Noob. Planning a Linux install on a Sagar NP8760. Too old?

Calypso

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I just bought a new Windows laptop but have my still running fine Sagar NP8960. I've upgraded it a bit over the years. I'm considering a Linux install for the fun of it, probably Ubuntu. Is this machine too old? Should I consider a "lighter" Linux distro? Specs are:

Sager NP8760:

17.3-inch 1080p (1920×1080) display with LED backlighting
Windows 7 Ultimate 10 Home 64-bit
Intel Core i7 920XM processor (2.0GHz/3.2GHz Turbo Mode, 8MB L3 cache)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M 1GB graphics card
8GB DDR3-1333 RAM (2x 4GB) Possibly upgraded but I don't remember and didn't check.
500GB 7200RPM hard drive (Seagate Momentus 7200.) Crucial 256GB SSD
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5300AGN
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+ wireless
8X DVD burner
 


@Calypso Welcome to the community.
From my understanding of the requirements you should be alright with that rig.
Suggestion
Make a live USB stick of the distro you want to use.
The distro will load into ram and be just like as though it is installed on the HDD.
In this way you will learn if all your hardware is compatible with Linux.
Seeing that you are using Win 10 you can use Rufus to create the live USB stick.
And as @captain-sensible suggest is another way of doing things and you are the pilot of your computer.
 
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I just bought a new Windows laptop but have my still running fine Sagar NP8960. I've upgraded it a bit over the years. I'm considering a Linux install for the fun of it, probably Ubuntu. Is this machine too old? Should I consider a "lighter" Linux distro? Specs are:

Sager NP8760:

17.3-inch 1080p (1920×1080) display with LED backlighting
Windows 7 Ultimate 10 Home 64-bit
Intel Core i7 920XM processor (2.0GHz/3.2GHz Turbo Mode, 8MB L3 cache)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M 1GB graphics card
8GB DDR3-1333 RAM (2x 4GB) Possibly upgraded but I don't remember and didn't check.
500GB 7200RPM hard drive (Seagate Momentus 7200.) Crucial 256GB SSD
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5300AGN
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+ wireless
8X DVD burner
Looks to me like with those specs it should run just fine! :)
 
@Calypso Welcome to the community.
From my understanding of the requirements you should be alright with that rig.
Suggestion
Make a live USB stick of the distro you want to use.
The distro will load into ram and be just like as though it is installed on the HDD.
In this way you will learn if all your hardware is compatible with Linux.
Seeing that you are using Win 10 you can use Rufus to create the live USB stick.
And as @captain-sensible suggest is another way of doing things and you are the pilot of your computer.

Tried this. Machine started up. I got a Linux desktop, but it locked up. No mouse, trackpad, keyboard reading from the USB. The machine currently has Win 10 and Win 7 dualboot. I really don't need the Win7, Any instructions how to simply replace it with Linux.
 
also you could maybe do a dual boot leaving windows 10 on

Would like to turn my Win 10/Win 7 dual boot to Win10/Ubuntu. I can't remember how I originally set it up. They are on separate hard drives. I've researched and see a lot of information on UEFI installations. My machine is from 2010 and is BIOS.
 
Tried this. Machine started up. I got a Linux desktop, but it locked up. No mouse, trackpad, keyboard reading from the USB. The machine currently has Win 10 and Win 7 dualboot. I really don't need the Win7, Any instructions how to simply replace it with Linux.
and i never did come back after that glass of Alsace wine...
 
Gewurztraminer? My favorite.
No i buy from a very exclusive vinyard "chateau de Lidl " Gewurztraminer wasn't available so i assume the harvest was devastated by botrytis cinerea. mostly i only drink for medicinal reasons so tend to go for reds
 
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Any instructions how to simply replace it with Linux.

i take it the DVD can read as well as burn. if it can the simplest way to install would be to run one of those free dvd disks you get with linuxformat mag etc. So you would boot from it - go into bios and choose priority to boot from dvd hardware.

if you can't get a free dvd then you will have to download and burn an install iso eg the install dvd from this list : http://bear.alienbase.nl/mirrors/slackware/slackware64-current-iso/

with ubuntu ( i did once use it) part of the install gives you options to setup new partitions. if you delete the partitions windows is on, thats wipes it all off.

the simplest set up for linux (the one i use, since i'm a very simple person) is swap partition of type swap and main install partition file type ext4. your pc is old so no uefi nonsense .

Then a bootloader set up so at power up you can choose from a splash , which one to go for. Probably grub2 might be best
 
I got a Linux desktop, but it locked up
Which distro of Linux was it?
When you use a live USB stick there is an option to install the distro and when you install it it will give you a choice to install it alongside Win10/7. I did this with my first install of Linux Mint 19.2 so it dual booted with the grub loading asking which OS you wanted to boot.
Mint was blown away when I had to do a recovery of Win 7 not that it mattered that much to me as I was planning to upgrade my HDD anyway, which I did and loaded Mint straight onto the new HDD and Win 7 still sits on the old HDD.
I have UEFI and I just use it to decide what HD I want booted.
 
I made a USB Mint boot on a 4gig stick, a Mint boot on a USB 128gb SSD, and A USB Ubuntu on a 4gb stick . SSD Mint got no where and hung. USB Mint got to install choices then hung after selecting "Install mint...." and it began processing. The Ubuntu loaded got to a desktop and the select wireless network window. Unfortunately, though it would accept text for the keyboard, it took seconds to register each key. Track pad and mouse did not work.

Is there a wipe my Win 7 disk, install the linux on that so i'm not trying to read from a slow USB?
 
Ok. So I've tried installing several time. I've abandoned Mint. Ubuntu gets there but at some point I need to select with a mouse/trackpad and those do not work. Is there some driver that Ubuntu needs that is missing? Some Bios setting?
 
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Ok. So I've tried installing several time. I've abandoned Mint. Ubuntu gets there but at some point I need to select with a mouse/trackpad and those do not work. Is there some driver that Ubuntu needs that is missing? Some Bios setting?
That has me stumped, but there again I am also still wet behind the ears when it comes to the Linux OS but slowly learning.
 

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