Suggestions for my hardware

[philspiderman]

Hello, everyone. I'm completely new to Linux and Kubuntu but want to try it out on my computer. It's an Intel P4 1.4 GHz (on an Intel 850GB motherboard) with 128 MB RD RAM and an nVidia GeForce4MX 4000 graphic card. My friend's given me a Live CD of Kubuntu 7.10 but on the sleeve it says I need atleast 384 MB RAM for it. Could I try this out? If not, are there any back versions of Kubuntu or other distributions of Linux (I've heard Xubuntu is lighter) that I could try?

[Snowhog]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

Just give the LiveCD a spin (no pun intended). If it works - will boot into the desktop environment - then good. If it doesn't, then it can be either the limited RAM or other issues.

Xubuntu is a lighter distro of Kubuntu, and it does require less system resources, to include RAM.

[philspiderman]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

Yes, but aren't there back versions of Kubuntu that do work with 128 MB RAM? The best I could find is the 6.06 but even that's for 192 (I can't find any info for the 5.x versions). And on a related note, what exactly are the differences between susbsequent releases - is it mostly graphical or do they affect useability to a major extent?

[Snowhog]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

Older versions of Kubuntu are out there, but the 'old' ones aren't supported anymore. The biggest problem with the limited amount of RAM you have, is the ability (lack of) to use the graphical installation on a LiveCD. Use of the Alternate CD 'might' allow you to install 7.10. But I'm not sure that if installed, you would be able to get it to boot into a graphical environment with such a small amount of RAM. Assuming that the PC can accommodate it, your best bet is to increase the RAM.

[dibl]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

Yep, what Snowhog said.

Another approach, if increasing the RAM is out of the question, is to take a look at the Linux distributions that are really targeted to "thin" hardware. Slax comes to mind, also DSL and Puppy.

I don't think you will like the performance you get from any version of Kubuntu on that platform, even if you manage to get it to run.

[Jonas]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

Hi I'm not as experienced with this as I'm new to *buntu myself, but I dusted off (yes it was covered in dust -it actually came smoke or dust out of the fans) a old laptop to see if I could kick it alive with Xubuntu or a minimal desktop, reading this article.

I see it as learning Linux project and the fact that it was unusable with the old M$ ME, there's nothing lost to me.

I'm doubtful it will work, but still a fun project to toy around with the old laptop, and learning.
I'm using xubuntu-8.10-alternate-i386.iso trying with that 1st.

I got it from here

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/re.../8.10/release/

if I get it running I'll be back with more info

Jonas

[HavocXphere]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

Yeah, go for xubuntu.

kubuntu is not going to be fun on 128mb.

[philspiderman]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

^^Yeah, I tried the Kubuntu CD - it managed to load the desktop and the taskbar but the 'Examining File Progress' was stuck at 0% for a long time and I got two messages about something dying "unexpectedly", so I decided to give up.

Anyway, I'll try Xubuntu but could anyone tell me whether the ISO for the Live CD Install comes with a Wubi installer like it does in Kubuntu? And also, does anyone have any ideas about how TinyMe Linux is and how it compares with *buntu and other (preferably lightweight) distros of Linux?

[dibl]

Re: Suggestions for my hardware

This one runs KDE and should work respectably on that hardware:

http://www.slax.org/