Can't install (x)ubuntu

[OU812]

Sorry to post here, but I can't find an xubuntu forum. I tried installing ubuntu on my inspiron 2650 with 128 m ram. After an hour still no desktop (but some graphical screens appeared). So I tried xubuntu. The desktop loaded; however, if I clicked on anything (firefox or the installer for example) the disc seems like it is being accessed but the app takes forever to load (half an hour of waiting for the install window to open is too much). Is there anything I can do or is my hardware too old? Thanks.

john

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

If you were able to install, then all should be good. But, 128 meg of RAM? That is low. If the machine your are using is satisfactory - it works well enough for your needs - then I would strongly suggest that you upgrade your RAM. 512 meg or more if at all possible.

[OU812]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

No, I can't install xubuntu. I tried clicking on the installer, but it wasn't completely loaded even after a half hour of waiting. My worry is that by the time I upgrade the computer, I could just buy a new one. So I am trying to find a super light distro that will work. I was hoping xubuntu would work, but perhaps not. Thanks.

john

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

If you want a 'very small' Linux distro that 'simply works,' you may want to give DSL (Damn Small Linux) a go. It is under 50 Megs and can be installed on a USB thumbdrive.

Checkout http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

[aysiu]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

Try installing IceWM. That's perfect for 128 MB of RAM.

[javierrivera]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

I followed this link to install *ubuntu in some very old machines:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...7C%28memory%29

I usually choose IceWM (it feels faster than XFCE to me), XDM and thunar file manager.

Installing that way certainly takes time, it could be wiser to follow the above advice and install DamSmallLinux or some other distro specialized on old machines.

Javier.

[lowey23]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

Puppy Linux is nice, too. Very small and designed by an Aussie.

[OU812]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

Wow.

@Snowhog - tried DSL, but it wouldn't boot.

@lowey23 - Tried puppy. Love it. I installed it (option 1) alongside zenwalk (this was two distros ago on the laptop), but I couldn't boot into it. Maybe it was a lilo problem.

@javierrivera - Thanks! I forgot that there were alternate install cds.

@aysiu - Thanks. I didn't even think about ubuntu+icewm. The link from javier describes installing icewm. It also describes installing fluxbox, which I will try first.

john

P.S. Thanks. I've been focusing on smaller distros and I haven't gotten a complete system yet. I just want to access internet (on this laptop probably dillo or seamonkey because firefox is memory hungry), listen to streamtuner, install emulators (vice, generator, and stella), and print to my wireless printserver. Puppy is the only distro that did all this. I am currently using a new slack- icewm distro called absolute. But maybe I'll try the ubuntu alternate install. I would love the challenge of a dual-boot machine. But only if it is more of a major distro like ubuntu.

[OU812]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

I installed ubuntu 6.10 server, but my wireless device isn't working. It was working during the install, so I don't know what happened (it was detected as ather something. It is a dlink dwl g650. I thought it had a acx_1xx chip). Maybe I just need to start some service. If you can help me get past this stage, I'll be ok. The next stage of installation is to update the packages. Then, according to the wiki, I can install xorg and a window mgr. I'll probably choose icewm based on asyiu's post, but maybe I'll use both and choose. Thanks.

john

[javierrivera]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

In a server install, wireless devices should usually need to be activated via command line.

Try:

$ sudo ifup (devicename)

You can probably discover the devicename scaning the output of dmesg

$ dmesg

Javier.

[eriefisher]

Re: Can't install (x)ubuntu

I have Edgy running on a old HP celeron 466. I maxed out the ram to 256. It's not the fastest computer but everything works. I don't have wireless though.