Laptop linux

MoominPapa

Got a HP Pavilion laptop (bout 4 years old) and I'm going to make it a linux machine. Which distro should I go with and is there anything I need to look out for/avoid etc? I'm going to use it as a tomcat/mysql server on my home network which is both wired and wireless performance not a big deal but would like to use a desktop

humbert

your own level of experience with linux would be a factor.

MoominPapa

I did a Linux+ course a few years ago but only recently have started using it in work for web/db serving, so I can get around, install and can do basic admin tasks as I've worked on unix for years (programming not as an admin). I want to get myself back up to Linux+ level asap, and maybe take the exam this time

ethernet

You might like to try a solid distro like Ubuntu. You can download a live CD image. Burn the ISO to CD and boot from it. You can then play with version of Linux that won't touch your documents or files -- when you shut down, your laptop will boot Windows again.

Best of all, you'll be able to see if there are any hardware issues before installing. You can try other distros to see which one you're most comfortable with or which one works best with your hardware.

Illkillya

I don't know about this specific laptop, but since its 4 years old, all of the major distros should be able to support it equally... any incompatibility is probably fundamental and shared. So it comes down to personal preference. Ubuntu is generally a safe bet, especially if you're familiar with the Debian way of doing things.

MoominPapa

I've only ever used redhat and want to give something else a go, was a bit worried a full distro might be a bit heavy but I'll try Ubuntu or Xubuntu if U is sluggish

ethernet

MoominPapa wrote:

I've only ever used redhat and want to give something else a go, was a bit worried a full distro might be a bit heavy but I'll try Ubuntu or Xubuntu if U is sluggish

I find Xubuntu a little buggy. Both Xubuntu 6.10 and 7.04 failed to install a kernel on some older hardware I have, threw tantrums about not being able to resize partitions as well as saying a 10 GB ext3 partition was too small! Plain old Ubuntu had no problems. You can just add the Xfce packages afterwards to use instead of GNOME.

niallb

ethernet wrote:

.. You can just add the Xfce packages afterwards to use instead of GNOME.

apt-get install xubuntu-desktop should be all that's required!

MoominPapa

Finally got around to this in the last couple of days. I tried ubuntu, twice cause it was so crap the first time I assumed I had done something arseways but it just didn't like my machine, I don't like the live cd try before you buy idea when it isn't optional - straight install should be included. Anyway it was a dog but I had gotten Linux Format a couple of weeks ago and tried fedora 7 which was on the disk and so far so good. I installed most package (1600 in total) and gnome is running nicely, I was worried that this would crawl and I'm not going to be dtp but its alright and anyway xfce is there as well in case it starts to drag. So in the end I've ended back in the rh corner but sod it it works. So if you've got a 4/5 year old laptop and ubuntu sucks on it try fedora

ethernet

niallb wrote:

apt-get install xubuntu-desktop should be all that's required!

When you use Xubuntu, the entire desktop environment looks more like Gnome. Installing the packages will install the Xfce-based apps but it does look slightly different.

Capt'n Midnight

niallb wrote:

apt-get install xubuntu-desktop should be all that's required!

Well I've already added kubunutu to ubuntu that had beryl on and then upgraded to 7.04 it so it's time to trash it just a little further

( sorted out some of the boot up problems by deleting random hidden folders stuff in /home - oh yeah it's going to be stable )

Running on a 4 year old laptop BTW.