Linux Linux (xubuntu) laptop issues!

So yer Imtrying to install xubuntu on this old laptop so that it can be used for netsurfing and word processing and listening to music while doing so.

Its an old Fujitsu Siemens Amilo with a 1ghz celeron, 128mb RAM and a 10gb hard disk.

Im trying to install/run the live cd and all is ok, get to the splash screen progress bar gets to the end and then it goes to a black screen. Nothing.

Im keen to get it up and running but cant get past this, im going to get the alt install now to see if its helps. But at 129mb I think I meet the sys reqs?

Thanks in advance for any help.

If there would be a more appropriate beginners distro please let me know, opted for this so that I would be more familiar with it when it came to the server Im planning!

Dean.

 

Xubuntu is probably the easiest bet, the live cd requires 128mb of ram to run but 192mb of ram to install. The alt installer is still pretty easy to use. Have fun

 

Not to rain on Xubuntu's parade... but I've had problems with certain Debian distro's working on the 2-3 laptops I've tried installing them on.

But I've never found a problem with Novell's SuSE Linux on laptops, it's always worked "out of the box" regardless if the laptop was old or new. Consider it as an alternative.

If I had my own personal choice, I'd use Gentoo on my laptop but I've had problems getting it working with my Bluetooth and Audio, SuSE worked fine. But Gentoo is my desktop choice E17 + Gentoo => Yay!

 

Im also a gentoo fan, its not something I would recommend to people who arnt confident in there linux skills, or patient. Gentoo + Xmonad => Yay!

 

Ugh, I actually did a stage1 install of Gentoo on my desktop. Took me 21 hours. But I proclaim it like some kind of rite of passage -- a battle hardened linux user, ha ha ha. But *never again* -- I can live with stage2 and stage3.

 

lol ive considered doing a stage 1 or 2 before but havent been that crazy/stupid/bored yet. If i ever need to reinstall ill make a custom stage4.

 

OOOOOOH KAAY!

Think you lost be about the time you said Linux!



Dean.

 

All this talking about stage 1 and 2 installs makes me wonder if people actually read the Gentoo Handbook...

 

Cover to cover

 

Did you? Well, then you must have read the Gentoo developers word of warning

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=2

And if you follow the link:

I did dev work for Gentoo, and even I was recommended to start from stage 3 by other developers...

 

It sounds familiar, I havent done anything other then a stage3 install, the other two are more a curiosity thing anything for me.

Nice to see you back btw

 

Xubuntu = a Linux flavor

And about your problem, use an older version of Xubuntu (like 6.06) if you don't need firefox3 it will be just fine. It is outdated, but your computer too. It will run with 64mb of ram once installed.

You can also use a more complex but faster distribution like puppy linux or do like other said and install a Gentoo or Arch with a lot of time and pain for a new Linux user, but faster at the end. You can also do a net install of debian from 3 floppy, It is fast, easy and take 5.6mb of ram if you use xvesa and dwm/xmonad/jwm windows manager.

 

You confused me here... Linux versions aren't like Windows version, where each new version requires a newer system... A newer version is mainly an updated version... So I don't quite get why an older release will have lower requirements...

 

how about giving this a try, http://www.pcbsd.org/
I installed it on a spare hard drive and its been very easy to work with even sorted out my shares on a box with Fedora on it , the easiest OS I have installed, that isn't a Microsoft product