Topic: Linux on an old laptop

[-<WillyP>-]

I have this old laptop that I had originally bought for my wife many years ago. It's an IBM T-30, runs a Pentium 4-M @ 1.8GHz, 512MB of ram, and while most of the time it's good enough to run windows, every now and then it just jams up and runs slower than dirt. I's still running the same install of Windows XP that was installed when i got it. I tried to format the hard drive but it tells me I can't because there is a disk utility running, which I can't find. And some other odd behavior, which leads me to think the OS is damaged, or maybe there's a virus or something lurking in the dark recesses somewhere.

Anyway, I hate to throw away anything that is even remotely useful, and, except for the battery, it is in near perfect condition, so I am just messing with it now.

And I am about to install Ubuntu Linux.

[Matthew]

You can format from the windows install disk, that will circumvent any damage in the OS preventing it.

[-<WillyP>-]

Never had one, or even a recovery disk.

[VANGUARD]

I'm not sure if writing zeros works or not. I can't remember the last recovery disk I had. Did ME or 98 have one? Wait, i think XP does on its own disc.

[Matthew]

Never had one, or even a recovery disk.

How were you planning to reinstall after formatting then?

No OS natively has a recover disk, recovery disks are functions of software installed by the manufacturer.

[Foil]

WillyP, what were you using to try to format the drive?  If you booted with an OS install disc (Windows or Linux), it should be able to repartition/format the drive for you.

[VANGUARD]

WillyP, what were you using to try to format the drive?  If you booted with an OS install disc (Windows or Linux), it should be able to repartition/format the drive for you.

What he said. it should work just fine.

[-<WillyP>-]

Ok, perhaps I was not clear. I never had a recovery disk for this machine, nor the original disks for the windows install that was on it when I got it.I tried to format the HD from 'my computer' and it said it could not fromat the disk, as a disk utility was running on the disk. I do have a Windows XP Pro disc from a machine that died. I did not try using this.

Then I installed Ubuntu Linux, and it runs fine on that except for the wireless card.

[Matthew]

That doesn't make any sense. How could a disk utility be running if your booting from CD?

[-<WillyP>-]

I did not try Windows formatting from CD! The Linux instal disc had no trouble booting, formatting, and installing. I got the disc utility message when I tried formatting while booted from the HDD.

Anyway, the machine is too slow, by today's standards, for pretty much anything, and I've purchased a couple of used ASUS laptops with i5 processors. So I'm just messing with it, maybe I'll install some different versions of Linux just to try them out. Maybe even set it up as The World's Slowest Server.

Actually it does surprisingly well as a picture viewer... When it still had WXP on it I had loaded a bunch of 1024x768 pics and set up the screensaver to show them as a slideshow. It ran that reasonable well. So there's something it could be used for.

[VANGUARD]

PCLinuxOS isn't too bad. I think most Linux distros will allow you to try a live CD. To those who don't know what a live CD is, it basically allows you to run the distro (OS) without installing the distro, or removing what's on there already.
Benefit, trying out the wifi is one. See if it connects or not. If it does, you could also install the distro. If not, maybe try another.

[Foil]

I got the disc utility message when I tried formatting while booted from the HDD.

Yep, you can't format the drive you're booted on.

In order to format that drive, you have to boot from another device (OS installation disc, USB boot utility, etc.).  Sounds like you got it, though. 

[-<WillyP>-]

Hmm, well that makes sense but I seem to think I have done it before. Or maybe it's a safegaurd added to later versions. If you don't have an OS disc to boot from, formatting your boot drive sure doesn't make any sense...

Anyway, it runs fine on Ubuntu, and maybe I'll try to find a driver for the wifi card, which doesn't even have a brand name on it. Or maybe I'll try a usb wifi thingy I have, I might even have a disc for that.

[TechPro]

WillyP,
Sounds like you need some means to identify what model the wireless is (and thus what "firmware" to install to linux for your wireless.

This might help:
https://help.ubuntu.com/10.04/serverguide/network-configuration.html

[-<WillyP>-]

I'll definitely check that out, but another laptop I got from e-bay arrived today so I am setting that up. The seller didn't remove the password so I had to hack into it. Surprisingly easy once you know how.