Linux distro?

[Yanosh]

Can someone advice me which linux distro is better suited for a beginner? As amigaish as possible.  It must run on a 3 ghz core due duo. Is YAM available on linux?

[Amiwell]

there are many linux distributions you could install, it will be a few weeks ago that i have debian xfce on a fairly old laptop but that's okay, yam doesn't exist for linux

[Yanosh]

I need one that's simple enough for me, well supported, that can run well enough at least on an old core due duo. And if I can test it with a live distro would be a really good thing. I need to convert all my emails from YAM to something else. Many years ago I tried an old linux distro... IIRC was Debian and it had a really strange desktop. I'd like something more Amigaish.

[Amiwell]

linux has nothing of an amiga maybe the desktop environment xfce is closer to us because at least it has the icon bar it is like amidock, debian has evolved a lot for less practical users and by default it has the firefox-esr browser therefore maximum stability

[Argo]

I've found Linux Mint to be a good distro starting out
It's what I use for my AROS hosted environment

[aGGreSSor]

Can someone advice me which linux distro is better suited for a beginner? As amigaish as possible.  It must run on a 3 ghz core due duo. Is YAM available on linux?

When I was choosing a Linux distro for myself, I chose FreeBSD.  Now, I don't see any difference between Linux distros. Newbies are different. If you are afraid of difficulties, you should not look at Gentoo, Arch Linux and their derivatives. The only real difference between other distros for user: rpm-based or deb-based. Distros with other package formats are not considered. At the CLI level, all distros are the same, but paths may vary. Linux distros do NOT match POSIX in different ways. Most rpm-based distros are more conservative and have older software versions as package. It doesn't matter for a competent user.

[Yanosh]

Just installed linux Mint on a spare 80 gb hd. It's a lot different than AROS or Windows about partitions. But now I have a little thing to solve... to avoid mistakes, i removed the hd  where AROS is installed, then the "new" hd was mounted. Once Linux was installed, it worked as it should, but after reconnecting the AROS hd, as expected it stopped to work. The big problem is that I can't boot Linux using the bios boot menu... all I get is a black screen. Can I simply add an entry to grub to solve this? AROS boots as usual. Do I need to reinstall Linux with the AROS hd connected? If I disconnect the AROS hd, Linux boots with no problems. One more thing... when I installed Linux, the hard disk was mounted on the sata channel 0, now it's on channel 2. Only the 2 first channel can be set as IDE. Is this a problem for Linux?

[aGGreSSor]

This information is not enough. I can imagine a hundred reasons why this might be so.
We don't know which motherboard you have.
We don't know what is in your MBR and/or GPT.
We don't know how the disks are partitioned.
You need to understand the stages of Linux boot process.
You can always start Linux from a live CD/DVD and examine the structures of your disks.
At first, your tool should be GParted (must have).
Linux Mint is deb-based distro. This means that it is similar Debian and (to a lesser extent) Ubuntu distros.
Use this knowledge to read tips in Internet. If there is no help for Linux Mint, help definitely is for Debian.
Secondly, It's safer to train on a virtual machine (Virtual Box), and then, knowing what you are doing, go to boot from disk.

[Yanosh]

This is the grub.cfg of Linux Mint. Can I copy all of this stuff onto AROS' grub.cfg without damaging AROS' partitions? Just tried to copy only the menuentry for Linux and the Linux kernel panicked.



#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
if [ "${initrdfail}" = 2 ]; then
   set initrdfail=
elif [ "${initrdfail}" = 1 ]; then
   set next_entry="${prev_entry}"
   set prev_entry=
   save_env prev_entry
   if [ "${next_entry}" ]; then
      set initrdfail=2
   fi
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function initrdfail {
    if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -n "${partuuid}" ]; then
      if [ -z "${initrdfail}" ]; then
        set initrdfail=1
        if [ -n "${boot_once}" ]; then
          set prev_entry="${default}"
          save_env prev_entry
        fi
      fi
      save_env initrdfail
    fi; fi
}
function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos6'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos6 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos6 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos6  a846e2a1-d887-4058-b2d5-8dfb4ec527f4
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a846e2a1-d887-4058-b2d5-8dfb4ec527f4
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=it_IT
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ] ; then
  set timeout=30
else
  if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
    set timeout_style=hidden
    set timeout=0
  # Fallback hidden-timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
  # unavailable.
  elif sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
    set timeout=0
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
   set gfxpayload="${1}"
   if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
      set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
   else
      set vt_handoff=
   fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
menuentry 'Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-a846e2a1-d887-4058-b2d5-8dfb4ec527f4' {
   recordfail
   load_video
   gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
   insmod gzio
   if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
   insmod part_msdos
   insmod ext2
   set root='hd0,msdos1'
   if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
     search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  070fdd4c-bda2-433d-9ceb-d9f344a36abe
   else
     search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 070fdd4c-bda2-433d-9ceb-d9f344a36abe
   fi
   linux   /vmlinuz-5.4.0-26-generic root=/dev/sda6 ro  quiet splash
}
submenu 'Opzioni avanzate per Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-a846e2a1-d887-4058-b2d5-8dfb4ec527f4' {
   menuentry 'Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon, con Linux 5.4.0-26-generic' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-5.4.0-26-generic-advanced-a846e2a1-d887-4058-b2d5-8dfb4ec527f4' {
      recordfail
      load_video
      gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
      insmod gzio
      if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
      insmod part_msdos
      insmod ext2
      set root='hd0,msdos1'
      if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  070fdd4c-bda2-433d-9ceb-d9f344a36abe
      else
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 070fdd4c-bda2-433d-9ceb-d9f344a36abe
      fi
      echo   'Caricamento Linux 5.4.0-26-generic...'
      linux   /vmlinuz-5.4.0-26-generic root=/dev/sda6 ro  quiet splash
   }
   menuentry 'Linux Mint 20 Cinnamon, con Linux 5.4.0-26-generic (recovery mode)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-5.4.0-26-generic-recovery-a846e2a1-d887-4058-b2d5-8dfb4ec527f4' {
      recordfail
      load_video
      insmod gzio
      if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
      insmod part_msdos
      insmod ext2
      set root='hd0,msdos1'
      if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  070fdd4c-bda2-433d-9ceb-d9f344a36abe
      else
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 070fdd4c-bda2-433d-9ceb-d9f344a36abe
      fi
      echo   'Caricamento Linux 5.4.0-26-generic...'
      linux   /vmlinuz-5.4.0-26-generic root=/dev/sda6 ro recovery nomodeset dis_ucode_ldr
   }
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux_zfs ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux_zfs ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

[Argo]

Can someone advice me which linux distro is better suited for a beginner? As amigaish as possible.  It must run on a 3 ghz core due duo. Is YAM available on linux?

When I was choosing a Linux distro for myself, I chose FreeBSD.  Now, I don't see any difference between Linux distros. Newbies are different. If you are afraid of difficulties, you should not look at Gentoo, Arch Linux and their derivatives. The only real difference between other distros for user: rpm-based or deb-based. Distros with other package formats are not considered. At the CLI level, all distros are the same, but paths may vary. Linux distros do NOT match POSIX in different ways. Most rpm-based distros are more conservative and have older software versions as package. It doesn't matter for a competent user.

FreeBSD is not Linux

[aGGreSSor]

You can do it, only it doesn't make any sense.
Read the first lines of the file:

# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub

grub.cfg specifies boot options and cannot damage partitions.
You just won't boot with erroneous options.
You need to understand the stages of Linux boot process and how to manage the bootloader "grub".
No one has been able to skip over it.

Main way: Boot from LiveCD, mount your partitions, explore your disks and their contents.
If you have mounted partitions for writing, you can edit the files on them.
If you are wrong somewhere, you can fix it by booting with LiveCD.
In this case, you can install the bootloader and generate its configuration files as many times as you want.
After a finite number of iterations, you will begin to understand how it works, but most importantly: read the documentation!

You can only be helped in real time or by requesting many, many screen photos.
As you understand more, you will have fewer questions and it will be easier to answer them.

[aGGreSSor]

FreeBSD is not Linux

It's russian humor, you didn't understand him. 
I didn’t find one Linux distro that I liked and downloaded FreeBSD. I went back to Linux after 14 years and it became part of my job.

[Amiwell]

yanosh you can always solve by taking an external usb case for your hd with aros and at boot select it

[Yanosh]

Ok... now this is what I have done until now... I've reinstalled Linux and now i can boot from it with the bios boot menu. For this result I've tried to reinstall it many times. First of all I disconnected the hard disk where AROS is installed and replaced it with an old malfunctioning hard disk where there was an old version of AROS. After installing linux mint, it is no longer possible to boot AROS because it boots directly from the second hard drive where Linux is. So I've put back the working hard disk with AROS and I can boot normally via grub and if I want to boot Linux I just use the bios boot menu. The strange thing is that if I boot like this, linux starts directly without going through grub. If I take out the hard drive with AROS and leave only the linux hard drive, grub starts but then Linux goes into kernel panic. So I think Linux mint is not so good at dual boot and it doesn't work if the hard disk is moved between sata connectors. I don't know if this is due to GRUB or Linux itself. Now i need to understand how to run Linux from AROS' grub. Is that a standard one or was built just for AROS?

Anyway... my motherboard is an Asus IPIBL-LB made for HP and it was in a Compaq DX2400 microtower. I don't know what is is on the mbr. I think that before understanding how the Linux boot stages are, I need to install it in a working way. 

[Amiwell]

yes aros grub is made specifically for it, there is a wiki on the web that explains how to dual boot with aros, windows or linux, let's see if I can find it anyway with windows I had read that the procedure was simpler

https://tinyurl.com/y5bs7z2y