Following on from my SSD purchase I thought I'd ask about which 'nix distro to put on my older laptop.

I know this is a bit of a pea roast.

The laptop is running a Turion x2 64 TL60 with 2Gb of ram.

I'm a bit out of date with 'nix now since I only really use Backtrack from DVD regularly, and not sure which distro would suit the older hardware.

I'm guessing the usual suspects would be Ubuntu and Mint but I wonder if the laptop can handle the gfx load form their fancier GUIs.

I only pan to use the lappy for general stuff, browsing and general tinkering.

Any distro that allows you to install LXDE is a good bet...

I have a similar laptop and it runs Debian quite happily.

Edited 14 September, 201213 yr by g_tee

Ta, hadn't heard of LXDE.

I tried Debian once-upon-a-time but found it a bit of a **** to install.

You tried the latest version of Backtrack? Do you use it for Pen testing?

Use the XFCE user interface for an old lappy, well that or ctwm

Suggest looking at XUbuntu (http://xubuntu.org/) or mint (http://www.linuxmint...wnload_lmde.php)

FWIW debian used to be a bugger to install about 10 years ago. It's pretty easy these days.

Edited 14 September, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

I have a similar processor in my laptop, I bumped the ram to 4Gb and it runs ubuntu 12.04 without problem. What graphics chip does it have?

I have a similar processor in my laptop, I bumped the ram to 4Gb and it runs ubuntu 12.04 without problem. What graphics chip does it have?

ATI RADEON XPRESS 1150 Chipset

Yeah Debian is a doddle to install. I prefer it over CentOS for my uses.

You tried the latest version of Backtrack? Do you use it for Pen testing?

I do some stuff for work. Big jobs we get a contractor.

ATI RADEON XPRESS 1150 Chipset

My laptop does have the same processor but the graphics chipset is Xpress 1250 which is probably a bit better. Wang a livecd version of ubuntu in and see what happens.

Ubuntu should be fine. I have it on a very old pentium4 and it goes well, I think I managed to get 2gb's in there. Loaded fine, found wifi and ethernet without much in the way of effort. I use an old distro because some newer drivers won't cope with ancient hardware.

I also have Puppy which is nice if you don't need every feature ever invented. Can be booted from a CD or stick and only needs 250mb? and will run completely in RAM. I got it originally to rescue data on crashed windows machines, but quite like using it.

If you really want minimalist - try Slitaz or DSL (Damn Small Linux), Tinycore....

I have Ubuntu 8.04 running on the original ASUS netbook, and Debian stable running on a Viglen MPC (rebadged FIC ION) which has a 400MHz AMD Geode processor & 512Mb RAM - both run fine (though not swift). Not sure on the minimum requirements for Ubuntu 12.04, but 10.04 runs fine on an aged Pentium 2.8GHz box I have. Either distro should work well on your hardware.

Few good suggestions chaps ta.

Probably will stick with Ubuntu since it seems likely the laptop is up to it. It'll be my tinker toy anyway so I might well try out some of those other ones too.

I wasn't struck on the latest Ubuntu, not keen on the GUI (personally) - hence my suggestion of Debian (Ubuntu ultimately is Debian..)

And you can change the GUI if you don't like it and go to the gnome 3 desktop which if superb. I like Ubuntu 12.04's standard desktop though. It'll run fine on almost anything too even very old hardware. I'd go for the 32bit version though in your case.

Download it here: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Gnome/KDE/Unity are pretty heavy though, hence my suggestion of something like XFCE or CTWM as a lighter and in the case of XFCE still real UI.

That processor will happily run the 64 bit version. It's not that old. The 32 bit version has the pae kernel but there is probably still advantage to go 64 bit if you plan to put more ram in. Plus you then play with 64 and 32 bit VMs if you so desire.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk 2

Also there is nothing to stop you installing xfce once you install ubuntu and then choose which to use. Though it can clutter things up a bit.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk 2

Got the drive through. Downloaded the small Debian and small Ubuntu ISOs.

Installed Debian. Reboot. Got screwed by GRUB.

Installed Unbuntu. Worked. Bloody hell the lappy was booting in about 3 sec. BUT no wireless and Ubunty was being a turd and not installing it (older versions have) it had teh drivers but no worky.

I forgot what a **** Linux is when something isn't working. Especially if your relying on wifi. I'll download the full DVD at work and try again.

Edited 15 September, 201213 yr by Aspman

It's rare these days to get wifi probs (or any probs at all) on the new distro's of Ubuntu. After you reload with the full cd it will hopefully work ok. If not check the 'Additional Drivers' program in the dash to see if a driver is waiting to be loaded. If still not working take a look to see what your wifi card is. There are fixes for everything and usually it's quick and easy to do. Post back here if you can when you are ready. I've got fixes for just about anything.

If you really want minimalist - try Slitaz or DSL (Damn Small Linux), Tinycore....

DSL's WIFI is broke. Specifically, WPA is broke on it. Looks to not be maintained to me. Tinycore works but more as a tool to fix things or test things than as a regular OS.

I'd suggest trying Ubuntu, or running a variant. Running a traditional Gnaome desktop may work better too, as opposed to running Unity 3D. Try it first though...

It's got a Broadcom chipset which is a well known PITA but I've run older versions of Ubuntu which have picked it up and fixed it on the first attempt.

This small ISO did detect the chipset and installed the Broadcom windriver but for whatever reason it didn't kick in. It has the chips recognised as a NIC bu not WIFI.

We're pretty much wifi only through the house so if I need to use a cabled connection I've got to park my arse on the stairs and run a cable to the router.

Phone isn't rooted so I can't use it as a bridge AFAIK.

Got a couple of dvds into work. I've only got 10Gb on the bb at home so that doesn't cover many distros.

I install latest Ubuntu on an old Eee PC 1000H at the weekend. Wifi had stopped working in windows 7 so thought I'd have a punt with Ubuntu. Picked it up first time, and has worked with no issues since!

Broadcom is very much a windows shop but I thought they had it licked by now. I've had it working in the past.

Made a total boob yestrday. Soemhow managed to download Ubuntu 8 instead of 12. Not quite sure how I managed that.

Anyway stuck Mint on instead. Got the TRIM function working to preserve the SSD. Just to kick that wifi adapter into touch.

Or possibly give up and buy powerline kit