Ubuntu or Xubuntu?

[Trickyf]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1300 laptop with Windows XP home SP2. Spec is Pentium M processor (1.70GHz 2MB cache), 512MB SDRAM, 80GB hard drive. It takes 10 mins to boot up and is slow. Everything I have tried to make it faster has failed. I am thinking of formatting the hard disk and installing Ubuntu or Xubuntu on it instead. However the pocket guide says nothing about removing Windows and replacing it with Ubunto. It says either to dual boot or to install within Windows but someone on another forum thread said I can uninstall/remove Windows when doing the dual boot load. I have some questions and please answer them directly if you can:

- What should I install - Ubuntu or Xubuntu?
- Have been recommended to create a live CD first to test it.
- How do I format the drive? And do I just put the Xubuntu CD in afterwards to install the new OS?
- I want to use Microsoft Office on Ub or Xu. Can I do so? (I don't want the Open office).

Thanks, Trickyf.

[linuxnoob18]

if you want to keep office i recommend installing ubuntu the partion (if you choose to do so) editor on the live cd for 8.10 is easy to use thanks to improvements to install GUI if your still not sure find some install videos on you tube

as for running ms office you may be able to do so depending on which version of office you have i recommend researching 1st but it may be posssible using wine {search via add remove}

[Arndtwe]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1300 laptop with Windows XP home SP2. Spec is Pentium M processor (1.70GHz 2MB cache), 512MB SDRAM, 80GB hard drive. It takes 10 mins to boot up and is slow. Everything I have tried to make it faster has failed. I am thinking of formatting the hard disk and installing Ubuntu or Xubuntu on it instead. However the pocket guide says nothing about removing Windows and replacing it with Ubunto. It says either to dual boot or to install within Windows but someone on another forum thread said I can uninstall/remove Windows when doing the dual boot load. I have some questions and please answer them directly if you can:

- What should I install - Ubuntu or Xubuntu?
- Have been recommended to create a live CD first to test it.
- How do I format the drive? And do I just put the Xubuntu CD in afterwards to install the new OS?
- I want to use Microsoft Office on Ub or Xu. Can I do so? (I don't want the Open office).

Thanks, Trickyf.

-1) I would personally install Ubuntu, I don't think the benefits Xubuntu are all that great with this machine... I could be wrong, so someone with experience will have to answer this more in-depth.
-2) This is a very, very good idea. My friend wanted to try out Ubuntu so he live CD'd it first. Good thing, because 8.10 did't work with his hardware. He ended up with 8.04. Try it out before you install.
-3) I'm not sure how to do this, but it may not be what you want to do anyway. When you try the live CD you will have an option to completely override Windows. I am fairly certain that this is what you want to do. Once again, other more experienced input should be provided.
-4) Yes, but why? Have you tried OO? It is just like M$office, only free. It does all the same things. And you can save documents in M$office format too. Not only that, but like a bajillion other formats as well. The benefits are much greater if you go the OO route.

[ugm6hr]

Ubuntu is easier to initially use than Xubuntu, in part due to the extra help available here (Xubuntu help is available, but there are fewer users, so not all advice applies). i would suggest Ubuntu, although once you become accustomed to it, you could give Xubuntu a try (it is easy to install it after Ubuntu) to see what you prefer.

Using MS Office on Ubuntu is not straightforward, and is almost impossible with Office 2007. This is not something you should anticipate doing as an Ubuntu beginner, although if you are prepared to pay for CrossOver Office, Office 2000 /XP / 2003 is a more realistic proposition. If this is important, I would suggest sticking with Windows. If you can use OpenOffice most of the time, and only occasionally need MS Office, you could consider running Windows in a VM, and installing MS Office in there, although it would be pretty slow with only 512MB RAM total.

Ubuntu and Xubuntu will offer to install in a "Guided - Use entire Hard Disk" - this will erase Windows completely (as you want) without any other input. There is no need to format first.

Crossover support: http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/browse/name/?letter=w;

[jespdj]

See if you can install more memory. Laptop memory is very cheap (I just bought a 2 GB memory module for about € 15).

[e24ohm]

Folks:
Only time I have seen Xubuntu fit my solution - is when I installed it on a celeron 2.xx GHz, with 1 GB or RAM. The machine was an older Dell 1150 or something along those lines. It ran nice, but processor would still peak at around 100% when trying to load a few apps. To be honest have now switched over to 8.10 Ubuntu, and I have not noticed any reall perfomance lost.

Good luck.

Thank you
E