A few questions about linux? (max ram, running games and apps etc)

allllec · 6 Jan 2008 at 01:25

Im thinking.. and i mean only thinking about it at the moment.. switching to linux

Few questions though.. bearing in mind i'd idealy want to run ubuntu

I've got 4gb of ram.. can it all be used?
i want to run: counter strike source, ventrillo and teamspeak. Using things like wine if needs be will they run fine?

also i've got Ati X1950 - thats not gonna be a problem is it?

cheers

alec

GarethDW · 6 Jan 2008 at 10:25

allllec said:
I've got 4gb of ram.. can it all be used?

Yep, if you install the 64-bit version of Ubuntu it'll recognise it straight away. If you have some specific reason to go down the 32-bit route then I think you need to add kernel-PAE support.

allllec said:
i want to run: counter strike source, ventrillo and teamspeak. Using things like wine if needs be will they run fine?

It runs OK according to TransGaming's database of Cedega compatible games - http://games.cedega.com/gamesdb/games/view.mhtml?game_id=3524 (Cedega is a commercial version of Wine... here's their FAQ). Bear in mind, however, that Linux is generally not ideal for playing Windows games.

allllec said:
also i've got Ati X1950 - thats not gonna be a problem is it?

Not sure about this... I ditched ATI for Nvidia a while ago because ATI's support for Linux drivers was abysmal. They've improved them a bit but are still behind Nvidia, imo.

There is a hardware compatibility list available (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsVideoCardsAti) but I can't see your card listed... although it may be part of a family that is listed, as I don't follow ATI's naming conventions any more.

Vimes · 6 Jan 2008 at 10:26

As you are thinking of Ubuntu then you would be better of going and reading in their forums, they have an excellent section "absolute beginners" where I seem to spend most of my time..!!!

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=73

allllec · 6 Jan 2008 at 13:41

Cheers, made a post on their forums too. Hopefully they can sort me out

cheers

alec

.walls · 6 Jan 2008 at 18:01

allllec said:
i want to run: counter strike source, ventrillo and teamspeak. Using things like wine if needs be will they run fine?

Cedega used to run Steam with no problems, however; currently it doesn't seem to work. I've read up on it a bit and it seems that Valve have made a change that affects a lot of users - so I wouldn't hold my breath just now. I expect that it will get fixed at some point though.

allllec · 6 Jan 2008 at 19:11

Pff my DVD drive is broken..

any other way to install Ubuntu ?

GarethDW · 6 Jan 2008 at 19:44

Well, you could use Wubi to install Linux from within Windows... it's not my favourite method but it would work.

Have a look at http://wubi-installer.org/

allllec · 6 Jan 2008 at 19:46

Yeah tried that earlyer, didnt work.

Ah well I will just give it a miss for now

shame looks nice

GarethDW · 6 Jan 2008 at 19:55

Did it give any error message?

Another alternative would be to order one of the DVDs from Ubuntu - they send them out free of charge, but you have to wait a while for it to get sent to you.

https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

allllec · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:00

GarethDW said:
Did it give any error message?

Another alternative would be to order one of the DVDs from Ubuntu - they send them out free of charge, but you have to wait a while for it to get sent to you.

https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

Oh sorry i wasn't very descriptive. No it didn't, downloaded the iso installed all okay but didn't appear on boot menu or anything.

I only have one drive and its bust so it wouldn't help unfortuntly!

Anyway, thanks for your help

I'm not overly bothered just yet.

Think i might be able to porp a working drive from a computer I'm getting next week.

ta anyway

cheers

alec

Rich43 · 8 Jan 2008 at 20:22

You can try it out from virtual machine software like vmware, virtualbox and theres others...

allllec · 8 Jan 2008 at 20:26

Got it working in the end.

Pretty unimpressed with some aspects, amazed by others.

Just trying to iron out the problems now. Graphics drivers being one. (running envy causes ubuntu to hang when loading up)

Also desperately trying to get counter strike source working. I got it to stage where it opens, but closes straight away again! Hoping its something to do with graphics drivers!

gumbald · 9 Jan 2008 at 11:54

X1950 Pro can be got working, my housemate has that card. Not sure which tutorial he used in the end, as he went through lots and it just ended up working...

craptakular · 9 Jan 2008 at 16:28

ran my x1950xt using the restricted drivers from ubuntu. It ran beryl fine, tried css on wine but it ran like 10 fps(got 200+ fps in XP) must admit i didnt spend much time trying to get games to work mind. TBH if u want a games machine dual boot XP and ubuntu.

Use ubuntu to do what ever u want with & reserve games for your XP partitiion. Thats the less stressful way. I fear trying to get wine and games to work well will make you tear your hair out! Stick with getting used to the OS and terminal.

Just my 2p worth

allllec · 9 Jan 2008 at 16:33

For the sake of one game i thought it was worth a shot.

Anyway - i tried installing Ati drivers manually and just as Envy did (in the exact same way) its causing ubuntu to hang on startup.

The hassle of dual booting isn't worth it so ill just stick with vista for the time being.

ah well thanks anyway people.

swinnie · 9 Jan 2008 at 19:32

GarethDW said:
It runs OK according to TransGaming's database of Cedega compatible games - http://games.cedega.com/gamesdb/games/view.mhtml?game_id=3524 (Cedega is a commercial version of Wine... here's their FAQ). Bear in mind, however, that Linux is generally not ideal for playing Windows games.

I know it's not ideal you could always try running Windows in a Virtual Machine, but I think gaming performance would be hampered???

allllec · 9 Jan 2008 at 19:34

Cedega goes against the core reason for the switch to linux. You have to pay for it !!

.walls · 9 Jan 2008 at 22:14

allllec said:
Also desperately trying to get counter strike source working. I got it to stage where it opens, but closes straight away again! Hoping its something to do with graphics drivers!

Wow... really... best of luck.

swinnie said:
I know it's not ideal you could always try running Windows in a Virtual Machine, but I think gaming performance would be hampered???

Yes, yes it will. (i.e. no 3d gfx + overhead of the hypervisor + host os = **** for games... except pacman and the like...)

GarethDW · 9 Jan 2008 at 22:31

allllec said:
Cedega goes against the core reason for the switch to linux. You have to pay for it !!

I prefer to think of it as not being open source, rather than it just being free (as in beer). There are plenty of commercial products available for Linux, Cedega isn't the only company that charges for its product.

Funnily enough I don't think the price aspect ever really got me into Linux in the first place. I started getting interested in it when I was at university (after having played around with Unix and Silicon Graphics boxes). To be honest, nobody ever paid for their software back in the day (as I'm sure most students don't nowadays too). I hadn't any intention of paying for Windows back then, so the fact that Linux was a free alternative was a moot point.

However, the fact that this OS was freely available, and could be examined by anyone that wanted to, and modified as anyone saw fit, and was easily obtainable, etc... it was those aspects that sparked my interest in it.

The fact it is free of charge is just an added bonus

allllec · 9 Jan 2008 at 22:38

Maybe for some, but for me its why i want to go linux.

Because desktop/usage wise i don't mind either. I have very little intention of doing anything remotely advance so I'm not interested in the technical side of either.

Counter Strike Source and Ventrilo are the only two things stopping me just whipping vista off right now