Problem installing Linux

Johnboy1951

bmaxi wrote: »

I did try PCLinux after you suggested it and I actually forgot to mention that it loaded without a problem but I didn't particularly like the interface and didn't find it user friendly. No doubt someone will contradict me but first impressions are important and Ubuntu and Mint Cinnamon were the most impressive to a newbie like me.

Well at least you know that the problems you are meeting are Ubuntu problems and not Linux, and that there are distros out there that will work without problems on your hardware.

Yes I am surprised to hear you did not think PCLOS is user friendly .... but all our expectations differ so what is good for one is unacceptable for another.

I suspect the Desktop Environment might have had something to do with that, as PCLOS default DE is KDE. KDE is so configurable that it can be somewhat overwhelming at first. For some of us that is worth it, rather than be stuck with what you get and no more.

Other DEs are available from the repository .... just a package install away ..... Gnome, LXDE, Fluxbox etc.

There are alternate ISOs available too, based on other DEs.

Choice is good

bmaxi

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Well at least you know that the problems you are meeting are Ubuntu problems and not Linux, and that there are distros out there that will work without problems on your hardware.

Yes I am surprised to hear you did not think PCLOS is user friendly .... but all our expectations differ so what is good for one is unacceptable for another.

I suspect the Desktop Environment might have had something to do with that, as PCLOS default DE is KDE. KDE is so configurable that it can be somewhat overwhelming at first. For some of us that is worth it, rather than be stuck with what you get and no more.

Other DEs are available from the repository .... just a package install away ..... Gnome, LXDE, Fluxbox etc.

There are alternate ISOs available too, based on other DEs.

Choice is good

I'll play around with it on my desktop. What is probably most off putting, at first glance, is the drabness of the desktop although if it's as configurable as you say, that could probably be changed. The similarity between Ubuntu and Windows is probably what would attract most Windows users although I'd like to see a Control Panel and Explorer type application, they are possibly there and I just don't know how to access them.
The terminology is a bit confusing too, I don't know what a DE is or what LXDE, Gnome or Fluxbox refer to. Presumably there is some reading.
I'd like to get going on Linux and acquiring this hand me down laptop was an ideal opportunity but I've sort of got used to the convenience of it over the desktop.:)
One other thing I noticed when I did have Ubuntu running briefly was that I lost wireless capability due to driver incompatibility. Is this likely to be a feature with all Linux, if so I probably wouldn't bother?

Johnboy1951

bmaxi wrote: »

I'll play around with it on my desktop. What is probably most off putting, at first glance, is the drabness of the desktop although if it's as configurable as you say, that could probably be changed.

Yes KDE is very configurable.
In fact the most complained about aspect is probably that it is too configurable .... too many things to tweak etc ....

The similarity between Ubuntu and Windows is probably what would attract most Windows users although I'd like to see a Control Panel and Explorer type application, they are possibly there and I just don't know how to access them.

I recall PCLOS being accused of being 'too windows-like' ....

The terminology is a bit confusing too, I don't know what a DE is or what LXDE, Gnome or Fluxbox refer to. Presumably there is some reading.
I'd like to get going on Linux and acquiring this hand me down laptop was an ideal opportunity but I've sort of got used to the convenience of it over the desktop.:)

DE .... Desktop Environment .... lots of choices from Desktop Managers to full DEs.
DEs that are most popular include Gnome, KDE, LXDE, Xfce

One other thing I noticed when I did have Ubuntu running briefly was that I lost wireless capability due to driver incompatibility. Is this likely to be a feature with all Linux, if so I probably wouldn't bother?

I would think it should not be a Linux-wide problem, unless the hardware is an exception or very new (before correct drivers are available).

Only one way to find out ..... try a few distros and see how they behave on your hardware.
If you hit trouble then usually the best answers are available on the forums of the respective distros.

Most times a simple fix is available for problems.
Some distros have full GUI utilities for most requirements, while others use the command line a bit more.

Lots of choice for lots of different needs

Knasher

bmaxi wrote: »

One other thing I noticed when I did have Ubuntu running briefly was that I lost wireless capability due to driver incompatibility. Is this likely to be a feature with all Linux, if so I probably wouldn't bother?

Just on this specifically. I have a Dell laptop from around the same generation and I think yours contains the same wireless card mine did. Long story short is can work, but it doesn't have any open source drivers (Broadcom, the manufacturer, provide no linux support, so it is all people either doing backwards engineering or hacking things together). If I remember correctly Ubuntu used to prompt me to install the drivers automatically after install, it has to be done this way because the driver uses a proprietary broadcom binary driver from windows.

bmaxi

Knasher wrote: »

Just on this specifically. I have a Dell laptop from around the same generation and I think yours contains the same wireless card mine did. Long story short is can work, but it doesn't have any open source drivers (Broadcom, the manufacturer, provide no linux support, so it is all people either doing backwards engineering or hacking things together). If I remember correctly Ubuntu used to prompt me to install the drivers automatically after install, it has to be done this way because the driver uses a proprietary broadcom binary driver from windows.

Thanks, I didn't get a prompt from Ubuntu, just a notice to say the driver wasn't compatible and the OS was gone next time I booted up
Where would I find the drivers, I mean is there a Linux cache of drivers?

PrzemoF

bmaxi, there is no "cache" Provide some info end we'll help you. The driver is probably already on your laptop, but due to some vendor made errors system is not sure what to use.
Send here output of "lspci" command.


P.S. If you have a broadcom wifi you might try this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx

bmaxi

PrzemoF wrote: »

bmaxi, there is no "cache" Provide some info end we'll help you. The driver is probably already on your laptop, but due to some vendor made errors system is not sure what to use.
Send here output of "lspci" command.


P.S. If you have a broadcom wifi you might try this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx

That doesn't appear to be a Windows command.

Khannie

bmaxi wrote: »

That doesn't appear to be a Windows command.

You're posting in the unix forum.

bmaxi

Khannie wrote: »

You're posting in the unix forum.

If you read through the rest of the thread you'll see why it's relevant.

PrzemoF

I don't know if there is a windows command that can provide something similar to this:
przemo@localhost:$lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller (rev 04)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev c4)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev c4)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev c4)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM76 Express Chipset LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6235 (rev 24)
03:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5289 (rev 01)
03:00.2 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 0a)

Fixing something in linux using windows is a strange idea.. boot linux.

bnt

It sounds like you're having a problem with the graphical install. Can you choose "install Ubuntu in text mode"? It's the 3rd option down on this screenshot:



Graphics problems during install don't automatically mean graphics problems after installation.