Ubuntu 8.04 with LinuxCNC

I am trying to learn linux and linuxCNC. I installed 8.04 with linuxcnc iso to a dell optiplex GX620. The install went well, so well the OS detected the on board speaker. I was clicking around and tried to update. There are 11 available. The update failed. I went to ubuntu for help and am told 8.04 is out of date and that linuxcnc was it own OS. Confused, I installed 14.04 but it did not have CNC in the install and was a bit demanding on the dell. I would like to stay with 8.04.

Can linuxCNC be add to any linux OS?

Not easily. Linuxcnc requires that the kernel be patched for real time. The live CDs (and DVDs) that you can down load from this site, are ready to go with Linuxcnc (or EMC2 if you're looking at old versions such as Ubuntu 8.04) installed.
Unfortunately 8.04 is no longer supported and the last version of Linuxcnc that will install on it is 2.6.
Ubuntu 10.04 is still supported here, for now (but for how long???). It is however end of life at Ubuntu.
The current version of Linuxcnc is distributed on Debian 7 (Wheezy).

It is possible to set Linuxcnc up on later versions of Ubuntu such as 12.04 and maybe even 14.04. But it isn't a well trodden path. (and I don't know the way myself)

using the latest live cd 2.7.0, may help.
although i appricate your using an older pc etc, but worth a go , using older than 2.6.9 now , would be a backward step , in terms of whats available .

Thank you both for the help. I will try to dual boot Debian 7 on my PC that runs Cad. I don't think I am ready to learn a new cad program just yet. Will keep this 8.04 running for a internet PC. One ? I know you know, but how or where do I look to verify the version of EMC?

You can of course use the linuxcnc / 8.04 versions to learn and use linuxcnc, but you will not have the newest features.

Rick G

I am trying to learn and hope asking question here is OK. Yes 8.04 is old and I have installed wheeze on another PC. BUT I would like to learn by up dating this version and seeing what it will become. I have updated as-per to 2.4 and now have linuxcnc 1:2.5.4 and am required to fix some dependencies.
libtk-img >=1.13
python-configobj
python-gtkglext1
python-xlib
python 2.5-numpy
tclreadline

Are these driver packages? Do I google them?

I googled libtk-img and found someone who had found 'libtk-img' in 4 different packages.

If I am asking to much say so and I will move on.

Not sure what will be gained or learned about linuxcnc by following the upgrade path with 8.04.
If your hardware works with Wheezy I would install that and 2.7.
Having said that I have different machines running on different versions, 8.04 on a mill, 10.04 on a plasma cutter, etc.
These are dedicated computers so if 8.04 is working fine I just run that.

Rick G