Status: Issue is Resolved
Solution: You cannot "boot directly from the files you dled." It's complicated. Read the replies for more info. If you're still confused, seek mental help.
So I spent the whole day trying to figure all this out and I've only gotta so far..
Edit: There are replies; please skip boring and dull overview of events.
System notes
Windows XP Professional SP 2, 256MB RAM, 20GB HD
Bowser: Firefox considering changing to Opera if I ever get Fedora installed
Computer does not have CD burning function
I think that's all that really matters; ask for more if needed and I'll be happy to provide.
About me
-First time trying linux
-Took Computer Science I; found java unfun; plan to learn some python, ruby (starting with relatively easy ones) and all others for the sake of learning and experiencing.
-"The command prompt is that black screen window that opens up when you go to the start menu and "run" "cmd."
Yea, I see it's going to be a long night..
Side Note: If you know any freely available and high-quality materials on any subject relate to IT, please recommend them. I would be eternally grateful.
Overview of Events
Start and never stop: So I decided Fedora was the linux distribution of choice yesterday after reading about various distributions on wikipedia and the external links it had. Today, I downloaded the "Fedora-7-KDE-Live-i686.iso" file from one of the mirrors at http://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/pub...Fedora/7/i386/
After some time of confusion and wondering how come it didn't come with any type of installer to make life easier, I decided to extract it using 7-zip only because I had it handy and saw that it does extract iso files according to sourceforge.net.
Either the following is the result or what I had originally:
-a isolinux folder with seven different files, none .iso file
-a sysroot folder with nothing in it
-squashfs.img
Stuff happened. Still lost.
After looking through the strange new words in the Fedora installation guide at http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f7/en_US/
my plan is to "Run from image," if I ever get to that point.
Source: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/instal...l#sn-boot-menu
I tried to use the resources available today:
Google searches for "how to boot from livecd," "how to open a livecd," "what is a livecd" and other similar phrases but pretty much all turned out extremely unhelpful, instead providing links to "how to build a livecd." But.. I don't even know how to boot fedora, Google (side note: I find Google increasing useless as the days go by).
Status: Determined.
I'm not sure when this occurred but I tried opening all the files within the folders but none appeared relevant to booting and getting fedora started. The squashfs.img was interesting. I opened it with Windows Picture Viewer and it took ~5 mins of freezing time, where the PF usage (in windows task manager, under performance tab) rocketed and yet generated NO preview, giving a "No preview available." So why did it even tried. If no preview were available, shouldn't it have been brief? Or did something go wrong? I moved on.
Status: Undeterred.
I downloaded this "Virtual Daemon Manager V4.09HE" which had promised, by me assuming it, to solve my dilemma, and which is now at the bottom-right hand corner of the screen. I'm not sure what that section is labeled. So this Daemon thing has a feature that "mounts" the livecd onto the D:/ drive. Yea, so I "mounted" it. Now what? I moved on.
Status: Forward-looking.
I dled this "MagicISO" program. What does it do? Beats me. Appears to do something though; no doubt about that, I mean come one, 4 windows within a main window, wow.
I clicked on the about tab --> help and got this,
"MagicISO is a powerful and easy CD image file edit tool. It can create /edit /extract ISO files,make image files from CD-ROM or hard disk, and handle bootable information at meanwhile."
That helps... so what do I do now MagicISO?
It doesn't speak so I decided to extract again, just in case you know. Extracted all three (2 folders and an .img file). Don't know if anything happened.
Status: Fearless
So I thought because there is no cd in the cd-rom, boot the cd-rom at startup would be silly and pointless. I found this valid. I restarted and set the boot sequence in the bios in this order: Cd-rom - IDE-0 - something else I forget what is perceived as unimportant. Anyhow, windows started up. I despise windows; they embed too much crap into the system; ie. I can't even get rid of internet explorer; it just keeps coming back.
Other events took place.
How far I've come:
-a isolinux folder with seven different files, none .iso file
-a sysroot folder with nothing in it
-squashfs.img
It appears awfully familiar..
I also have this "Fedora-7-KDE-Live-i686" file which is stand-alone (not in the main folder containing the -squashfs.img and those two other folder.) It doesn't do anything. I wish when I double-click it, the os automatically installs onto the hard drive.
My current state has neither evolved nor changed: Lost, still.
If you are one of those smart people who knows what they are doing, please be very, very detailed unlike Fedora's Installation "guide," which causes confusions for my POV.
And no. Do not recommend that I install ubuntu, or some other simpler form of linux for hopeless new ones like me. This should be easy enough.
Continue and Progress.