Drivers for Kubuntu - complete newbie question.

[konini]

Hello everybody
Apologies if my queries have been answered before, my connection is running like something from the dark ages and searching is proving too slow. Also, please forgive my very, very newbie question.

I've been going to try Kubuntu for a very long time, but I've always been a bit scared - new territory etc. I now have a new laptop running Windows with no problems and intend to use my old laptop to experiment on. The one thing that has stopped me in the past is the thing Windows is quite good at - plug and play. On the Samsung site, there are drivers for my R439 for XP and Windows 7 but not for Linux. I'm not so naive to think that I can just format C, install and have everything working as I can with Windows. I really want to move away from Windows, and don't mind doing a bit of hard work, but I don't know where to start. Obviously I need drivers for sound, video, webcam and wifi - I think I can probably do without the rest, but I will need those ones.

Can anyone give me somewhere to start my research please? As I said, my connection is not good at the moment (the joys of living in a 3rd world country - I may be back on 100MBS tomorrow), and again I apologise for my lack of searching as I'm sure I can't be the only person who has had this concern.

I thank anyone in advance for any assistance that can be given. I know there must be drivers out there as my Samsung didn't come with any version of Windows pre-installed when purchased, just a basic O/S which I didn't even try, I just formatted in NTFS and installed XP. I really want to try and get away from M/S but am at a total loss at where to start.

Thank you for reading - I know how lame this question must be.

[arochester]

Re: Drivers for Kubuntu - complete newbie question.

1) Don't get rid of Windows altogether, immediately. Reduce it and put Linux in the space left. This is called dual-booting. That way you can use both for a while and reinstate Windows if things don't work out.

2) Many "drivers" are part of the Linux kernel, just work and you won't need to install them separately.

3) At first, try the Kubuntu Desktop disk. This is a LiveCD. It will run entirely from your CD-Rom and leave your Hard Drive completely untouched, as though it had never been there ---until you decide to install. The emphasis here is on "try". If the Desktop disk works then an install should work.

4) Have a look at "Hardware Review: Samsung NP-R439-DA0BIN Notebook" - http://www.pcgeekblog.com/2010/11/ha...39-da0bin.html . Scroll down to the comment by "Shamjithkv" it says "I successfully installed ubuntu 10.04LTS, but could not find the wireless driver." That might be the only driver to install. There are ways to get wireless to work...