how do i install linux antiX from windows XP?

[will346]

I recently downloaded a linux antiX install file from the net. It displays as a win zip file in windows XP but there doesn't seem to be any file with a .exe extension to get the installation going and my computer won't boot from the download when it's on a cd. I'm totally new to linux and trying to revive an old computer. Does anyone know how to get it all going?

 

[stillblue]

You should find an ISO file in the zip. That is the AntiX that you then burn, not copy, to a CD/DVD. There are many cd/dvd burning software available for free to download.

 

[will346]

there is an ISOlinux subfolder in a BOOT folder as well as a lot of other files and folders. All I want is to be able to boot from a file or folder on a CD that I've burned and have a step by step installation in the windows xp or mac fashion. An idiots guide if you will. Any file or folder I've tried to boot my laptop from so far has failed and I'm running out of DVD RW and CD RW's!

 

[stillblue]

there is an ISOlinux subfolder in a BOOT folder as well as a lot of other files and folders. All I want is to be able to boot from a file or folder on a CD that I've burned and have a step by step installation in the windows xp or mac fashion. An idiots guide if you will. Any file or folder I've tried to boot my laptop from so far has failed and I'm running out of DVD RW and CD RW's!

I can't give you a blow by blow install of antiX as I have not installed that but since it is a live cd/dvd that means there should be a single, large file with an ISO extension, probably something like antiX.ISO. An iso is essentially all the files put together in a single one for purposes of installing onto a cd/dvd or in some cases onto a flash usb. The burner then breaks it into the thousands of files and makes a bootable cd. If you need an iso burner try this one http://www.freeisoburner.com/

Put a blank disk into the drive and then open your burner and locate the iso for antiX. Burn the cd.
You now need to boot from the cd or dvd, that is not done in windows.
Turn off the computer and restart. If you have to, click on f1 and change the boot order in your BIOS to cd/dvd first then hard drive. Or you may have an option to select boot device by hitting a key during boot, on Dell's it's likely the f12 on others f9.
This should start the antiX.
Once there it should have an option to install it. Follow the instructions. If you get stuck, make note of the question and we'll help.

 

[Ijack]

It sounds as if you might have somehow downloaded a non-ISO version of antiX. Did you get it from their website? You may be better off cutting your losses and downloading again from http://sourceforge.net/projects/antix-linux/files/Final/antiX-13.2/ . Make sure that you download the appropriate (32- or 64-bit) ISI image file, then burn it using stillblue's instructions.

 

[will346]

Thanks guys for the help. I'll keep at it. I download the 'final' version from sourceforge.net yesterday and have been trying to boot from various files burned to cds ever since. I thought it would be a simple case of download the file, burn a cd and then reorganise the boot sequence of my BIOS to start with the cd drive first, thus bringing me into some sort of installation screen. But, no! If I can't get the damn thing to work, I'll just admit defeat and wait until Monday when the I.T. guy in my job will be available to annoy with my ignorance!

 

[stillblue]

Thanks guys for the help. I'll keep at it. I download the 'final' version from sourceforge.net yesterday and have been trying to boot from various files burned to cds ever since. I thought it would be a simple case of download the file, burn a cd and then reorganise the boot sequence of my BIOS to start with the cd drive first, thus bringing me into some sort of installation screen. But, no! If I can't get the damn thing to work, I'll just admit defeat and wait until Monday when the I.T. guy in my job will be available to annoy with my ignorance!

It is just that. Your problem stems from finding the iso. Or perhaps you "unzipped the iso"? Here is the full version link for 32 bit since you say it is an old computer. 64 bit there at sourceforge as well

http://sourceforge.net/projects/antix-linux/files/Final/antiX-13.1/antiX-13.1_386-full.iso/download

 

[will346]

Thanks guys for the help. I'll keep at it. I download the 'final' version from sourceforge.net yesterday and have been trying to boot from various files burned to cds ever since. I thought it would be a simple case of download the file, burn a cd and then reorganise the boot sequence of my BIOS to start with the cd drive first, thus bringing me into some sort of installation screen. But, no! If I can't get the damn thing to work, I'll just admit defeat and wait until Monday when the I.T. guy in my job will be available to annoy with my ignorance!

It is just that. Your problem stems from finding the iso. Or perhaps you "unzipped the iso"? Here is the full version link for 32 bit since you say it is an old computer. 64 bit there at sourceforge as well

http://sourceforge.net/projects/antix-linux/files/Final/antiX-13.1/antiX-13.1_386-full.iso/download

You'll have to excuse my ignorance, but can I just burn that entire 700mb file to CD and then boot the computer, or do I have to burn one of the subfolders and burn from that? I'll give this one more try and then it's good riddance until Monday, I'm blue in the face trying to get this to work. Thanks for your help and advice.

 

[stillblue]

Just open the burner and select the iso file. The burner will do the rest to make a bootable cd. Remember burn not copy, they are not the same thing. Burn splits the iso into thousands of files and puts them on the cd, copy does just that,copies one.

 

[will346]

Just open the burner and select the iso file. The burner will do the rest to make a bootable cd. Remember burn not copy, they are not the same thing. Burn splits the iso into thousands of files and puts them on the cd, copy does just that,copies one.

I'll give it a shot, thanks!

 

[stillblue]

Just open the burner and select the iso file. The burner will do the rest to make a bootable cd. Remember burn not copy, they are not the same thing. Burn splits the iso into thousands of files and puts them on the cd, copy does just that,copies one.

I'll give it a shot, thanks!

Good luck. I'm offline for a while now so if I don't respond right away it's not that I've lost patience or hope. I live in the DR Congo and believe me, that will teach you patience. I'll be back. Of course you probably won't need more help as you'll be too busy playing with your new system. It's a live cd so you don't even need to install it to try it out, just run it off the cd. It'll be much faster once on your hard drive but you'll get a good taste.

 

[will346]

Just open the burner and select the iso file. The burner will do the rest to make a bootable cd. Remember burn not copy, they are not the same thing. Burn splits the iso into thousands of files and puts them on the cd, copy does just that,copies one.

I'll give it a shot, thanks!

Good luck. I'm offline for a while now so if I don't respond right away it's not that I've lost patience or hope. I live in the DR Congo and believe me, that will teach you patience. I'll be back. Of course you probably won't need more help as you'll be too busy playing with your new system. It's a live cd so you don't even need to install it to try it out, just run it off the cd. It'll be much faster once on your hard drive but you'll get a good taste.

Thanks for your help today. It turned out that my mac hadn't burned the boot disk correctly, so I dropped in to a friend with a PC and hey presto! It all worked! Now I'm off to learn Linux on my old machine as I've a newer machine arriving soon and a Ubuntu download to get into. Thanks again, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.