ubuntu install ?

[sideswipe]

Ok few months back (mentioned this in another thread but) family member got some extra old dell pc's, got Windows XP pro up & running but very slowly, so I ended up with 2 new to me old pc's. specs for each is 2.8 P4 & 2.26 P4, both have 256mb ram, & 40gb hard drives, I have an extra 1gb of ram laying around that works btw, the 2.8 has 333 ddr ram, so can bump it to 1.2gb of ram but the 2.26 is running 266ddr, so the 2.8 is running windows so so, Via on board video is crappy @ best but fine for web surfing. The 2.26 worries me, its sitting on table atm, btw these are desktop cases & only 160w ps (small 1's) so upgrading to standalone video card is kinda iffy @ best

ok thats the background so now to the ?

never installed anything but windows on any pc, any recommendations, i already downloaded & burnt the latest ubuntu version, would this be the best O/S to install in this situation, PC maybe given away or just let my kids take over for video viewing

also any other recommendations pls feel free to reply here or pm, if any knows where can get bigger power supply that will fit (albeit cheaply as these are not worth much) btw the motherboard is proprietary so moving it to bigger case is not a solution

Here (http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en& q=GX280+Image&sa=N&start=21&ndsp=21) is link to some images of pc, this is the small form factor (SFF) not the mini/mid tower 1

[tcusta00]

I loaded xUbuntu (note the x at the front) on a pretty old PC and it works well - it's a lot lighter than Ubuntu so that may be your OS. A few notes of caution to the uninitiated, as I was: it's not as easy as you think - it takes some getting used to but there are plenty of resources out there. If you're not comfortable running a console/command prompt then it may not be for you. It's easy to figure out if you have time.

[deltafowler]

I'd go with Ubuntu or Knoppix (HDD installed).
Either should run very well on that dinosaur.
BTW - The GIS link doesn't work, but it's easy enough to search for GX280.
Oh, and the results get interesting when you have safe search turned off ;)

[sideswipe]

I'd go with Ubuntu or Knoppix (HDD installed).
Either should run very well on that dinosaur.
BTW - The GIS link doesn't work, but it's easy enough to search for GX280.
Oh, and the results get interesting when you have safe search turned off ;)

lol nice how that works, the command prompt doesn't bother me either way (if i could get full browser usage & do games on dos prompt i would), once get up & running just going 2 use it for basic stuff, accually the one im using is GX260 that really has the issues, the 280 i had extra ram for but same cases (btw reason dont just up the ram on 1, lower on other is dual-channel, rather have speed on 1 than 2 slow 1's)

btw any drivers i should have handy when 1st install if so best place for them

[deltafowler]

The most recent releases should handle your hardware easily without the need for extra drivers.

[bobnielsen]

I installed Ubuntu 8.04 on an older 1.2 GHz P4 machine with an onboard SiS video chip (I don't recall which one) but it wouldn't run the default window manager and told me to install icewm, which isn't as fancy but runs fine.

If you have a version of Windows on one of your hard drives, the grub boot manager will recognize it and add it to the boot menu.

[turey22]

I have a question on this, In order to get internet to the computer using Linux...Can you set it up wirless or does it have to be wired? I got a live CD and I cant get internet to it. I cant run a line to the my computer at this moment

[bobnielsen]

I have a question on this, In order to get internet to the computer using Linux...Can you set it up wirless or does it have to be wired? I got a live CD and I cant get internet to it. I cant run a line to the my computer at this moment

Some wireless cards have chips for which the manufacturers don't supply Linux drivers. There are some workarounds, but it's not an automated process and probably isn't supported with a live CD. I had to use ndiswrapper with the Windows driver for a system which had a Broadcom wireless chip and it required some configuration to make it work.

Here are some links which may help:
https://help.ubuntu.com/8.10/internet/C/wireless.html
http://search.ubuntu.com/results2.html?cx=009650792990864903260%3A-lsdjshi1tu&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&q=wireless&sa=Search]

[BNUMM]

I have a question on this, In order to get internet to the computer using Linux...Can you set it up wirless or does it have to be wired? I got a live CD and I cant get internet to it. I cant run a line to the my computer at this moment
http://3btech.net/ I bought a wireless device from this site. It plugs into the USB port and works great on Linux. I think it was $17.00 with free shipping.

[trapster]

Puppy Linux
puppylinux.org

[turey22]

http://3btech.net/ I bought a wireless device from this site. It plugs into the USB port and works great on Linux. I think it was $17.00 with free shipping.

Some wireless cards have chips for which the manufacturers don't supply Linux drivers. There are some workarounds, but it's not an automated process and probably isn't supported with a live CD. I had to use ndiswrapper with the Windows driver for a system which had a Broadcom wireless chip and it required some configuration to make it work.

Here are some links which may help:
https://help.ubuntu.com/8.10/internet/C/wireless.html
http://search.ubuntu.com/results2.html?cx=009650792990864903260%3A-lsdjshi1tu&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&q=wireless&sa=Search]

Thanks to both...I will check this out. I will try to install it on the HDD and then do the wireless internet. I really want to play with linux. I just been getting my computer to not shut down like it used too...Its says "shutting down" for like 5 mins and doesnt shut down. Its been making me worry.

[solmakou]

Thanks to both...I will check this out. I will try to install it on the HDD and then do the wireless internet. I really want to play with linux. I just been getting my computer to not shut down like it used too...Its says "shutting down" for like 5 mins and doesnt shut down. Its been making me worry.

Which flavor did you end up installing? Or are you still talking about the live cd version? If so which livecd are you using?

PS ubuntu is just the flavor of the year, next year another flavor will come out that will be very popular and so on!

[turey22]

Which flavor did you end up installing? Or are you still talking about the live cd version? If so which livecd are you using?

PS ubuntu is just the flavor of the year, next year another flavor will come out that will be very popular and so on!

LOL flavor...I actually got Knoppix Linux and also another one but I forgot how to spell it. I will need to give all the information about the Live Cd when I am home. I dont have it infront of me at this moment.

[solmakou]

I flavorfuly flavored my flavorfuly flavored post with a flavorful use of the word flavor. Often with licecds you will have trouble with certain things, shutting down is one of them, once installed on your HDD it will be smoother. I had similiar trouble with live cd of ubuntu (8.04 I believe)

[turey22]

http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-Vista/category/101?WT.mc_id=winonline_upgradepage
Even Microsoft like the flavor comment.:)

[ciurca]

fwiw, always use a gnome desktop distro with older machines. My old P4 2.0ghrtz Dell runs great as a web appliance with Ubuntu installed. Suse KDE was too much of a system bear.