optimizing ubuntu for old PC

smogsy · 18 Jul 2009 at 20:32

im looking to optimize Linux i just installed it on a mates laptop as windows was fubared.

Plus it took me 4 hours to install it as the CD drive is also fubared..

anyway the Laptop is PIII 256MB Ram 20GB HDD

it boot up fairly fast but im looking to optimize it futher for him.
(he thinks the laptop is screwed atm)

is there like a Set System for Best Performance option like on windows in ubuntu?

im looking to keep the GUI as hes never used linux before

ty.

Bob Wya Jnr · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:48

Hi

Thats a pretty low spec. rig but Xubuntu should run OK on it though...

... Xubuntu can run with starting from 192 (or even just 128) MB RAM, but it is strongly recommended to have at least 256 MB RAM.

Have you considered CrunchBang Linux perhaps? It is an even lighter weight Ubuntu variant using the Openbox window manager... You could at least try it out LiveCD to see if it'll work OK...

Bob

smogsy · 19 Jul 2009 at 08:14

tbh i don't really want to spend another 4 hours installing linux the laptop can hardly power the CD drive its running at like 0.25x speed & seems not have power to run one usb port either..

eXor · 19 Jul 2009 at 12:57

The Ubuntu Live CDs can be made to boot from hard disk. A CD drive is not required.

I use a method similar to the following:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=6555342&postcount=4

Summary :

Basically, you create a small ( ~ 1GB ) partition on the hard disk, copy the contents of the CD, add an entry to Grub.

fishfishfish · 20 Jul 2009 at 18:49

Also consider Debian Lenny, as it's a fair bit less intensive on resources than Ubuntu.