Help with installing Ubuntu + removing Windows 7 Starter edition.

[Syrassil]

Hi there!

Let me start off with; I'm a total Ubuntu newbie. In the past, I've used Windows (95, 98, XP, Vista and 7) and Mac OSX 10.4-10.8 as operating systems and I have a little experience as IT helpdesk worker at Apple and a few Windows based companies. However, I've never dabbled in Linux all my life.

The reason why I am considering to make the switch, is because I recently got a new laptop computer (Asus Aspire One 1,6GHz, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD), which currently runs a Windows 7 Starter edition OS. This, on its own, is terrible, slow and horrendously overclocking my system. So, thinking about a switch, a friend of mine advised me to look into Ubuntu.

Now, I've got a few questions about all of this. I'd love you all immensely if you could help me with this. :)

- Will Ubuntu run fluently on my computer? As said before, it's a Asus Aspire One (1,6GHz, 1GB ram, Intel(R) Atom CPU N450) with 250 HDD space. Next to this, I have a portable 500GB USB-harddrive.

- Is it possible to completely remove Windows 7 Starter and overwrite it with a clean Ubuntu OS? The laptop itself is secondhand, so I'd love to wipe it clean.

- Is it possible to install Ubuntu without a CD drive? The computer is a netbook, and it doesn't have one onboard. I do have a portable USB-harddrive, so that might be something?

I am eagerly awaiting your response! Thank you for reading. :)

[fantab]

Ubuntu runs a bit heavy and only 1GB RAM might prove to be a little slow. Try Xubuntu (http://xubuntu.org/), its Ubuntu with XFCE Desktop or Lubuntu (http://www.lubuntu.net/) which runs LXDE. LXDE is lighter than XFCE and is designed to run with low spec machines, like Netbooks.

You can install it with USB pen drive. And yes you can wipe it clean, just tell the installer to 'erase Windows and install Ubuntu' or 'replace Windows'.

What Graphics card do you have in there?

[Syrassil]

Thanks for the quick response! Awesome!

I have an Intel(R) GMA 3150. Like with other netbooks, it's integrated into the device. Probably not the most high-spec of standard cards, but I'm not using it for heavy-duty work. Just regular use (surfing, word/PDF, spreadsheets, on the go work).

And about the Ubuntu variations Xubuntu and Lubuntu - I've taken a look at both and I think I'd value speed above all. However, seeing as I am a Ubuntu newbie, do you think Xubuntu would be more user-friendly than Lubuntu, or is it the same?

[fantab]

Both are 'user-friendly' Lubuntu will be faster on your machine. Xubuntu is more aesthetic and polished than Lubuntu IMO.
You can do everything with Lubuntu that you want to.

Since this will be your first date with Linux you might find this interesting: Linux is NOT Windows (http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm).

[Syrassil]

That was an awesome read. Quite a reminder that this is something new, and not a Windows/OSX clone. Very neat!

I've looked around for a bit, and I think Lubuntu will do fine. But I'll heed your advise and think about Xubuntu. One more question, if you'd bear with me:

- Does using Ubuntu today require a lot of command-line interface work? I can make due with regular MSDOS commands, but I am not so sure about Linux.

In any case, I am willing to try it now. Thanks a bunch for the help, you are amazing!

[fantab]

...- Does using Ubuntu today require a lot of command-line interface work? I can make due with regular MSDOS commands, but I am not so sure about Linux.

For most of the things there are Graphical User Interfaces [GUI]... most of the times you won't be using command line. Let me also tell you that you will gradually pick up Linux command line, atleast the basics you will. We all did. *buntu is an excellent place for a Linux beginner... Welcome.

Once you install any *buntu you can easily install another flavour easily on the desktop and have both, or more. But first get started. Its your machine specs that force me to recommend Lubuntu, that is all.