So, since I replaced the HDD on my PS3,

[OUDoc]

now I have an unused, "like-new" 20GB Seagate HDD. I thought about using it to replace the drive on my laptop (the old Toshiba Satellite/Celeron running Win ME). Since ME sucks and I don't have a Windows ME disk anyway, would you guys try Linux? Would someone with only marginal skills with Windows be able to work with Linux? Would Linux run on a 6+ year old computer?
(In case you care, the only use the laptop gets is for my kids to IM their buddies without tying up my desktop. The only reason I'm thinking about doing this is that a) I'm bored, and b) that computer runs so slow, formatting the HDD and re-installing a few programs is about my only option. I guess my other option would be do nothing, the kids don't seem to care anyway.)

[SoonerTerry]

There are alot of distributions of the linux kernel out there.. I like Ubuntu. Red hat is a good one too. Both have GUI's that look and act like windows.

[OUDoc]

There are alot of distributions of the linux kernel out there.. I like Ubuntu. Red hat is a good one too. Both have GUI's that look and act like windows.
Do they require a lot of computer power like windows typically does?

Edit: Now I see Vaevictis' post.

[Vaevictis]

Would someone with only marginal skills with Windows be able to work with Linux?

Linux is sufficiently different from Windows that your lack of Windows skills is unlikely to have an impact one way or another. Assuming everything goes perfectly, you'll just boot into the windowing system, and if you know how to use a windowing system, everything will be just fine.

If it doesn't go just fine, well, what you knew about Windows wouldn't apply anyway.


Would Linux run on a 6+ year old computer?

The processor will be fine. You might end up wanting more RAM, depending on how much is in there. For a desktop, you don't want less than 128MB. The first 128MB gets chewed through pretty fast when you're using a Mozilla based browser.

[Ike]

ubuntu is a nice linux distro. A few people I know that use linux for work but dont want to worry about knowing everything about their computer have told me that they like using mandrake on their home systems because it is easy to install and get up and going.

Linux will run on a 6 year old computer, perhaps slowly depending on which windowing system you use. Like Vae said too, upping the memory is probably a must though...especially if you go with a recent windowing system.

[yermom]

odds are that if you laptop is old that SATA drive aint gonna work in it

if you want to use it with your laptop you probably need to get an external enclosure

something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145392

then it would work with about anything, the only problem is that if your laptop was running ME it's likely only got USB 1.1 and would be very slow

[OUDoc]

Ahh, I didn't even think about that. It's really no big deal. Maybe I'll leave Lappy alone until it dies a slow, painful death.

[sooner_born_1960]

You should throw Oracle Unbreakable Linux on that lappy.

[yermom]

Ahh, I didn't even think about that. It's really no big deal. Maybe I'll leave Lappy alone until it dies a slow, painful death.

you shouldn't need another drive to try Linux though, ME succs

just get what you need off of it, and wipe ME off :D

the Ubuntu installer is also a Live CD so you can boot off of it and see how it looks and works for the most part

[OUDoc]

Lappy is on it's last leg. Won't boot anymore. I think I'll try Ubuntu in the next day or two.

[critical_phil]

Michael Moore's got it all wrong.


he should be doing a documentary on why physicians in the U.S. can't afford a new laptop.

[Stitch Face]

Michael Moore's got it all wrong.


he should be doing a documentary on why physicians in the U.S. can't afford a new laptop.

Damn right.

[yermom]

well, if he saw patients instead of posting on here all day...


;)

[OUDoc]

Patients are all sick and sh*t. Who wants to deal with that?


I like fixing stuff, plus the kids only use the laptop to AIM people. That's pretty low priority considering they already do the exact same thing from their cellphones. For something as silly as AIM, the old laptop will work okay. Besides, it keeps them off my computer.

[OUDoc]

Okay, this is turning out badly. First, my 1 year old Dell's DVD-ROM drive usually fails to recognize blank discs (tried 2 different brands). And the laptop only has 128MB of memory, Ubuntu disk appears to require 256MB.

I'll figure something out.

[OUDoc]

Not that anyone cares, but for the sake of completeness:
Bought an additional 256MB of memory from www.pcmemorystore.com (ships out of Ada,OK. Who knew?) for $28. Ubuntu seems to work great. Automatically picked up on the wireless hardware. Comes with Firefox and GAIM for the kids. Still need to do some tweaking, but it seems to be a good program. Thanks for all the help, lappy is once again up and running and being productive.

[the_ouskull]

Glad you got it up and running. I never saw this thread or I'd have told you that I use Ubuntu, and, other than having to get online to look up how to fix the (few) things that go wrong, it's been good to me. I wish I understood it, and the downloading system, etc... and how to CLEAN it, like I did Windows, but, frankly, I'm just not smart enough.

the_ouskull

[yermom]

clean it?

the downloading system? what do you mean? like the package repositories?

my Ubuntu install actually cratered for some reason, i need to look into it when i get home. there are enough things different that i'm a little lost in Ubuntu compared to Redhat/Fedora, of course i've been using that most of my professional career at this point

maybe cratered is a bit strong, it boots, just some things aren't running right. but my hardware is a bit goofy, i'm sure that has something to do with it. the box i'm using is pretty Frankensteinish