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briantoumbs
July 15th, 2009, 09:44 PM
I am working on an old Gateway computer, It originally had windows 98 on it when the hard drive crashed, I just put a new drive in and started to load windows again when I noticed I don't have a product key...

The person just wants to be able to get on the internet, use programs like word, power point, and excel. So I wanted to put a version of Ubuntu on it. I tried the new one then I tried Ubuntu 7.1 both say it cannot install because the bios date is from 1999, and not 2000.

Is there an Ubuntu version that would install on this system or is there an other distro that would work?

Mark Phelps
July 15th, 2009, 10:16 PM
Couple of items to consider ...

You didn't mention your system specs, and Win98 machines often came with very slow processors (P III) and very little memory (256MB). Neither of these is going to work well with a current version of Ubuntu. Xubuntu might work, but it's likely to be so slow as to be useless.

Linux wasn't developed as a free version of MS Windows. There's little point in installing a Linux distro if what you want to do is use primarily MS products, especially the MS Office suite. Some products and versions work well, others poorly, others not at all. So if any MS Office product works in Wine or Crossover, you've lucked out.

briantoumbs
July 15th, 2009, 10:23 PM
Open office would cover the office products.

vrkalak
July 15th, 2009, 10:54 PM
I have Ubuntu 9.04 running on my desktop PC and I wanted to install Ubuntu on my older laptop. The laptop is a Gateway MX-3210 with Windows-XP and 256 RAM.

It can't handle an Ubuntu install. I even tried installing eeeUbuntu, you know, the Linux version of Ubuntu for the newer netbooks. The netbooks have less memory than the newer laptops, still didn't take it.

Perhaps another/different Distro of Linux? Any suggestions or remedies?

Mighty_Joe
July 16th, 2009, 03:13 PM
I even tried installing eeeUbuntu, you know, the Linux version of Ubuntu for the newer netbooks.

Currently manufactured netbooks can run rings around hardware that's just a few years old. As Mark Phelps points out, Ubuntu and its derivatives are intended to run on current hardware. It's not a good choice for older system.
Puppy Linux (http://www.puppylinux.org/) and Damn Small Linux (http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/) are two Linux distributions that are targeted at older hardware.

raymondh
July 16th, 2009, 05:06 PM
I have Ubuntu 9.04 running on my desktop PC and I wanted to install Ubuntu on my older laptop. The laptop is a Gateway MX-3210 with Windows-XP and 256 RAM.

It can't handle an Ubuntu install. I even tried installing eeeUbuntu, you know, the Linux version of Ubuntu for the newer netbooks. The netbooks have less memory than the newer laptops, still didn't take it.

Perhaps another/different Distro of Linux? Any suggestions or remedies?

If Xubuntu/gnome won't work, try a lighter window manager like openbox, etc (http://www.junauza.com/2008/08/20-most-nimble-and-simple-x-window.html).

Otherwise, you may also try crunchbang (http://crunchbanglinux.org/)

Good luck.

Mighty_Joe
July 16th, 2009, 06:56 PM
Otherwise, you may also try crunchbang (http://crunchbanglinux.org/)


I use CrunchBang in VM's, but:

CrunchBang Linux is not recommended for anyone needing a stable system or anyone who is not comfortable running into occasional, even frequent breakage.
disclaimer (http://crunchbanglinux.org/wiki/about#disclaimer)

Probably not the best choice for someone who isn't an experienced Linux user.