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Old computer..Can I install Linux?

JohnLaird said:
If you haven't already committed to Ubuntu you might give Fedora a try...you can put Fedora on a flash drive with LiveUSB Creator (in Windows) then boot off the flash drive and you can evaluate Fedora Linux that way. You can also reserve space on the flash drive as persistent so you don't lose everything when you reboot. If you like it you can do a more permanent install.

3.2.*Preparing a USB flash drive as an installation source
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Thanks! I'll have to check that out too, but right now, I'm waist deep in this and I'm a persistent sob:D
Bookmarked your post for later reference;)
 
Mikestony said:
Downloaded the 32bit version.
Checked the md5.
Burning to disc now.
Going to get a snack while I wait.....
This is fun:)
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Ding, ding, ding. It's like flashing roms on a phone. I went through 4 distros today before I settled on Mint.:D

Can i recommend jalapeno cheddar cheese and ritz crackers.;)
 
Unforgiven said:
Ding, ding, ding. It's like flashing roms on a phone. I went through 4 distros today before I settled on Mint.:D

Can i recommend jalapeno cheddar cheese and ritz crackers.;)
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I don't need watery eyes, but my sinuses could use a little clearing.

Oh, by the way, SUCCESS!!!!!
It booted right into the OS.!!!
This is SO cool! I understand it's a little sluggish as it runs from the dvd, but still....
It is just like flashing a rom...you get a whole "new" computer!!!
Now, to try to connect to the internet on it....but alas, it will have to wait until tomorrow. I need to wrap up a few things, then go to bed.

Thanks to all of you for the help and links and suggestions:D :D

I'll be back for sure with other questions!!!!
 
JohnLaird said:
If you haven't already committed to Ubuntu you might give Fedora a try...you can put Fedora on a flash drive with LiveUSB Creator (in Windows) then boot off the flash drive and you can evaluate Fedora Linux that way. You can also reserve space on the flash drive as persistent so you don't lose everything when you reboot. If you like it you can do a more permanent install.

3.2.*Preparing a USB flash drive as an installation source
Click to expand...
Alot of new people to linux don't seem to like to try Fedora, Debian & Slackware but they are some of the best distros out. It may take a little more patients to get everything setup but once it is, you have a solid distro. Fedora have some of the best fonts I've seen on any linux distro.

Now that Mageia, imo, has taken over for Mandriva/Mandrake, these are the only 4 distros I may use. I've gotten over my distro hopping days.
 
Unforgiven said:
I'm guessing your assumption is based on the System DIR being System 32, but if you look at the top line it says "Windows XP Professional" and that would have a 64 bit qualifier.
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That isn't always the case. I've seen plenty of AMD Athlon64 CPUs with Windows XP 32bit slapped on 'em.
 
Mike make sure to install any printers or other hardware you plan on using with Linux. Not sure how much you can install on a live environment but you should try to install anything that is important to you.
 
argedion said:
You've been kind of quiet mike how are things on the Linux front going?
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yeah, sorry, all is good so far except for the fact (totally unrelated) that my computer battery and/or charger is acting wonky. Either the battery or the charger is dying and the computer keeps going dead :(

So I can't really explore the new OS I installed LOL....
I"m thinking about just putting Linux on my working computer and messing around with it. Don't know if I want to spend money on that old computer.

But at least I was successful so far in installing Linux :)
 
just buy an external usb drive install Linux on it and just use it on your working computer and don't worry about messing with the windows partitions at all.
 
I settled on Mint too, after trying about ten others and then giving up on the whole thing. As for Grub, just choose the 'alongside' option and it'll install itself. Don't bother with the 'something else' install for now, it'll just get you in trouble. The only decision you have to make is how much of the hard drive is dedicated to Linux, formatted as ext4.
 
I'm definitely at the 'Why would anybody want to use widows' stage, and so is my wife, and a friend whose XP box had the Hard drive fail (and no install disc). She's a 'silver surfer' now with PCLinuxOS KDE and she can't believe how fast and smooth it is.
 
Bah, this kinda fell by the wayside for me. I still have it on the old computer, but life/stuff happens and I kinda put it aside.
I keep wanting to get back to it, but you know how that goes :(

It's really worth the switchover eh, Davdi?
 
it is worth the switchover. Used to be I had to worry so much about keeping windows maintained. Make sure the AV is updated, the anti malware updated, run scans, defrag, patch and reboot, etc. Reboot because it won't recognize the usb drive i plugged in, reboot because it hung coming out of suspend, reboot because its just slow.
I have saved myself many hours of work after making the switch.
 
My biggest gripe with MS is the dang reboot with virtually every update and patch. WTF? Linux ONLY wants a restart when you update the kernel and even then it's no biggie if you let it wait a few days.

I get sick and tired of a.) making the announcement that there will be a brief period of downtime while the servers reboot, or b.) running my updates on a Sunday morning when nobody is on. :mad:
 
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