I'm completely new to Linux. Any help out there would be appreciated...
I downloaded Knoppix 5.1 and it downloaded as an .iso file. I burned it to CD but can not get my computer to boot from the CD. I've checke the boot order and changed it so my CD drive is first, but still no dice. Any pointers???

did you burn it right?

you DONT just burn the .iso as a file, you need to use a special ISO burner.

Have a look at DeepBurner (dont buy pro - theres a free version available). With Deepburner its as simple as choosing burn ISO and selecting the ISO to be burned.

Thank you very much. I'm in the process of burning it with DeepBurner now. Thanks so much for your help.

ok, so I burned the .iso image just fine and it booted from the cd, but its all in germa. I'm positve I downloaded the English version. Is there a way to change the language settings before I attmept another 2 hour download?

when you get to the textbased part that requires you to hit enter (should usually say something like boot: ) change it to read this:

boot: knoppix lang = us keyboard=us, xkeyboard=us

knoppix also isnt a particuarly good distibution to begin linux with by the way. You may want to take a look at ubunntu instead as it is much easier and runs off the cd like knoppix, although it has an icon that allows you to install if you want.

Thanks again, I got it to work fine. Now that I know the steps to take, I'm going to try Ubunntu like you suggested. Thanks!

http://www.ubuntu.com/products/WhatI...desktopedition

you want the 6.10 (efty eft) version not the 6.10 LTS (dapper drake) version

You'll like ubuntu better than knoppix. The knoppix-installer is a bit vague. And when you are done you might not have the same system as the live cd. If you install knoppix and choose to install like the live cd you won't have a root password option. If you install the debian version of knoppix it won't look like knoppix. Ubuntu has an installer that is almost as easy as the MEPIS installer. You just have to be sure to choose the right partitions to install to when using the ubuntu installer. If you don't like the gnome desktop that ubuntu has and want a kde desktop like knoppix then I would say try MEPIS. MEPIS uses the same repositories as ubuntu so you will get all of the same apps through synaptic package manager. Good luck and welcome to linux.

one word mepnoob. Kubuntu

Anything with kde, that works. PClinuxOS, MEPIS, kubuntu, It doesn't really matter. Kubuntu feels like a throttled back ubuntu. MEPIS is the easiest of the three to set up. For me. MEPIS has MEPIS X-Windows assistant, MEPIS user assistant, MEPIS network assistant and MEPIS system assistant. All of these make MEPIS easier to run that the other guys.