This goes out to all my hommies in the field of IT wizard and ting.

Jimster

I have an oldish IBM laptop (a T42) which is running XP but it's mad...















... slow, even with everything defragged and optimised. I know XP well, to MCSE level, so please to take my word for it. No viruses or clownware, the f*cker is nailed down in that respect.

But I've had enough and want to wipe that teenage pr0stitute totally clean and put on some less complex OS. It just has to be used as a browser, fug anything else, and browse faster than Firefox under XP.

I am thinking Linux or somesuch - but as I've been deep down in the MS mines for like, forever, I solicit the advice of my hommies here who know the deal in the world outside of Bill and Dem.

Whatchugot?

Grandfather

do you have a cd drive on that comp?

burn a live cd from Ubuntu, run it off the cd, see how it feels. When you finally decide you like it (which you will), you can just install it.

jaysus

Puppy linux from usb mirrored to HD after running. Mad easy, mad fast.
http://puppylinux.org/main/Download Latest Release.htm

z_illa

uhh, yeah I was going to say see if it'll run ubuntu if not use puppy. ya'll beat me.

However drivers will likely be trouble, more so with puppy...

jaysus

Puppy has loaded more smoothly than any other linux distro i have ever had. ZERO driver installs on multiple machines, auto detect hardware superior to windows. Don't know why you hatin. Trying to install it on a brand new machine, well sure they are not in the profiles yet.

dj_cityboy

have you tried a format? i know thats an obvious first thing to do if your schitt is running slow, i have a thinkpad t42 as well and outside of record collecting i do beta testing for MS, i have XP on mine it it runs awesome, i have had early versions of Vista on it and it ran smooth as well...drivers are a bitch though and damn near impossible to find. so you might end up being a victim of the dreaded 1024x768 or worse 800x600

have you tried Windows Thin PC? which is part of the Win7 family...i know yer saying if my PC cant run XP why should it run ThinPC...i have had it on my laptop i copped the download from MS Connect and it ran pretty good...depends on yer lappy specs though (mine has 1gb of ram), the OS was mainly made for Legacy type machines (your T42) and gives you the option of installing IE8 and WMP during the install process and it isnt something your going to install Office on, its very barebones..so if your not a fan of IE you dont have to install it, but make sure you have a downloaded version of whatever browser you are going to install...chrome/firefox etc...

its meant to be used by people with Volume Licenses, but you can find it in your "usual download" spots...and activation should be easy to get around..

and if your not down with "borrowing" online...Linux/Unbuntu is your friend!

z_illa

jaysus said:

Puppy has loaded more smoothly than any other linux distro i have ever had. ZERO driver installs on multiple machines, auto detect hardware superior to windows. Don't know why you hatin. Trying to install it on a brand new machine, well sure they are not in the profiles yet.

The last time I used puppy I spent at least a day trying to get a crappy usb wireless adapter to work. Rewrote drivers. Gave up. The only issue I've ever had with it. Definitely not hatin, but I have a hard time recommending anything linux until I personally get it installed and configured.

jaysus

z_illa said:

jaysus said:

Puppy has loaded more smoothly than any other linux distro i have ever had. ZERO driver installs on multiple machines, auto detect hardware superior to windows. Don't know why you hatin. Trying to install it on a brand new machine, well sure they are not in the profiles yet.

The last time I used puppy I spent at least a day trying to get a crappy usb wireless adapter to work. Rewrote drivers. Gave up. The only issue I've ever had with it. Definitely not hatin, but I have a hard time recommending anything linux until I personally get it installed and configured.

Okay i can see that for sure, but standard hardware libraries trumps ummmbunto imo. I have been on a number of umbunto installs where fails on hardware detect and all of a sudden you are writing drivers. Haven't installed in in 2 years or so, eother way, still way bloated for what Linux can be with the proper mindset.

Jimster

Thanks for the discussion so far. Pulling down the puppy iso now.

Fry the cd and then bedtime.

I'll keep you posted.

Jimster

Coming at ya from FF on Puppy. No drama. Wife will determine whether speed is acceptable.