Tp600 and Ubuntu 9.10 PROBLEM

[jjmclean]

Has anyone tried to install Ubuntu 9.10 on a Tp600? I have and being new to Ubuntu, I have no idea how to get everything working. I have a D-Link DWL-G630 Wireless Card that I can't get to work, I have no sound, and my floppy drive (the cable type) doesn't work either. I discovered that after trying to set up a LinkSys wired network card that has the driver on a floppy. I have been studying Ubuntu some but have a long way to go before I understand it. Putting it on this laptop was supposed to be part of my learning process but I am beginning to think I have tackled too much all at one time. If anyone can help, I will greatly appreciate it. Also, I am open to an older version (if there are any) that will work on the 600 if it will still run the internet OK.

[emeraldgirl08]

Ubuntu 9.10 may be just a tad too RAM intensive for your machine. If you're talking about this then you're not going to get a good result. Ubuntu 9.10 I'm pretty sure requires a minimum of 512mb RAM.

I tried running it on a 600X that has 320mb and a 500mhz PIII. It was bad. Slow and unacceptable.

You may want to try a lighter distro like Crunchbang or Puppy Linux. There was also another one called Mac Pup. I'm pretty sure there are more distros as last time I read there was at least 200 distros available.

Happy searching

[Neil]

This Thinkwiki page is a good place to start reading about installing Linux on a TP600. Sound never just works on a 600. But with some tweeking it will work. You may have to use ndiswrapper for your wireless card. Most ethernet adapters are supported in Linux, and a lot (but not all) wireless cards are as well.

[jjmclean]

I've installed the ndiswrapper but there again since I really have no idea how to operate Ubuntu, I'm not positive I installed it right. I've just started studying the Thinkwiki site. I've also downloaded the Ubuntu pocket guide to start studying. My only hope right now is to find someone that has done this and has the patience to talk me through setting up mine.

[Neil]

Maybe this will help get the wifi card going:

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-4200.html

[eyestrain]

I think emeraldgirl08 is right about ubuntu 9.10 needing more than 512meg to run well. On my T23, it ran poorly with 512, but ran ok with 640 and seemed just fine with 768.

If you've got your heart set on ubuntu, perhaps you could use a very old version that is much smaller than 9.10, but those aren't supported anymore, so it wouldn't be a good idea to connect the computer to the internet. Or you could try 9.10 with a very fast hard drive(s) for your swap file(s), but thats not too realistic.

Xubuntu is somewhat similar to ubuntu, and is smaller. Version 8.04 is still being supported:
http://www.xubuntu.org/get#hardy

IIRC I think it's supposed to run ok with only 256 meg, but I'm not sure. Maybe a good bet if you want to use an ubuntu-derivative? Any xubuntu experts?

Puppy and other ones listed above are even smaller, and some of them are useable even by newbies.