Is there really no linux for my Acer? :(

[Fzang]

It's an Acer Aspire 5050 laptop.... from what I've been digging up on these forums, this model seems by far to be the worst thing ubuntu could ever run on because of hardware incompatibility...

So, is ubuntu the most compatible distro or are there other distros that will meet my hard-to-reach specs?

[Antman]

So... what are your specs?

[LinuxGuy1234]

I've never seen the specs of a Acer Aspire 5050, but I know I have a Acer and could install Ubuntu with two things missing: Wireless and Sound. Doesn't make ANY diff. on Sabayon OR Gentoo.

[Antman]

It's an Acer Aspire 5050 laptop.... from what I've been digging up on these forums, this model seems by far to be the worst thing ubuntu could ever run on because of hardware incompatibility...

So, is ubuntu the most compatible distro or are there other distros that will meet my hard-to-reach specs?
Check out Distrowatch.com and start trying out LiveCD's.
:popcorn:

[ibutho]

I have owned a couple of Acer laptops in the past and Fedora, openSUSE and Ubuntu worked well. Best thing to do is try out a few live discs as suggested above.

[wannadumpwindows]

I have owned a couple of Acer laptops in the past and Fedora, openSUSE and Ubuntu worked well. Best thing to do is try out a few lice discs as suggested above.

LoL @ lice discs

[ibutho]

LoL @ lice discs

Haha. Thats an embarrasing typo. ;)

[wannadumpwindows]

Haha. Thats an embarrasing typo. ;)

Yeah, talk about bugs . . . . .

[babylon2233]

I almost have no problems with Ubuntu on my Acer laptop.Everything allright including bluetooth and wireless.

[kerry_s]

i put debian on a acer for grandma.

[Roberticus]

Well you could try Linpus which Acer links to on their website.
http://global.acer.com/support/download.htm

[Fzang]

Sorry link doesn't work, and I couldn't find anything about linpus on acer's site...

I'll check out linpus' site later I guess

Oh and as for specs:

Atheros wireless AR5006EG chipset
256 MB Radeon Xpress 1100 series graphics
Realtek audio (or something like that)

I've checked the ubuntu forums and everyone seems to have problems with wireless and sound, and if my laptop can't access the internet it's useless...

[Extreme Coder]

Sorry link doesn't work, and I couldn't find anything about linpus on acer's site...

I'll check out linpus' site later I guess

Oh and as for specs:

Atheros wireless AR5006EG chipset
256 MB Radeon Xpress 1100 series graphics
Realtek audio (or something like that)

I've checked the ubuntu forums and everyone seems to have problems with wireless and sound, and if my laptop can't access the internet it's useless...

IMO, you should try Mandriva, most of the hardware you list is supported in it. Try the Mandriva One LiveCD, either KDE or GNOME ;)

[Sand & Mercury]

Sorry link doesn't work, and I couldn't find anything about linpus on acer's site...

I'll check out linpus' site later I guess

Oh and as for specs:

Atheros wireless AR5006EG chipset
256 MB Radeon Xpress 1100 series graphics
Realtek audio (or something like that)

I've checked the ubuntu forums and everyone seems to have problems with wireless and sound, and if my laptop can't access the internet it's useless...

I have pretty much the same stuff as you do there, and it all works with Ubuntu Hardy with no problems at all. Wireless took a bit but worked ok after I got it going through a wired connection so it could fix itself, Realtek audio worked like a charm out of the box, fglrx does the job for Radeon Xpress 1100 ;)

[articpenguin]

just get a dell with ubuntu on it. Thats wat i am going to do before i go to college:)

[Roberticus]

I got my sound (Realtek HD Audio) working (in 7.10) by installing backports. Reboot and voilá, sounds!
Wireless, well couldn't get that to work in Ubuntu, no problem since I am using wired net.

Try Linux Mint, better wireless support IMO (worked like a charm in the military).

Btw, this is an Acer Aspire 5520G. But it should help (that sound thing atleast).

[Fzang]

I'm a bit confused of all these downloads... will the available liveCD always be the latest version of their distro, ready to be installed if desired?

[Fzang]

Woah woah! Using the mandriva live CD atm and internet and some of the effects like wobbly windows and the cube works out of the box!!

Does this mean that mandriva supports all my hardware, or is it just some illusion on the CD created to crush my dreams? Wobbly windows are hax0rz

EDIT- slight lag sometimes when using compiz effects... I hope its just because Im running live CD?