Getting (re-)started

Rene_Thomas

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Hello all,

I am strongly considering installing a Linux operating system on my laptop, a Hewlett Packard nc-6220 netbook.

It already has an operating system, if Micros*** Windows XP is still classed as "operating"; ie. It is no longer capable of updating the version of the Chrome browser it uses, which will not even allow me to access this site, hence me spending ages typing out this post on an elderly and ailing smartphone.

Until recently I've been running Linux Ubuntu on my laptop and though I have only rudimentary knowledge of Linux, and of computing generally, I attempted to update the Ubuntu OS to the newest release.

In doing so, the laptop crashed so badly it wouldn't boot up to the desktop no matter what I did. I had much help from some very clever and kindly folk on linux.org but my attempts to heal it led only to the realisation that the laptop's internal HDD was malfunctioning.

Eventually I remembered that when my wife's laptop broke, she had also bought a secondhand HP nc-6220 to replace it, just like mine, though hers was running Windows. Suffice it to say, that computer soon got sick and wouldn't power up, but, as our throwaway culture recommends, she bought yet another new one rather than have the hassle of repairing the old one(s). So when I found this machine lying round I saw my chance to extricate its HDD and swap it with the one in my old laptop.

Thanks to an online video and a screwdriver this worked a treat.

My laptop is up and running after its internal hard drive transplant, but only running an all-but-obsolete version of Windows.

I'm not in too much of a hurry to remedy that, but I don't lile using it to go online because I'm worried about it getting a virus. It seems Windows is much more prone to catching them than Linux, which seems to have built-in immunity.

I have an Ubuntu 14.04 LTS bootable USB stick. Can I just plug that in to get it going on Linux or do I need to do complicated things like making partitions?

Ideally I'd like to get onto another distro of Linux, maybe Lite or Mint, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and beggars can't be choosers.

Any recommendations as to my first steps back into Linux-land, my good compatriots?
 


Welcome to the site @Rene_Thomas

I started my adventure into the world of Linux with Ubuntu 14.04 CD. So no you don't need anything else to get started. The boot-able USB will do all of the work for your. Really a nice way to go.

All you need to do is boot from the USB. A really simple process. Insert the USB into your computer and when it starts-up have it boot from the USB. The nice thing about Ubuntu is it will perform the install. Now keep in mind that if you plan to used the computer as pure Linux this is the way to go. If you plan to dual-boot that is a process into itself and we need the Wiz to chime in as to the process for dual booting.
 
Hello Rene Thomas,


Best advice for someone wanting to see what Linux is about and what Linux can do is to download a Linux iso and create a bootable live DVD and give it a test drive.

The most common way to try out Linux is to boot it off of a Live DVD.
Such DVDs let you run Linux right from the DVD, so nothing changes on the rest of your computer.

Here's some useful stuff.

https://fosspost.org/reviews/distributions/linuxmint-19-review

https://fossbytes.com/install-linux-mint-19-tara-guide/

Depending on what your computer specs are determines what Linux Mint distro you use.

I suggest Linux Mint 19 Xfce.

How much memory does the computer have.

Linux Mint 19 Documentation.
https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

Linux Mint 19 Downloads.
https://linuxmint.com/download.php


Test drive Linux Mint 19.
https://www.linux.org/threads/how-to-try-linux-mint-on-your-windows-pc.20993/


There are a lot of alternatives to Linux Mint if this is a low spec computer.

Post make and model and whatever else you can tell us about the processor / amount of memory and type pf graphics it has.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Likes to the above, and G'day Rene :). Thanks for taking my advice and bringing us up to speed..

Folks if Rene's configuration is like this

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-co...win-xp-pro-512-mb-ram-80-gb-hdd-series/specs/

... then his options are considerably more limited, but still available.

Do you know, Rene, how much RAM it has? If it is 512MB, we can tailor our advice.

If you plan to dual-boot that is a process into itself and we need the Wiz to chime in as to the process for dual booting.

Yeah thanks, Hansel, drop me in it, why don't ya? :D:confused::rolleyes:

Seriously, there are options and options with Linux.

While you still have XP, and no need for Internet, you can get to System Properties in one of two ways:

  1. Click Start and then Control Panel, then double-click System OR
  2. Right-click My Computer and click Properties.
See what you can tell us from that?

Cheers all, and hope your faith is not misplaced, Hansel - my penchant is more for multi-multi-booting Linux :D

Wiz
 
Welcome to the site @Rene_Thomas

... you don't need anything else to get started. The boot-able USB will do all of the work for your. Really a nice way to go.

All you need to do is boot from the USB. A really simple process. Insert the USB into your computer and when it starts-up have it boot from the USB...

Thanks, Hansel. This is my most probable course of action. Being low on time and knowledge, I tend to try and keep things simple, though I will give the ideas lower down this thread an inspection too.
Bless up ! :)
 
Hello Rene Thomas,


Best advice for someone wanting to see what Linux is about and what Linux can do is to download a Linux iso and create a bootable live DVD and give it a test drive...

Hi poorguy and I am grateful for the care you have taken over your response. I might well check out your links and work out how to create a bootable DVD if I decide to switch to a distro other than Ubuntu, for which I already have the abovementioned USB.

QUOTE="poorguy, post: 61962, member: 58530"]
Post make and model and whatever else you can tell us about the processor / amount of memory and type pf graphics it has.[/QUOTE]

It is similar to the machine that Wiz posted the link to, difference being it has an Intel Pentium processor 1.73 GHz, 1.9 GB RAM.
 
It is similar to the machine that Wiz posted the link to, difference being it has an Intel Pentium processor 1.73 GHz, 1.9 GB RAM.
Hello Rene Thomas,


I know you like Ubuntu although with those specs I'd recommend Lubuntu 18.04.1 (32bit) as it uses less system resources.

It is Ubuntu underneath with LXDE desktop and is designed for use on older less powerful computers.


Just in case.
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/releases/18.04/release/


poorguy :)
 
There are a lot more distro out there that will work on his system. You can check HERE for more distros
 
Now, Robert, have you come to bury Rene or to praise him :) Mind you, Rene, Distrowatch is very useful, but the number of Linux listed can be daunting (over 300) :eek:

1.9 GB RAM.

That gives you way more options :D

Poorguy's Lubuntu is a good candidate, and there are quite a few more that would get up and fly.

If you Google

linux lightweight Distros

and look for the 2018 sites, you will find a multitude of choices.

My personal recommendations would include

With the Linux Lite link, I have linked to Requirements because it has a little FAQ and recommends Etcher for burning, but take a wander through the site. 32-bit support ended with v3.8 so that is what you would download, not the v4 series.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Now, Robert, have you come to bury Rene or to praise him :) Mind you, Rene, Distrowatch is very useful, but the number of Linux listed can be daunting (over 300) :eek:

No, it just I see everyone pushing their favorite distro when there are many to choose from.

I do agree with running the live version to see if that is really what you want before installing it.
 
No, it just I see everyone pushing their favorite distro when there are many to choose from.

I do agree with running the live version to see if that is really what you want before installing it.
Hello Lazydog,

I agree there are many choices of Linux that will run on older low powered computers.

I recommend the Linux distros I know install and work most of the time OOTB and have the most support available to get the new Linux user up and running so that their first Linux experience will be a successful one.

From my own experience some Linux distros require more hands on approach then some of the mainstream more popular Linux distros which a new Linux user may or may not have the experience to deal with yet.

I personally like small foot print low resource using Linux distros as I use 8 year old and 10 year old discarded computers which I turn into Frankenstein builds to use as my daily drivers.

Once a new Linux user gains some practical Linux how to skills than do some distro hopping and see what's available.

No I'm not pushing or promoting any Linux distro although if asked I will suggest and then it's all up to the one who asks to take and use the advice given.


:)
 
From my own experience some Linux distros require more hands on approach then some of the mainstream more popular Linux distros which a new Linux user may or may not have the experience to deal with yet.

There are good things to say about mainstream distro's like help should be easier to be had as more people are using it. :)
 
Rene FYI - one of the pages on DistroWatch has a page hit ranking, or link to it directly here - https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=popularity - in that page, Linux Lite is listed as "Lite". MX-Linux at No.2, Linux Lite at 20, LXLE at 74, Peach at 126.

On a different perspective, is the User's Rankings provided by their Readers, at https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=ranking - and there, the same 4 I have listed are at MX-Linux 13, Peach 15 (considerable difference), Linux Lite at 74, and LXLE at 86.

So what and whom to believe?

There are good things to say about mainstream distro's like help should be easier to be had as more people are using it. :)

Quite likely. :) A rule of thumb often touted by the (mostly self-proclaimed) Pundits is that if a Distro is in the Top 100, it will have the Support. Maybe so, but an arbitrary figure. I have put on Peach at one time, when it was down around 200, had a couple of small probs, got onto its Maker, Jim Carpenter (small family business) and had problems solved by the man himself within hours, given he is US and I Australia, excellent. And its BareBones version ran well on my wife's old Compaq Presario C300 with 512MB RAM.

I do agree with running the live version to see if that is really what you want before installing it.

Very much so :D:D. As well as the Look and Feel, the performance, and the Apps that ship, you can take the opportunity to check if :
  • WiFi
  • Printers-Scanners
  • Audio
  • Graphics
  • Other Peripherals such as Mouse, joystick &c
... are detected and work. This is where USB comes into its own. Once you find one you like, you can always free up a stick bu burning a DVD and labelling it (more easily), both for installing and as a Rescue Disk.

Good luck and see how you go.

Avagudweegend, all

Wizard
 

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