stupidlaptop
July 7th, 2008, 01:58 AM
Hi. I've been contemplating the switch to a Linux-type OS for a few years. Now that I'm over my fear and no longer feel overwhelmed by the huge number of choices, I started installing Ubuntu 8.0.4 on my (about 4 year) old laptop:
Dell Latitude 4100
Pentium 3, 1 GHz
256 MB RAM
20 GB hard drive
I previously had Win XP SP2. I don't need any of those files and plan to use this machine solely for Ubuntu.
I downloaded the Ubuntu 8.0.4 .iso, checked with MD5Sum, created a CD with InfraRecorder at a slow speed, inserted the CD into the laptop, started up, checked the CD for errors (no errors found), and started installation.
The installation started very slow and choppy, but I got past steps 1-3. Then it said it was starting partition software and scanning the drive. It gets to 46% or 53% and the screen alternates back and forth among (1) showing the status with the Ubuntu background, (2)a black screen (monitor still on) with only the cursor showing, and (3) a black screen (monitor off).
Currently it's trying to install for the 3rd time. The longest I let it run was about 4.5 hours (the one running now has been up for about 1.5 hours).
My specs seem to more than meet minimum requirements (and the CD drive otherwise works).
Should I forgo this and try Xubuntu? Any other thoughts?
Also, between installations earlier today I was able to log back into WinXP without error messages.
Please let me know if you need more info...
Thanks,
Matthew
**EDIT**
I just installed Xubuntu 8.0.4.1 and it seems to work quite well. I'd rather have Ubuntu, though. Does anyone think it's worth attempting the Ubuntu install (as in, was it probably a problem with Windows that is now gone since Xubuntu installed, or will attempting to install Ubuntu and possibly not work harm the currently installed Xubuntu)?
Thanks,
Matthew
Dell Latitude 4100
Pentium 3, 1 GHz
256 MB RAM
20 GB hard drive
I previously had Win XP SP2. I don't need any of those files and plan to use this machine solely for Ubuntu.
I downloaded the Ubuntu 8.0.4 .iso, checked with MD5Sum, created a CD with InfraRecorder at a slow speed, inserted the CD into the laptop, started up, checked the CD for errors (no errors found), and started installation.
The installation started very slow and choppy, but I got past steps 1-3. Then it said it was starting partition software and scanning the drive. It gets to 46% or 53% and the screen alternates back and forth among (1) showing the status with the Ubuntu background, (2)a black screen (monitor still on) with only the cursor showing, and (3) a black screen (monitor off).
Currently it's trying to install for the 3rd time. The longest I let it run was about 4.5 hours (the one running now has been up for about 1.5 hours).
My specs seem to more than meet minimum requirements (and the CD drive otherwise works).
Should I forgo this and try Xubuntu? Any other thoughts?
Also, between installations earlier today I was able to log back into WinXP without error messages.
Please let me know if you need more info...
Thanks,
Matthew
**EDIT**
I just installed Xubuntu 8.0.4.1 and it seems to work quite well. I'd rather have Ubuntu, though. Does anyone think it's worth attempting the Ubuntu install (as in, was it probably a problem with Windows that is now gone since Xubuntu installed, or will attempting to install Ubuntu and possibly not work harm the currently installed Xubuntu)?
Thanks,
Matthew