On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:30:37 -0700, Todd wrote:

> I've decided it's time to jump into Linux with both feet.

That's a mistake. Should have done some reading first.

> I got a new computer, because I wanted a dual-core processor.

Okay. But specs would help with diagnosing problems.

> I installed XP on a new hard drive, then Vista in dual-boot
> configuration. What a piece of crap! Boom! Reinstall XP.

You're learning.

> Now Linux. Now of my burnt cds worked in my dvdrom, and the one that
> started to install (it might have been Debian) fragged my Windows. Boom!
> Reinstall XP.

Probably did it wrong. Default installs usually wipe the hard drive.
You'll need to do a "custom" install.

> I can select which hard drive to boot from, so install PCLinuxOS on a
> second hard drive, with the Windows disk disconnected. I used the
> option to install three partitions. While I understand why I want a
> separate swap partiton, I'm still a little confused about these other
> ones. But I want all documents and downloads separate from the systems.
> But I don't know what /, /var, and /home are.

PCLinuxOS is a good choice for a Linux beginner. Works a lot like
Windows. Don't need to know the commandline stuff. Everything GUI based
with wizards and such.

/ is the "root" or primary system partition. System files, system
libraries, startup scripts and system configurations go here, organized
in various directories.

/var can be a directory in / or a partition -- temporary files of all
sorts, both user and system, go here.

/home can be a directory in / or a partition. Usually, it's a
partition. This is where all users have their private user directories.
All user files, data and configuration go here.

/usr can be a directory in / or its own partition. This is where all
user applications, application libraries, documentation, etc. go.

swap is always a partition, and it's virtual RAM.

Basically, you can get by with just / and swap; however, /, /home and
swap is more typical for a desktop system. Servers are configured a
little differently for security, and ease of upgrading and administration.

> Then install Debian, default multi-partition set-up. The gui won't load
> and I'm stuck at the command prompt.

For now, until you know more, just stick with one distro.

My guess on no GUI is that the Debian installer configured your graphics
settings incorrectly, and the X-server -- that's Linux's graphics server
-- can't load and work with those settings, and quits, falling back to
the terminal. The graphics configuration file is called xorg.conf and is
normally in /etc/X11. Type 'man xorg.conf' in a terminal for more info.

> Any help on what went wrong and how to get the gui up and running? PCLOS
> still runs fine, but I've got five seconds to choose it over Debian.
> For now, I'd like PCLOS to be default. I've got a big chunk of space,
> so I think I'm going to try Fedora and Ubuntu. I put Ubuntu on my
> parents computers, (separate hard drive, and I have to go through the
> bios to boot to it) and I think I prefer it's interface to PCLos.
>
> PCLos is kde, and Ubuntu is gnome?

Yes. However, Kubuntu uses KDE and Xubuntu uses XFCE.

Also, I suggest you go to a book store and buy RUNNING LINUX, 5th Edition
(O'Reilly, pub), read it cover to cover a couple times, then really study
it. After doing that, you should have a better understanding of Linux
and how it works.

Stef