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Linux SETI on a flash drive, which distro?
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Author | Message |
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Al Send message Joined: 3 Apr 99 Posts: 1682 Credit: 477,343,364 RAC: 482 |
Well, after canoodling with folks who have used Petri's 'special sauce' and the amazing results it provides, I figured I would, yet again, dip my feet into the Linux ocean, and try to avoid drowning, yet again. My previous multiple experiences over the years with it have all eventually (and sometimes very quickly) ended with me abandoning it in frustration. I believe I already know the answer, but is there any Linux distro, even going top of the line like Red Hat, or SUSE, that can even sort of approximate the Windoze experience? Things like updating it (or drivers) without having to hit the command line, and where downloads (and installations) aren't a nightmare? My biggest frustration that I can recall seems to always involve video drivers, they were Never easy to install properly, but I am sure that there were other frustrations as well. So, in everyone's esteemed opinions, which distro should I download to try to get BOINC running off a USB stick, and running Petri's special sauce? Also, is getting that configured going to be a command line gymnastics session? I know that going in this direction isn't anywhere close to it being a set and forget, but I'd like to make it as easy as possible and avoid as much frustration as I can. Thanks guys! |
Brent Norman Send message Joined: 1 Dec 99 Posts: 2786 Credit: 685,657,289 RAC: 835 |
Either Ubuntu or Mint (keep away from v16) will both easily fit on a 16GB USB with enough WUs for 4 cards. They are both pretty user friendly, and you don't have to touch the command line much at all. I had a post of Ubuntu install in the 'sauce' thread, the only thing I would change is to use the BOINC installer rather than the Ubuntu one, just easier with file rights later on. Google ubuntu-14.04.5-desktop-amd64.iso and burn to a dvd, to install from. Just pull the plug on your drive and install from DVD to USB "safely" without touching your windows drive.. The great thing about Linux is it doesn't care about AMD/Intel processors - one USB and you can move it between machines easily. The only thing you HAVE to do right off the start is to get the right NVIDIA drivers, its easy as pie, and only about 3 commands. To run stock apps is really easy, just like windows. The sauce requires a little file customizing, but not too hard at all. EDIT: Here's what I posted before https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=80636&postid=1843562#1843562 But I would get the installer from BOINC instead. It really is that easy. PS Install with auto login :D |
Al Send message Joined: 3 Apr 99 Posts: 1682 Credit: 477,343,364 RAC: 482 |
Ok, thanks Brent, I'll give your thread a read thru, and hopefully in the next week or so get it together. I'll post questions if I come into any difficulties. Oh, one question, I really didn't like the Unity interface, and just read on Wiki that last week Canonical said that with release 18.04 they are dumping it, so is one version you mentioned have a less unity looking interface than the other? I know some distros really try to give the Windoze interface experience, Zorin is one that comes to mind if you've possibly heard of it. Well, now to find a little time to put it together and give it a test. |
Brent Norman Send message Joined: 1 Dec 99 Posts: 2786 Credit: 685,657,289 RAC: 835 |
The one I mentioned is LTS (Long Term Support) so it's probably on the better end for compatibility. Pretty much any of the newer versions on Linux that I've seen for Desktop use remind me of Mac OSX for look and functionality. One thing you can do before you ever install Linux, is to download the individual CPU/GPU apps for MB/AP (that match your CPU AVX/SSE3) from the Lunatics site and build your app_info from the documentation included with them. You will see it's not that hard to do, and then you are well prepared to apply the 'sauce' when your up and running. The file format is the same as windows which you can use for reference. Then just copy it to the Linux install later - remembering to set the execute bits for the apps :) |
qbit Send message Joined: 19 Sep 04 Posts: 630 Credit: 6,868,528 RAC: 0 |
Ok, thanks Brent, I'll give your thread a read thru, and hopefully in the next week or so get it together. I'll post questions if I come into any difficulties. Oh, one question, I really didn't like the Unity interface, and just read on Wiki that last week Canonical said that with release 18.04 they are dumping it, so is one version you mentioned have a less unity looking interface than the other? I know some distros really try to give the Windoze interface experience, Zorin is one that comes to mind if you've possibly heard of it. Well, now to find a little time to put it together and give it a test. Just use Mint instead of Ubuntu. Mint has the Cinnamon desktop which is more "Windows style". |
HAL9000 Send message Joined: 11 Sep 99 Posts: 6534 Credit: 196,805,888 RAC: 57 |
Ok, thanks Brent, I'll give your thread a read thru, and hopefully in the next week or so get it together. I'll post questions if I come into any difficulties. Oh, one question, I really didn't like the Unity interface, and just read on Wiki that last week Canonical said that with release 18.04 they are dumping it, so is one version you mentioned have a less unity looking interface than the other? I know some distros really try to give the Windoze interface experience, Zorin is one that comes to mind if you've possibly heard of it. Well, now to find a little time to put it together and give it a test. I am just going to assume that is what what whole "cinnamon challenge" thing is all about. :P At my last workplace we were using Red Hat and then Fedora as our Linux flavor. I seem to recall Fedora being very windows like with some kind of updater and driver packages having some kind of GUI interface. However I believe they were on Release 17 when I last used it. SETI@home classic workunits: 93,865 CPU time: 863,447 hours Join the [url=http://tinyurl.com/8y46zvu]BP6/VP6 User Group[ |
Brent Norman Send message Joined: 1 Dec 99 Posts: 2786 Credit: 685,657,289 RAC: 835 |
Just use Mint instead of Ubuntu. Mint has the Cinnamon desktop which is more "Windows style". I installed Mint to get a taste of it, and it certainly does have more of a Windows feel to it. While Ubuntu reminds me of Mac OSX. I'm sure functionally they are both the same. Mint gives me the feel of a Computer Room install, and Ubuntu more of a general Desktop user. I just thought I would add my views on them. EDIT: I do love Mint's "Open as Root" file/folder option. It makes the file privilege obstacle easier to manage. |
Stephen "Heretic" Send message Joined: 20 Sep 12 Posts: 5557 Credit: 192,787,363 RAC: 628 |
Just use Mint instead of Ubuntu. Mint has the Cinnamon desktop which is more "Windows style". . . Hi Brent, . . That makes me wish I had gone with mint, that does sound very useful. Stephen :) |
petri33 Send message Joined: 6 Jun 02 Posts: 1668 Credit: 623,086,772 RAC: 156 |
Hi, You can choose which desktop manager you use. You can have multiple of them in one machine. http://www.wiredmahir.com/install-various-desktop-environment-ubuntu/ To overcome Heisenbergs: "You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes you just might find / you get what you need." -- Rolling Stones |
Mike Send message Joined: 17 Feb 01 Posts: 34253 Credit: 79,922,639 RAC: 80 |
A question to the Linux pros. Is it possible to upgrade Mint 17 which is based on kernel 3.19 (ubuntu 14.04) to kernel 4.10 ? With each crime and every kindness we birth our future. |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22158 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
Two part answer It is "fairly simple" to upgrade the kernel to which ever version you want. Updating the rest of the distribution to another version is not impossible, but not for the faint hearted to do on a bit-by-bit basis. Some distros, and I think Mint is one of them, offers an update path as part of the installation process.which makes that a simple task. Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
ML1 Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 20140 Credit: 7,508,002 RAC: 20 |
Two part answer Good answer there. To add... There are different arrangements to how the Linux distros are put together... There are the mainstream distros that release a specific version where a kernel version and a collection of applications are all bundled together. The application versions and (Gnu) OS structure are matched to the kernel. (Hence the description is sometimes used of Gnu/Linux.) (eg Ubuntu family, Magia, CentOS...) And then there are "rolling release" distros where you install one version and then everything can be incrementally updated bit-by-bit, week-by-week to be always up-to-the-moment current. (eg Sabayon and other Gentoo spins) And then there is the full custom options whereby you can select any combination you want! (eg Gentoo, Arch, Linux-from-Scratch...) A good place to see recent activity is on DistroWatch. (Aside: Linux systems normally use separate partitions for the OS and your user data so that you can install a new distro over the top of your existing distro and your own data/documents are still there. All very good but always make a backup FIRST! ;-) ) Don't worry about the choice. Go for whichever you like the look of or have been recommended! Happy crunchin', Martin See new freedom: Mageia Linux Take a look for yourself: Linux Format The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3) |
rob smith Send message Joined: 7 Mar 03 Posts: 22158 Credit: 416,307,556 RAC: 380 |
Don't worry about the choice. Go for whichever you like the look of or have been recommended! Or google "linux distro" and pick the firs tone that comes up - which is how I ended up using Mint! Bob Smith Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society) Somewhere in the (un)known Universe? |
tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 8797 Credit: 2,930,782 RAC: 1 |
I just had a kernel update on my SuSE Leap 42.2. I checked if VirtualBox works on the new kernel and it does. Once I had to recompile the kernel modules, now it looks that the installer does this using Python. Tullio |
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