Best distro for my machine

[OperatorA]

Good morning all...
I have an older eMachines W3410 from the mid 2000s.
Here is a snapshot of my machine
-------------------------------

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name YOUR-D533B1A1BA
System Manufacturer Gateway
System Model W3410
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 12 Stepping 0 AuthenticAMD ~2193 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 5/13/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name YOUR-D533B1A1BA\Owner
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 347.03 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.11 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
-------------------------------------------

My QUESTION IS.....
What is the best version/distro of Ubuntu/Linux for my machine.
I have used DOS 6.22/Win3.11
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows XP - my current system.

Thank you for any feed-back...
Larry,
Scottsburg, IN.

[Corfy]

Your computer should be powerful enough to run any of the Ubuntu family (except maybe Mythbuntu, but since that is a media center/DVR, that would be a special exception).

The only real question I would have would be your harddrive. The list you gave didn't say how big your harddrive is, and you didn't mention if you are wanting to replace Windows with Linux or dual-boot Windows and Linux. To get a decent experience, Ubuntu needs at least 10 GB of space (you could make do with less, but that wouldn't leave much room for your stuff).

If you are new to Linux, I'd start out with just the regular Ubuntu 10.04. Not only is it easy to use, but it is also the most popular, so you can get a lot more help.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of Linux.

[OperatorA]

I have a 100GB hard drive of which 48.8GB is free...
I would want to "dual boot" as some in my family can just barely handle Windows-XP...LOL.
I am currently running Windows-XP-SP3.

[snowpine]

Why not Ubuntu? :)

[sxmaxchine]

your pc should be able to run any of the ubuntu's as corfy said.

However i would recomend trying a live cd before installing and remember to defrag your windows partition before doing the partitioning if you want to keep windows (this will lower the chance of errors)

[OperatorA]

Would I use "Wubi" to install Ubuntu along side Windows-XP?
Also What about "Puppy Linux" on a Dell Inspiron 1000 with a 30MG hard drive, 512Kb of Ram and a 2.2Ghz processor? The Dell would be a full install and not a "dual boot"...I have all my dell drivers copied to a DVD-R but i guess they wouldn't work on Linux?
Larry

[snowpine]

Would I use "Wubi" to install Ubuntu along side Windows-XP?
Also What about "Puppy Linux" on a Dell Inspiron 1000 with a 30MG hard drive, 512Kb of Ram and a 2.2Ghz processor? The Dell would be a full install and not a "dual boot"...I have all my dell drivers copied to a DVD-R but i guess they wouldn't work on Linux?
Larry

I have never, personally, tried Wubi...I always dual boot by creating a separate partition for Linux. This is well-documented in the Ubuntu install instructions.

Puppy, I'm not real experienced with... I think you can run it entirely from a USB flash drive without making any changes to your hard drive.

Whichever you choose, have you taken a Live CD for a test drive yet? That is a good first step. :)

[OperatorA]

I tried the "live" DVD on my laptop...with Ub-8...I liked what I saw. It is a Dell Inspiron 100 with a 30Gb hard drive and 512kb of ram. I am running it on a wireless router (Belkin) from Insight Cable. I have Cable DSL as well for my desktop.

When I tried it on my eMachines W3410 with an AMD-Athlon-64 processor it hung...would not "reboot" and I had to unplug my PC from the wall to get it to boot back into Windows as otherwise it kept trying to boot into Ubuntu but would not get there just reboot and reboot and....(yes I had it set to boot from CD 1st..)

I am sure if I just had the nerve to make the plunge to a full Ubuntu install I'd love it. I may do so as I have all the "recover" disks made for my desktop system and If I don't format my so called "D:\" (eMachines recover partition) that is actually part of my "C:\" drive I can always go back to Windows XP SP2 and re-update to SP3.

I like to "play" with computers as I am an IBM-Mainframe (360, 370, 4300 & 9370)Operator and COBOL-CICCS programmer. (1974-1999)

I could leave the laptop loaded with Windows-XP for "wifey" and play with my eMachines box...

I am so sick of being forced to buy a new computer to run the newest Microsoft "plague"...all new O/Ss should come with a "lite" version for older hardware...
(R U listening Microsoft? -- I doubt it...)

[OperatorA]

In preparation for the install I did a wipe and reinstall of my Windows-XP, got rid of the "bloat-ware", set up my "My Documents" folder from backup, and defragged my drive. I now have about 75% of free space where I had only about 48% free before the wipe. (74.5GB of free). I will do another defrag just before i try my install sometime next week (work 2 - 12 hour shifts midnight to noon Saturday & Sunday) I have my Ubuntu 10.4 *iso file burned onto a CD so I am ready to "go live"...
Larry - in Scottsburg.:-({|=

[OperatorA]

I got a good clean *iso burn of Ubuntu 10.5 -- went "live" accessed Facebook, YouTube, various sited. Appears my video & sound card and cable modem work as well as my ether-net card. I have about 70GB free on my 100GB hard drive. I think I will do a dual install, put it along side of Windows-XP. I think I will give Linux about 30 GB of space.

I liked the desktop, and what i could see of the in - outs of the OS...

Larry:guitar:"Start me up!"...LOL

[OperatorA]

Ubuntu now installed with Win-XP set as the default system for those computer illiterates in my family...(the rest of the family...LOL)...I like what I see so far...all my hardware works and Ubuntu migrated my files over from windows nicely...those i have found so far...learning curve here.. Ubuntu has already downloaded numerous updates to the O/S....

"I am no longer a slave to Micros**t..."

Larry