your linux file systems should be as follows

/ -- root directory
/var -- tmp directory
/home -- home directory ( like "My Documents" )
/boot -- Boot loader files
/swap -- your swap space ( like pagefile )

each directory on its own partition



however in ubuntu you can get away with using just the root directory and it will create a file structure such as :
/home
/var
/boot
and your swap you still sill not see. All directories will be on the same partition

if i could have my internt running in Linux i installed that could have solved my most of my problem, i can only access internet through WIFI and isnt their an easy way to install applications on linux or do i hav e to always go to terminal command line

whats your wifi card? if you can give me make model and model #... also if you know whether its an Atheros card or not that will help...

i can walk you through the install procedure for your card..

that would be so nice of you, thanks

it is wireless Ethernet (Onboard Intel Pro wireless 2200BG)card though i mentioned it earlier. but right now i am logged in windows xp

Procedure to enable WPA Wireless in Ubuntu

To update the source list run the following command

Code:

sudo apt-get update

Code:

sudo apt-get install wpasupplicant

Code:

sudo apt-get install network-manager-gnome network-manager

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces

Comment out everything other than “lo” entries in that file and save the file

Create a file called /etc/default/wpasupplicant, add entry ENABLED=0 and save the file

Code:

sudo touch /etc/default/wpasupplicant

Reboot your system or use the following command

Code:

sudo /etc/init.d/dbus restart

Once you login back in to your machine you need to left-click the network manager icon in Gnome and select your wireless network It should prompts for password, type, etc and It will ask you to choose a password for your new “keyring”.


Possible Error and Solution

If you see the following error

The NetworkManager applet could not find some required resources. It cannot continue.

Solution

Code:

sudo gtk-update-icon-cache -f /usr/share/icons/hicolor/

debianadmin

If you still have an issue then you need to enable the radio....


The problem? The card radio was off. It turned out that a “kill switch” was needed to turn it on. The procedure to do that is ridiculously simple. Here:

Code:

sudo modprobe fsam7400 radio=1

This is not permanent though… you have to do this every time you reboot. To make it permanent, do this:

Code:

sudo echo fsam7400 >> /etc/modules

Code:

sudo echo options fsam7400 radio=1 >> /etc/modprob.d/options

In other words, edit the /etc/modules file with your favorite editor and insert fsam7400 on a new line; edit the /etc/modprob.d/options file and insert options fsam7400 radio=1 on a new line.

i normally use gedit to edit my files...

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/modprob.d/options

ok cool, i will do it for that i have to login to Linux now so i would now logoff, but before that i would say if you can remotely login to my machine it will really solve my most of the problems coz this is taking my time that i have to put in what i work in.

that would be sweet if their be a simple application in wihch we point out the installable setup and it installs the program and place shortcut on desktop.

well in general i would suggest that you get VMWare and use it to test and build Linux installs... you can actually set up a partition on your hard drive and sue it to install directly to. then when you get it all working you can create a boot disk for grub to install and let it detect your Linux install on the partition and add it to the boot loader... this is how i started, and it works really well; however, i also started with Debian Sarge Net install. (ubuntu is derived from debian ).