file from an external hard drive and send it to either of my Dacs at the file bit rate and frequency without help from anyone else yet and I’ve been messing about with various Linux distributions for a few months on and off now.
If I can cope with it I’m going to try to write up a complete run through of an audio priority Linux installation once my mate gets back to hold my hand.
What I would like to do here is a “how to/tips” thread for Linux based audio; really seriously not interested in “Do you think such and such sounds better than such and such, or, can you describe the subtle nuances found between A and B?” Ffs, GTFO and go listen for yourself. Lets see how it goes.
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