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linux on laptop

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  • 13-03-2010 10:02am
    #1
    Bob Z
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭


    Whats the best version of linux to put on a laptop? Will they use less battery power than windows?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Alanstrainor
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 23,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Moved to the unix forum from laptops


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    #3
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,917 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    how long is a piece of string ?

    what spec laptop / what do you want run on linux ?

    puppylinux will run happily on a pentium 2 with 128MB RAM

    anything less and you'd need damn small linux and a permit to handle toxic waste ;)


    Ubuntu should have at least 512MB - pop in the CD and away you go

    only real problem is if the laptop is too new and the manufacturers haven't released drivers, or released the spec of the hardware so others can write drivers then some hardware might not be supported.


    Download a live CD and see how you get on , remember it will be a lot faster when installed than running off a CD


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    #4
    loldog
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭loldog


    For a beginner, Linux Mint is probably your best bet.

    .


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    #5
    Bob Z
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭Bob Z


    i cant install it on my laptop when i get to the set up before windows starts and i press f2. But i only get the option to start windows or run a windows memory diagnosis. i have windows 7. I know how to put linux on my old pc windows xp but is windows 7 more complex?


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    #6
    BopNiblets
    Registered Users Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭BopNiblets


    It's the same process to install Linux no matter what Windows you have really, you just need to set your laptop to boot from the CD or USB you have downloaded Linux to.
    Boot order is in the BIOS setup, maybe press F12 or F2 as soon as your turn your laptop on, depending on the make of laptop.


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    #7
    cable842
    Closed Accounts Posts: 745 ✭✭✭cable842


    you can duel boot windows 7 and linux mint.

    throw in the linux mint 7 disc and make your your computer boots from the cd first then the hard drive.

    Just change the boot settings.

    In the linux mint set up its pretty straight forward on how to duel boot and install.

    I am a big lovers of mint 7. but for the last few months Ive been using linux ubuntu 910 remix and its great expect for flash doesnt work with it well I couldnt get it to work.

    but bob z mint 7 is great.


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    #8
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users Posts: 14,000 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Bob Z wrote: »
    i cant install it on my laptop when i get to the set up before windows starts and i press f2. But i only get the option to start windows or run a windows memory diagnosis. i have windows 7. I know how to put linux on my old pc windows xp but is windows 7 more complex?

    I would suggest that you first defragment Win7 and then do it again a couple of times.
    Then use Win 7 disk management to reduce the space being taken by Win 7 and so make room to install Linux in the free space left.

    For a taste of different Linux distributions which might suit I would list the following
    PCLinuxOS
    Mepis
    Mint

    regards.


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