New (to me) laptop

[hawaiianlizard]

Hi all,
1st post and I know I'm going to sound really ignorant.

I have been given a laptop. Dell Latitude D610. It has XP on it but it can't be accessed because no one knows the password to get into it.

Can I download and install any distro of Ubuntu to override the OS and allow me to use the laptop. Will any version work on a laptop just like on a desktop.

Open to any help.

Thanks

Freezing on the mainland.

[SteveHillier]

Unless I am contradicted by other better informed I would say that as you cannot access XP on the laptop you will need the services of another machine.
If you want to use Ubuntu I suggest you might like to try Ubuntu 9.10 UNR (Notebook remix). Download the .iso from the website and burn it to CD using any machine you have access to. When you burn the CD make sure you burn the image and not just copy the files.
The CD will then be bootable, boot your system with the CD in the drive and have fun.
If you get stuck there is plenty of help on the forum to get you through.

[hawaiianlizard]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. Will probably need much help.

[hawaiianlizard]

Site says I need to download and create a bootable flash drive and need a 1GB thumb drive.

I don't have a flash drive. Can I just burn to a disk and boot?

Thanks

Can I download and install a desktop version onto a laptop?

[samh785]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. Will probably need much help.

if you're going to try and install the UNR, make sure that you go into the laptop's BIOS and set the boot sequence to boot from a cd before the hard drive (where XP would be installed).

[samh785]

Site says I need to download and create a bootable flash drive and need a 1GB thumb drive.

I don't have a flash drive. Can I just burn to a disk and boot?

Thanks

Can I download and install a desktop version onto a laptop?

Go here:
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download-netbook
the big green button will download an .iso file to your computer that you will need to burn to a cd.

Yes, you can install a desktop version to your laptop. If the laptop in question is old however, it would probably be better to install the UNR.

If you would like to acquire the desktop version go here:
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
and once again click the green button. It's an .iso file that you'll have to burn to a cd.

[SteveHillier]

if you're going to try and install the UNR, make sure that you go into the laptop's BIOS and set the boot sequence to boot from a cd before the hard drive (where XP would be installed).

Good point, I should have thought of that.

[hawaiianlizard]

Reset the boot option and I am now downloading the .iso

Taking a long time to dowmload, I'll get back if i have issues.

Thanks

[raymondh]

If the laptop in question is old however, it would probably be better to install the UNR.

May I ask the reason why?

UNR is "ubuntu-customized-for-the-screen-size". That's the only difference, as I know of it.

If the laptop is indeed of older vintage, and OP wants to retain the Ubuntu flavor, there are other options:

1. Xubuntu (though I find it sluggish lately)
2. Ubuntu minimal install (or even a server install) and using openbox, lxde, etc. as the window manager
3. Mint
4. Crunchbang
5. Etc.

Regards,

[samh785]

May I ask the reason why?

UNR is "ubuntu-customized-for-the-screen-size". That's the only difference, as I know of it.

If the laptop is indeed of older vintage, and OP wants to retain the Ubuntu flavor, there are other options:

1. Xubuntu (though I find it sluggish lately)
2. Ubuntu minimal install (or even a server install) and using openbox, lxde, etc. as the window manager
3. Mint
4. Crunchbang
5. Etc.

Regards,

I've never used the UNR myself, and I was mistakenly under the impression that it had less of a footprint than the regular ubuntu. Though I have to say older laptops DO generally have smaller screens.