Laptop for linux

66Drew66

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Hi, this might seem like a strange question, I'm looking to install linux lite on to an old laptop.
I have an acer that is a couple of years old but its locked into Uefi Bios (This cannot be changed).

I was hoping that someone on here could suggest an old ish laptop/netbook that has Bios that can be unlocked.
I will be using it to download images from my Digital camera when I'm camping (not editing), secondary use is to play movies when its raining. Lol.

It has to have an SD card slot.
I would prefer something small and lightweight and HD or FHD.
Not looking to spend to much as it will be used outside.


Regards Andy
 


Do not recommend Lite. Posted this elsewhere and now cannot find it!!


LINUX LITE PROBLEMS

I have a 2009 laptop with a single core Celeron.It is one solid piece of kit
and still has DVD fitted. Very useful.

My main distro is Mint running on quad core i5 at 3.4G, which lives up to its name. However,
it is a bit much for the laptop so looked for lightweight for it and Lite seemed to fit the bill.
It certainly runs quicker but the ghastly failures of the authors are an object lesson in
how not to a system.

THUNAR the worst possible file manager single pane only. Remove it and Synaptic and Control Panel fail to run. No need to look any further. Linux package with all the vices of windows. One basic utility app
missing and the system fails.


SOFTWARE MANAGER The worst ever seen. Very limited repository. REMOVE only removes user installed apps. No remove access to out-of-box apps. Why install and remove are separate apps? CLI needed to install up-to-date deb package of Libreoffice. Supplied version of Libre had to be removed by hand and even then had to "hide" app in menu as icons left behind - and no menu editor!!!!!


MENU EDITOR No menu editor - ludicrous


WORKSPACES

Will only allow 5 before it defaults to "Workspace X" label and cannot be reduced.
With 5, the label can be made a single digit stating workspace number. I have seen this
on other Linux distros and it seems like an unnecessary limit on capability. Not good.


SUMMARY

The above was enough to consign it to the bin. Prefer a slower system that actually works.

[Removed by moderator]
 
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Thanks, I settled on a lenove thinkpad X240.

Ive been told to avoid linuxlite before, but as i'm new to linux I find the similarity to windows helpfull.
The only issue I'm having is with playing movies in VLC. They play fine on my desktop but they wont play on my laptop. Even though I used the same installation media and files.
 
Mine was locked Uefi Bios.
I used this method for mine but its also a chromebook minus the chrome now.

Also there could be an unlock screw you need to remove before doing that. its usually located on the mother board so you will need to take it apart.
 
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Thanks, I settled on a lenove thinkpad X240.

Ive been told to avoid linuxlite before, but as i'm new to linux I find the similarity to windows helpfull.
The only issue I'm having is with playing movies in VLC. They play fine on my desktop but they wont play on my laptop. Even though I used the same installation media and files.
If you're coming from Windows or Mac you could give Zorin Os a try. I can easily see it on that notebook.
 
Is linux lite a commercial product ? I have not even heard of it before..
 
I have not even heard of it before..
there are over 1000 different builds of Linux based systems from embedded versions for smart tv's, auto Linux for cars, aero Linux [obviously for aircraft] and around 500 free licence desktop and server editions, Linux Lite is just one of them
 
You could do worse than take a look at 'Puppy' Linux..! (Okay, okay; don't hate me, guys... :p )


Mike. ;)
 
i know this is a old thread But.
I was hoping that someone on here could suggest an old ish laptop/netbook that has Bios that can be unlocked.
i have a older chromebook running Linux Mint.
 
LINUX LITE PROBLEMS = 0

I've ran Linux Lite on my 10 year old on and off and it works just fine...wouldn't call it slow either.
m1213.gif
 
You could do worse than take a look at 'Puppy' Linux..! (Okay, okay; don't hate me, guys... :p )


Mike. ;)
Puppy is a great solution - Used it for many years - very powerful distro.

Everybody here has a favourite distro which should be respected cos it is about whatever works. This place is a celebration of an operating system which allows a user to have something suiting their needs and offers freedom over their operating environment - keeping their machine running longer that Windows doesn't offer.

Thank goodness there is so many choices.
 
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@darry1966 :-

Ab-so-lutely, mate. Couldn't have put it better myself.

After well over 30+ years with the Redmond nightmare in all its many guises - and being fed-up to the back teeth with it for most of that time - over the last 8 years or so I've re-discovered he 'fun' aspect to computing that I used to enjoy in the early days. Ever since I began my Linux journey, switching the 'puter on each day is now something I look forward to.....because I know that my personal, highly-customised set-up will just 'work'.

And will continue to do so.....

(That's not to say there's anything inherently 'wrong' with [MSFT]. Many have a need to keep it on their systems, for whatever reason. At the end of the day, it boils down to one thing, in all honesty; if it works for you, use it. There's no shame in running Windows AND Linux.......though the one recommendation I would make to anyone considering dual-booting is DON'T. If at all possible, try to keep the two on separate machines. It's a lot less grief when Windows invariably f**ks-up..!)

Of course, the world of vintage Puppies is a real eye-opener. I never understood the near-reverence many older Puppians held Puppy 4.3.1 in - it was a bit before my time with Puppy - UNTIL we began playing around with your 4.3.1-based creation, the "Phoenix". Hell, I can't remember the last time I HAD so much fun! :p

Mike. ;)

Edited by moderator.
 
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To whom it may concern (staff):-

Strictly speaking, the M$ 'slang' you objected to in the above post WASN'T "name-calling". Well; it certainly wasn't intended that way.... :oops:

Many years ago, I was browsing stuff - as you do! - and a link took me to the Delphi Forums. I clicked around a bit, and came across a sub-forum called "Satin's Bootle". The whole forum was set-up by an authoress called Gloria Hartmann, better known on that forum as 'Lady Dragoness'. Initially set-up to cater to a section of society who were into fantasy fiction - in this case, late teens/early 20s - it eventually developed into a whole set of sub-fora. One of these was entitled, quite innocently, 'Computer Help'.

My reading of this was that the main protagonists were a bunch of young people who appreciated, and assisted Gloria Hartmann throughout her trials & tribulations with the Win ME, 2000 & XP operating systems. The main 'helper' went by the unbelievable handle of - wait for it! - 'Cloud-shape's tail-singeing (downstrike)'. He it was who coined the aphorism of 'M*C**dSoft'......and when I first encountered this, I just p**ed myself laughing for a good ten minutes. It must have caught my "funny-bone" on that particular day, because I just COULD NOT stop!

These youngsters absolutely loathed Bill gates & Co with a vengeance.

I've used said aphorism ever since, across multiple fora. I felt it deserved expanding upon, because you guys are the first ones who've ever objected to my use of it.....

No worries. It's your forum, so I'll abide by your decision with regard to this.


Mike. ;)

EDIT:- You guys MAY, just possibly, find the following amusing. 'Cloud-shape's tail-singeing (downstrike)' posted the following on the 1st September 2002:-

"Do you suffer from Disobedient Computer Syndrome?"

May strike a note with some of you! It certainly did with me...
 
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No worries. It's your forum, so I'll abide by your decision with regard to this.

+1 Much appreciated.

Feel free to PM me if you want more information, lest we derail the thread.
 
Interesting read, Mike. And I support David's decision, I would have taken the same approach.

I'll have some lines published perhaps this weekend (but don't hold me to that timeframe), that will explain more to the general Membership, I am hoping that the majority will see the reasoning as valid.

Thanks for your cooperation and

Avagudweegend

Chris
BTW
Feel free to PM me if you want more information
... or both of us :)
 
+1 Much appreciated.

Feel free to PM me if you want more information, lest we derail the thread.
Nah, no worries. Not necessary.

I've been spouting-off on various fora / bulletin boards ever since the birth of t'internet, and if I've learnt one thing, it's this:- That every web community likes to do things in their own unique style. And it's pointless "arguing the toss" over it, because you will always lose.

And there we'll let it rest.


Mike. :)
 
... or both of us :)

It's Friday where you are. I figure you'll be happily drinking beer!

But, yeah, absolutely. I think we stand pretty united with this one. We're likely to give pretty much the same response, though I'd probably be more verbose 'cause, well, I have delicious Merlot.
 

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