Advise best version for old XP laptop

[Bashing-om]

mawil10132;

Yes there are stripped down versions, however it does take a bit of know how to get the install set up.

Let's see what can be done to get 'buntu installed.
1. Did you verify the download integrity of the .iso images ?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM
2. Is the disk burned as an "image" ?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
3. There will be no install action taken until you select "install"
4. Have you set in bios to boot the DVD drive as 1st boot priority ?

We must conclude that the liveDVD is not booting.

When you boot the installDVD, as soon as the bios screen clears depress and hold the shift key -> language screen; escape key to accept the default -> Boot options menu screen .

Can you boot to this point ?

just try'n to help

[sanderj]

System Info on unit says; emachine 5414 X86 Family model 8 stepping 2 authentic amd ~1596 Mhz total phy. mem. 256 mb avail. phy. mem. 71.28 total virtual mem. 2 gb avail. virt. mem 1.96

emachine specs say; http://support.gateway.com/emachines.../4645sp6.shtml

I will be making a full install so full memory will be available for whatever version you folks might suggest!

Based on:
1) 256MB RAM
2) SIS GPU (according to http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...87#post7246787 and http://support.gateway.com/emachines.../4645sp6.shtml)

I would advice Windows XP. Certainly no Linux Desktop because of the two above reasons. SiS GPU's are a nightmare under Linux; I once bought a laptop with a SiS GPU, so I have experience with this.
Linux Server (without GUI) could run, but you don't specify what you need.

Hope this helps.

[mörgæs]

Yes, first of all you should try to get some more RAM if you want to run a desktop environment (DE).

After that you may or may not be lucky to get a DE running on the SIS graphics.

Don't try the AMD64 ISO mentioned above.

Yes, the rat means Xubuntu.

[mawil10132]

Based on:
1) 256MB RAM
2) SIS GPU (according to http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...87#post7246787 and http://support.gateway.com/emachines.../4645sp6.shtml)

I would advice Windows XP. Certainly no Linux Desktop because of the two above reasons. SiS GPU's are a nightmare under Linux; I once bought a laptop with a SiS GPU, so I have experience with this.
Linux Server (without GUI) could run, but you don't specify what you need.

Hope this helps.

If your suggesting go back to XP because linux won't run on this laptop, your incorrect, I know this because it did, at one time, run on a version of ubuntu.

[mawil10132]

Yes, first of all you should try to get some more RAM if you want to run a desktop environment (DE).

After that you may or may not be lucky to get a DE running on the SIS graphics.

Don't try the AMD64 ISO mentioned above.

Yes, the rat means Xubuntu.

I have found and downloaded xubuntu 6.06.1-desktop-i386, I tried running it and it did get to the point of asking what I wanted to do, and started instal but stalled at unpacking, as I left it run over night, so right now I running all the test available upon start up menu. I think this is the one I used in the past. I'm wondering does the install erase HD first?

[mawil10132]

mawil10132;

Yes there are stripped down versions, however it does take a bit of know how to get the install set up.

Let's see what can be done to get 'buntu installed.
1. Did you verify the download integrity of the .iso images ?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM
2. Is the disk burned as an "image" ?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
3. There will be no install action taken until you select "install"
4. Have you set in bios to boot the DVD drive as 1st boot priority ?

We must conclude that the liveDVD is not booting.

When you boot the installDVD, as soon as the bios screen clears depress and hold the shift key -> language screen; escape key to accept the default -> Boot options menu screen .

Can you boot to this point ?

just try'n to help

I downloaded all ISO, then using a machine running Win7, right click on icon to burn ISO to a DVD, with the option; verify after burn. They all started to install but never get to the initial menu.

[mawil10132]

I have a dysfunctional WinOS on an old emachine 5414 which came with XP.

I'm trying to do a full install of xubuntu, my question, do I need to prepare my HD before ahead of time to ensure all HD space and memory is available for xubuntu? OR, will xubuntu do all that for me? I downloaded xubuntu and burned the ISO to a DVD using verify after burn.

[Bucky Ball]

No. Xubuntu will do that for you. If you want control of how the hard drive is partitioned, choose 'Something Else' when you get to the partitioning section of the install and partition it manually rather than let Xubuntu slice it up 'automagically'.

Leave as is or wipe the drive first, up to you, but DON'T bother creating any partitions for Linux: *buntu uses EXT* partitions which Win knows nothing about (can't create, read/write to, or recognise).

Hope that helps.

Note: Sounds like you're pretty well good to go. When you get to the options hit 'Try Xubuntu' and see how it runs. You can then choose the install option from the desktop. If you have any further issues (not related to the question here) please start a new thread with a descriptive title for clarity and to increase your chances of help. Good luck!

[mörgæs]

Threads merged. Please don't create multiple threads on the same or closely related topics.

[Bucky Ball]

Thread moved to Recurring Discussions.