what linux for my old laptop?
- Thread starter VeNT
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Soldato
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what do you mean by "doesn't play" m8? it works but is slow? or it doesn't work at all? or do you mean wireless doesnt work?
as for lightweight OS's I would try dreamlinux, or PUD >>> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=746131 or Xubuntu >>>> http://www.xubuntu.org/
I think you will get best results running a lightweight desktop environment like XFCE, LXDE, fluxbox or openbox.
All can be installed on ubuntu or any other linux distro u want to try.
How much fiddling do u wanna do m8? Do you want a "it just works" distro? or you willing to get dirty with the command line to get a little bit more speed out of you distro?????
Not being rude but, do u know what a desktop environment is? just hard to tell how new to linux you are from your post.
SECOND EDIT: Your best bet is to install a lightweight OS for ubuntu, ubuntu is easy to understand has massive support forumd & mega documentation. You will have to get abit dirty with the command line to achieve this. It will only be follow a guide so easy peesy.
as for lightweight OS's I would try dreamlinux, or PUD >>> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=746131 or Xubuntu >>>> http://www.xubuntu.org/
I think you will get best results running a lightweight desktop environment like XFCE, LXDE, fluxbox or openbox.
All can be installed on ubuntu or any other linux distro u want to try.
How much fiddling do u wanna do m8? Do you want a "it just works" distro? or you willing to get dirty with the command line to get a little bit more speed out of you distro?????
Not being rude but, do u know what a desktop environment is? just hard to tell how new to linux you are from your post.
SECOND EDIT: Your best bet is to install a lightweight OS for ubuntu, ubuntu is easy to understand has massive support forumd & mega documentation. You will have to get abit dirty with the command line to achieve this. It will only be follow a guide so easy peesy.
Last edited:
ok well it tries to load x and get to the login but hardly ever gets there and when it does as soon as you login it just sits there twirling no matter how long you leave it. seems odd as I had hardy heron installed on there ages ago and it worked (but I seem to remember having to fiddle for about two weeks before it installed properly but when it did everything worked out of box (wireless etc)), all that is different is that it's got a different hard disk (slower) in as the old one died.
I'm happy to fiddle with command line but I'd rather not have to spend days and days fiddling to get it working.
I understand desktop environment, or lack thereof
used to play with zipslack back in the day (when I had too much time on my hands)
I'm happy to fiddle with command line but I'd rather not have to spend days and days fiddling to get it working.
I understand desktop environment, or lack thereof
used to play with zipslack back in the day (when I had too much time on my hands)
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Plenty of options available - perhaps Debian net install, and you can then choose whatever packages you want on install.
Recommend you go for Fluxbox.
In the same vain, what would people suggest for a really old laptop. It's an IBM X(or T)40 - with a first generation Celeron and 256MB of RAM. It's currently running XP quite happily, and I use it as a spare console when on-site with work (via Putty).
Don't know whether it's worth sticking Linux on it or just continue to use it as a 'dumb terminal'.
Recommend you go for Fluxbox.
In the same vain, what would people suggest for a really old laptop. It's an IBM X(or T)40 - with a first generation Celeron and 256MB of RAM. It's currently running XP quite happily, and I use it as a spare console when on-site with work (via Putty).
Don't know whether it's worth sticking Linux on it or just continue to use it as a 'dumb terminal'.
Soldato
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i think dreamlinux is worth a shot tbh, it runs XFCE but looks really sweet. I haven't tried it on a laptop so unsure about wireless support in dreamlinux, I guess google will be your friend there!
erm, I would start investigating either installing XFCE/openbox or fluxbox desktop environments in ubuntu or checking distrowatch for a distro that uses one of those desktop environments.
VENT - when you boot the livecd of ubuntu look for text at the bottom that will say something like press F6 for more boot options or graphics options. may help, I havent usewd ubuntu for ages so my memory is a little hazy.
EDIT - I tried DSL but found it weird too
erm, I would start investigating either installing XFCE/openbox or fluxbox desktop environments in ubuntu or checking distrowatch for a distro that uses one of those desktop environments.
VENT - when you boot the livecd of ubuntu look for text at the bottom that will say something like press F6 for more boot options or graphics options. may help, I havent usewd ubuntu for ages so my memory is a little hazy.
EDIT - I tried DSL but found it weird too
I did a Debian net install on my old laptop a while back and then stuck Fluxbox on it. Was pretty nippy on a PIII 500 and went in like a dream. Very little command line stuff.
For some reason I find Fluxbox irritating though, I think it's the right click bringing the menu up that annoys me.
For some reason I find Fluxbox irritating though, I think it's the right click bringing the menu up that annoys me.
Soldato
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im fiddling with openbox arm, its basically the same as fluxbox. According to arch wiki, theres a program or setting where you can envoke the openbox menu by pressing a key.