Let me pose this question regarding any OEM supporting Linux: If they didn't ship the system with Linux, why are they going to support it?

You'd want to attack the source, and ask why aren't they shipping Linux on them. Then, you'd see support for that firming up. Meanwhile, the only Linux drivers most any OEM will have are going to be the drivers that the manufacturer of a specific device have provided.

Now, as far as saving your settings is concerned, look around in the KNOPPIX menu for some "Save Configuration" options. IIRC, the documentation I saw somewhere on the KNOPPIX site discussed all about that-- you could save the information to a floppy/USB key, and then the system would load up the settings if you used a specific command to load the settings at startup.

To answer your question with a question...
Why didn't they even offer a Linux installation...

Sounds like another backroom deal with Bill...

At least Dell is now looking to supply non-intel processors...

I did find info on how to install Knoppix to a hard drive...
There is actually a program included to set it up on the hard drive and tools to setup the partition ...

I also found instructions on how to coppy the CD version to your hard drive and personalize it then burn it back to a CD...

Thanks for all the help...

Get away from Knoppix for hard drive. There are really only two LiveCD distros that work fantastically with Laptops 'out of the box' and that is PCLinuxOS and MEPIS. I run MEPIS exclusively on my IBM Thinkpad with modem dialup working for me right out of the box. I can't tell everyone enough...MEPIS MEPIS MEPIS. I've been a Linux user since 1996 and haven't seen its equal yet. It truly is hands down the best desktop distro on the planet.

http://www.mepis.org/book/view/1462

Go with the ibiblio site which has 2004.06 (current). MEPIS is the best free (as in Beer) desktop linux distro on the market.

I went to your link and their Free version was 14.95 for 30 days of free downloading...

It was 9.95 to have them send you a disc...

I found Knoppix installed without a problem on my Dell and I found instructions on how to customize it and reburn a live CD or install it to the hard drive...

I am quite happy with it so far....
Once I know more about it I may change my mind but I am just trying to learn tha basics at this point.

I have Redhat/KDE/Open Office comming in a few days and that will be interesting...

I will keep your suggestion in mind as I learn more and reach the limitations of the different distro's

MEPIS is free man. You don't have to pay...they just want you to register and/or get an official copy to help out. The link I posted above has download mirrors on it. Here's where you can download the ISO, ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/dist...epis/released/

If you can't seem to figure it out, email me. I'll send you a disc in the mail.

You can Check out MEPIS because it is a LIVECD just like Knoppix...that way you won't have to install over your Knoppix install. But I guarantee you'll love it right out of the box. Plus, I love the fact that MEPIS uses the Debian repositories straight away so I can install anything that's in any of the 17,000+ packages there. MEPIS also detects more for me than Knoppix. Here's things that it detects on my setup that Knoppix doesn't:

1) HP 1210v All-in-one printer. Detects and installs.
2) HP 735 Digital Camera (connected during boot just for kicks and it detected and installed)
3) APC 1000VA UPS. I was surprised when it detected this...got the apc daemon running on this thing in about 5 minutes.
4) Labtec AM 252 Microphone. Knoppix didn't even make the attempt.

All in all, MEPIS is just simply better than Knoppix. There's a reason why the editor in chief of OSTG Robin "Roblimo" Miller (of slashdot fame) chose MEPIS to include in his book, "Point and Click Linux" and he opted to skip over Knoppix....and that's because he found a superior distro. As a Linux user since 1996, I can tell you that it IS far superior and my motto has always been...if you find a distro that works better, go with it.

I am getting ready to reload my Thinkpad with over Christmas with the new Novell Linux Desktop 9 (I will keep a copy of dsl 9.0 on my hd too.) After hearing TKS's powerful testimonial for MEPIS I think I need to get a copy of that too.

I suggest you enjoy getting to know linux with the Knoppix you have and the RedHat that is coming. You will know when you are ready to try some different distro's and you will hear about ones you will want to try (I am still waiting for the time to play with College Linux but I haven't found it yet.)

If you want to be really good with linux, really understand it, sometime you should install Linux From Scratch. It is kind of like the Jedi trials of the linux world.

The most important thing is not to get too frustrated, have a good time running stable mature distro's on your main box and set aside a second box and spare time for playing with new distro's. In a couple years and many dozens of installs you can offer your snobbish opinions about distro's to the newbies! (www.slackware.com)

College Linux can be found @ www.linuxiso.org

I understand the concept of fees for distribution but I have two problems...

One is bandwidth on my dialup...

I actually go begging CD in hand to neighbors with Cable....

The other is... I retired two years ago and my budget is very fixed and I am still struggling to get used to not having a regular paycheck...

I would truely appreciate you burning me a copy with whatever else you feel might be helpful to someone wishing to learn Linux...

Please Email me at:

hoover_paul@yahoo.com

So that I can email you my physical address rather than posting it here...

I will still go try and beg some bandwidth at a neighbor up the road and download from the link you provided...

Paul...

They don't offer Linux as an operating system on their desktops or laptops anymore because there wasn't much of a demand when they did offer it. Now they offer machines with no operating system installed (they include a copy of FreeDOS on a CD but NOT installed on the drive) as well as Linux on a few of their servers.

..and I've been running numerous distros of Linux on Dell laptops for years (including Xandros for the past few months) as well as FreeBSD and Solaris 9 (UNIX), and the only problem I've ever had was getting the sound working (until I found a very helpful link off Google.)

TKS,
I got the copy of Mepis you linked for me...
The primary and secondary configs failed but the failsafe worked
I only got as far as playing frozen bubbles befroe my wife took away the keyboard and kept playing until it was time for bed.
Thanks for the link...
Does it have an automated install?
Do I try to fix the primary or secondary setup and use those?
Are there any real benefits, faster etc?
Thanks in advance...