Installing Linux

[Disturbedguy]

Hey all

I have a rather old PC lying around, not reall doing much so i think am going to try and get some use of out of it.

Its an old AMD system, tbh, I cant even remember which socket type it is, atm the system has no HD but I have a spare one and the system only has 512Mb and onboard gfx.

So i was wondering, with that rather poor spec in mind, which Linux version should i install?

[directhex]

just go with 32-bit ubuntu. the spec is good enough for it to be fine

[Disturbedguy]

Thanks Hex

Ive got a copy of Ubuntu laying round, during my holidays from Uni, ill hopefully try and set this up.

Never used linux before so itll be a good learning curve i guess.

[directhex]

the only potential headache is gonna be the graphics - worst case scenario, you end up with the fallback "vesa" driver which will make anything vaguely media related impossible

if it's nvidia or ati (yeah, ati, on anything old enough the default open-source driver is more than enough) you should be fine. or intel. or even sis for a number of chips, if you didn't want 3d. ditto trident

[Jay]

Ubuntu is very easyto use , I use it on a DL360 in work not so easy to setup on older HP/Compaq stuff though as the RAID controller is not supported by default so the live CDs don't work.

[MSIC]

I agree, and was in your boat 2 years ago - I'd argue that Ubuntu has done well to help move the state of Linux graphics forward, but from an ease of use point of view still more can be done (i'm looking at you two squabbling, nvidia and amd).
Otherwise, get the LiveCD and you dont even need a hard drive in it!
The new 8.04 (released next month) looks good by the way.
Ubuntu is very easy, you can almost just follow the on screen prompts without any real research, for example to launch an internet browser you click the firefox icon that you already know and love!
One word of warning though, i have not had good experience with Ubuntu's wireless apart from Intel centrino chipset stuff, so always start on a wired system if you can. Not to find fault with Ubuntu (after all, Linux is a whole community) but from a user perspective you just 'want it to work'.

[Giraffe]

Be aware that if the BIOS is too old Ubuntu (and some others) won't load.
I tried Ubuntu on an old PC (AMD K8 400MHz) and was told that the BIOS had to be post-1999. Trouble is, it's now so old that I can't find out how to update the BIOS!

[mycarsavw]

Be aware that if the BIOS is too old Ubuntu (and some others) won't load.
I tried Ubuntu on an old PC (AMD K8 400MHz) and was told that the BIOS had to be post-1999. Trouble is, it's now so old that I can't find out how to update the BIOS!

I'm running Ubuntu server and Kubuntu desktop on two PII 333mhz with 1998 BIOS - they work fine (albeit clunky)

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-hardwa...r-old-pcs.html

My recent post on the subject.

[speardane]

xubuntu is a great lightweight variant of ubuntu - effectively a lightweight a window manager - so not so much power diverted into fancy graphics - same functionality

[Giraffe]

I'm running Ubuntu server and Kubuntu desktop on two PII 333mhz with 1998 BIOS - they work fine (albeit clunky)

Oh, I might try again (you should see it with XP on!). I wonder why I got that message.

As for clunky, I find Linux on this box to be no better than XP. OO takes 16s to open in XP (Word is about 4-5s) and about 15s in Linux.

[Disturbedguy]

Yup Car, i saw that post made and replied, only thing is I havent got space for the box downstairs and even upstairs itll be in the way but i wouldnt mind it as much up hear lol.

Ill look into Ubuntu..will just have to double check what parts the PC needs.

[mycarsavw]

Nothing to stop you dual booting on two HDDs - my home desktop dual boots Vista & Ubuntu.

Failing that, pop the box in the attic run a cat5 drop and VNC into it until you're confident enough to dump MS for good

[Disturbedguy]

Im going to stick it under me desk at the back lol..should be enough space/