installing Ubuntu on netbook

[sailorsix]

A friend has an Acer netbook with only 8 gig HD that is running deadly slow. He has added a 120 external HD and now it is slower than B4. I suggested a virus scan and consideration of installing LINUX

He is thinking seriously about Linux but neither of us can figure out how it can be done when there is no CD drive.

Directions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[sailorsix]

I found this http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-ubuntu-904-persistent-install-windows/

but that is using the USB as the OS.
We want to install the linux OS on the Netbook

 

[WoodPeckr]

When you run Ubuntu off a USB drive it is similar to running off a Live CD.
As such you have the option to install Ubuntu off the USB drive as off the CD.
Install will take ~4GB of space.

 

[sailorsix]

So that is 50% of his HD so does it make sense then to just always run off teh USB? Does the HD not slow down once it is more than 50% full?

Thanks Wood.

 

[sailorsix]

This may work
http://www.ubuntu.com/GetUbuntu/download-netbook

 

[WoodPeckr]

So that is 50% of his HD so does it make sense then to just always run off teh USB? Does the HD not slow down once it is more than 50% full?

Thanks Wood.

No the HDD won't slow down with Ubuntu when 50% full.
I've installed Ubuntu on a 6GB drive and it ran great with no problems.
Ubuntu runs full speed when installed on a HDD.
When running off a Live CD or USB drive Ubuntu will be a little slower.

 

[WoodPeckr]

This may work
http://www.ubuntu.com/GetUbuntu/download-netbook

WOW
That is something new and should work to.
This is what's nice about Linux open source. They are fast to respond to what people want/need. Far faster than M$ & Mac.

 

[danmand]

I have the Acer Aspire One 8 GB SSD which I bought with the Linpus linux installed.
I had to reinstall the Linpus system, and it is not difficult. On my desktop, I
created a USB flashdrive from the install disk, and installed from there on the netbook.

The Acer Aspire One works like a charm with the small Linpus system, it boots
in 9 seconds flat, and is fast when doing web and open office. I have not installed
anything else on it, I treat it as a black box. It should not be sold with XP.

See if you can get a copy of the Linpus system from Acer, maybe it is downloadable
from their website.

 

[sailorsix]

Ok so I tested Ubuntu on my Dell. Used a USB as the boot disk.
During the install Ubuntu grabbed 26% of my 40gig hard drive as a partition.

How could it ever be installed on an 8gig HD?

Thanks

 

[sailorsix]

and email pgrm Evolution would not set up properly

I downloaded Thunderbird and got it working but it will not import the .csv file of my old Outlook Inbox or Sent folders. It accepted my contacts.csv.

So far Ubuntu looks OK but there is no way that the great unwashed are ever going to install it. You do need to be more than 50% geek to do all the tweaks.

If my wife had to do what I have done she would walk away. My father struggled with Windows 98 when he was alive and he was an engineer. He would have said 'fuck it' if he was alive to install Ubuntu today.

DIY Linux is not for the masses. Bill Gates can sleep easy.

 

[Clear History]

I'm thinking of making a "Hackintosh" out of my netbook and am searching the net to assemble some info/instructions. Seems to be a number of workarounds and tweaks required.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Ok so I tested Ubuntu on my Dell. Used a USB as the boot disk.
During the install Ubuntu grabbed 26% of my 40gig hard drive as a partition.

How could it ever be installed on an 8gig HD?

Thanks

You must have let Ubuntu do a 'default install', where Linux decides what space to allocate for the Linux partition from your available free space.
On a 'manual install' you can select the exact size you want for the Linux partition.

 

[WoodPeckr]

and email pgrm Evolution would not set up properly.

Never used Evolution.
Always used my old online e-mail such as Hotmail, Yahoo, G-mail, etc, with no problems.

So far Ubuntu looks OK but there is no way that the great unwashed are ever going to install it. You do need to be more than 50% geek to do all the tweaks.

If my wife had to do what I have done she would walk away. My father struggled with Windows 98 when he was alive and he was an engineer. He would have said 'fuck it' if he was alive to install Ubuntu today.

DIY Linux is not for the masses. Bill Gates can sleep easy.

Linux is different that's all. I went to the same thing at first being so used to M$. If you went to Mac you would go through the same re-learning process with their OS. I struggled with Win98 to, my first OS.....well I used Win95 for a month....

What helped me was a book from the library on Linux, then I found the Ubuntu Forums that are just as helpful as this TERB tech forum. As you use Ubuntu you will discover how nicely it is laid out and very user friendly now compared to 3 yrs ago. It is different but very intuitive to pick up. Gnome desktop is laid out very well and simple to use.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I'm thinking of making a "Hackintosh" out of my netbook and am searching the net to assemble some info/instructions. Seems to be a number of workarounds and tweaks required.

Somebody posted an excellent link awhile back here that made making a "Hackintosh" look simple. Can't find that link. Maybe he will post it again. It is a bit complicated but can be done.

 

[sailorsix]

You must have let Ubuntu do a 'default install', where Linux decides what space to allocate for the Linux partition from your available free space.
On a 'manual install' you can select the exact size you want for the Linux partition.

Of course I did! It said I could select another size but I presumed that the default was what "they" needed.

I am not technically stupid (I spell DOS correctly 100% of the time) but again if the default amount was not needed then how would I have known?

I have reloaded various versions of Windows many times since '95 and none of those experiences was as painful as loading Ubuntu. I truly thought that it was going to be simpler. The Luddites out there would not have jumped through all the hoops that I did to load the USB drive, etc etc. They want to power up and go.

I think the size of the LINUX total market is limited to the geeks and semi geeks just like the Mac market is limited to people who want to overspend and be conned into thinking that overspending is the right way to go. The Luddites make up most of the PC market. Sunday I was in Best Buy for an hour and Tiger direct for 30 minutes...the types of questions at Best Buy made me shake my head...80% of the folks buying PC's knew very little about PCs and that included some high school and college kids. The Best buy salesthingys were have a gold banner day selling people more than they really needed.

 

[danmand]

Of course I did! It said I could select another size but I presumed that the default was what "they" needed.

I am not technically stupid (I spell DOS correctly 100% of the time) but again if the default amount was not needed then how would I have known?

I have reloaded various versions of Windows many times since '95 and none of those experiences was as painful as loading Ubuntu. I truly thought that it was going to be simpler. The Luddites out there would not have jumped through all the hoops that I did to load the USB drive, etc etc. They want to power up and go.

I think the size of the LINUX total market is limited to the geeks and semi geeks just like the Mac market is limited to people who want to overspend and be conned into thinking that overspending is the right way to go. The Luddites make up most of the PC market. Sunday I was in Best Buy for an hour and Tiger direct for 30 minutes...the types of questions at Best Buy made me shake my head...80% of the folks buying PC's knew very little about PCs and that included some high school and college kids. The Best buy salesthingys were have a gold banner day selling people more than they really needed.

I told you, just load the darn Acer Linpus on your Aspire, and you will be fine.

 

[sailorsix]

I told you, just load the darn Acer Linpus on your Aspire, and you will be fine.[/QUOT

At the link I found for Linpus it was not free.

I am willing to try anything more than once.

 

[danmand]

I told you, just load the darn Acer Linpus on your Aspire, and you will be fine.[/QUOT

At the link I found for Linpus it was not free.

I am willing to try anything more than once.

I do not know, but I would imagine, that if you called up Acer and told them
you bought an Acer Aspire One with windows, but want to use it with Linpus instead,
that they would send you a disk or let you download the system for free.

But I am only speculating.

PS: I have read that Ubuntu does not work with the wireless interface on the Acer Aspire One



Latest: I think you can download it from this site: http://eeepc.itrunsonlinux.com/the-news/249-acer-aspire-one-linpus-linux-lite-recovery-dvd-online

 

[WoodPeckr]

Of course I did! It said I could select another size but I presumed that the default was what "they" needed.

I am not technically stupid (I spell DOS correctly 100% of the time) but again if the default amount was not needed then how would I have known?

I have reloaded various versions of Windows many times since '95 and none of those experiences was as painful as loading Ubuntu. I truly thought that it was going to be simpler.

Sorry and surprised to hear your difficulties. I've always done a custom install preferring that over default. In Ubuntu 'general specs' it states Ubuntu requires ~4-5 GB, that's why I once put it on a 6GB drive and it ran fine. Usually I allot ~20GB for Linux to have a little more room. Perhaps you overlooked viewing the 'general requirement specs'.

I also played around with installs of W95 W98 & XP and found Ubuntu far easier to install than M$ but it took a bit to see what Linux was all about to make this discovery. For me installing Ubuntu is far easier, simpler, more flawless and FASTER than past M$ installs.

The last new PC I installed Ubuntu on as a dual boot system took 9 minutes and this included the printer install! Then 20 minutes to update and it was good to go. But in fairness though I'm more familiar with Linux now than when just starting out like you. Back when I started out I found it a bit baffling to being used to M$. Now it's a piece of cake!...

 

[danmand]

Sorry and surprised to hear your difficulties. I've always done a custom install preferring that over default. In Ubuntu 'general specs' it states Ubuntu requires ~4-5 GB, that's why I once put it on a 6GB drive and it ran fine. Usually I allot ~20GB for Linux to have a little more room. Perhaps you overlooked viewing the 'general requirement specs'.

I also played around with installs of W95 W98 & XP and found Ubuntu far easier to install than M$ but it took a bit to see what Linux was all about to make this discovery. For me installing Ubuntu is far easier, simpler, more flawless and FASTER than past M$ installs.

The last new PC I installed Ubuntu on as a dual boot system took 9 minutes and this included the printer install! Then 20 minutes to update and it was good to go. But in fairness though I'm more familiar with Linux now than when just starting out like you. Back when I started out I found it a bit baffling to being used to M$. Now it's a piece of cake!...

Be careful in this case, I have read several places that Ubuntu does not work with the Acer Aspire One wireless adapter.