Linux for small Netbooks?

nooby · 22 Nov 2009, 05:05 AM

I bought a small one. 10 inch screen. Acer Aspire One D250 and it is small and light.

Unfortunately it only has win 7 Starter version so not so advanced and it is only 1 gig memory.

So I know one can try Puppy 4.2 or something like that.

But there also exists special made versions of Ubuntu that are adjusted to work on this smaller machine.

EasyPeasy linux is one such distro, another are CrunchBang linux.

I guess both can be used and tested on an USB memory first before one try to install them. IIRC they both work in memory so they don't have to touch the HDD unless one want it to. That makes them very fast. As fast as your memory allow I guess.

does any of you have any clue on which would work best of these two or if a third would be even better?

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=easypeasy

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?dis...ion=crunchbang

janusz · 22 Nov 2009, 05:13 AM

Have also look at Damn Small Linux

beeboy · 23 Nov 2009, 12:43 AM

Some of the big distros have customized Moblin versions for use with netbooks. Moblin is designed for netbooks. Mandriva, one example, has a moblin version.
I tried a few on my little eight inch acer. Have not tried any of the newest stuff. Have been happy with Mint 7.
Puppy 4.3.1 should work well. It has an up-to-date kernel. I run it on two newer laptops and it is extremely fast and stable.
If you want the card readers to work you might have to stick with a specialized distro or Moblin. Card readers are hit and miss with anything else. I never use them myself.

mister · 23 Nov 2009, 01:02 AM

http://www.leeenux.com/ This discusses some of the Linux netbook distros.
www.eeebuntu.org looks interesting.You may want to note that it's no longer
based on Ubuntu.

nooby · 25 Nov 2009, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister

http://www.leeenux.com/ This discusses some of the Linux netbook distros.
www.eeebuntu.org looks interesting.You may want to note that it's no longer
based on Ubuntu.

I guess these are for the eee computer though so I guess I should concentrate on those with built in drivers for Acer Aspire One D250.

Thanks to all who suggest things. I should join the Acer support forum so I have a greater chance to find somebody who owns one like me.

Last time when I checked they did not answer one guy asking same question like me so it doesnt' look promising though.

I asked on LinuxQuestions too but only got answer from a guy who had come up with a version so new that DistroWatch even didn't know about it.

I prefer to use something that is prooven some monthes at least.

I have used puppy on two three Desktops. Failed on all of them to get Network LAN going. While other Linuxes like Nimblex worked out of the box and had all the codex and programs that Puppy totally failed at if one are a noob.

Puppy only works if you know how to get it to work. Many others just work from scratch.

I never got puppy to shut down properly, it always let my hardware hang with fan running wild or failed to start up after a shut down.

I spent many weeks constantly exchanging questions with experts on Linux and all of the, told me it was the fault of those that made the hardware.

So I prefer to use software that just works out of the box.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...istros-761185/

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-linux-770651/

nooby · 25 Nov 2009, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janusz

Have also look at Damn Small Linux

Most likely you are good at logical thinking. I totally failed using DSL.

When I wanted to ask questions on their forum they barely let me in and then got very upset over how little I knew.

No way I ever look that that Damned thing again. Too agggressive supporters.

nooby · 25 Nov 2009, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeboy

Some of the big distros have customized Moblin versions for use with netbooks. Moblin is designed for netbooks. Mandriva, one example, has a moblin version.
I tried a few on my little eight inch acer. Have not tried any of the newest stuff. Have been happy with Mint 7.
Puppy 4.3.1 should work well. It has an up-to-date kernel. I run it on two newer laptops and it is extremely fast and stable.
If you want the card readers to work you might have to stick with a specialized distro or Moblin. Card readers are hit and miss with anything else. I never use them myself.

Yes I have thought of Moblin too. I don't trust me intelligent enough to use it.

I wanted to start with the more obvious first for my computer.

like Crunchbang, EasyPeasy, Linux4one, Kuki linux, Palanx, have I forgotten something?

I get back and tell the result when I dared to try somthing.

biteokli890 · 4 Feb 2010, 04:19 PM

Jolicloud maybe? I am using it on MSI Wind U90... a bit unusual, but... nice!

drew · 4 Feb 2010, 04:55 PM

Thanks yes I use that one just no on my Acer D250 but it is a wubi install so a bit special.

I answered you on another thread too. 11 clouds

drew · 17 Jul 2010, 03:13 PM

I've finally migrated from Windows XP, Vista, Win7Starter to only use Linux.

Puppy linux. Quirky 1.0 both for the desktop with Vista dualbooting and for the Netbook dualbooting with Win7

and have set them up in Windows to give priority to Linux.

So it boots into Linux without me having to do a thing.

But it took me some 6 month to learn how to.

Hahah my memory is so short that I have no idea how to do it again if I needed to. Terrible.

Thanks to everybody who helped me get to know Puppy linux.
Much appreciated

David · 18 Jul 2010, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

I've finally migrated from Windows XP, Vista, Win7Starter to only use Linux.

Puppy linux. Quirky 1.0 both for the desktop with Vista dualbooting and for the Netbook dualbooting with Win7

Congratulations drew, you have been working away at this for a very long time and deserve it!

drew · 18 Jul 2010, 01:40 AM

Well. the good thing is that I now use only linux unless something totally fails or take days to find out how to only then do I boot up windows.

Bad thing is my memory so short that I have a working system but have no clue on how to repair it if it breaks. So I should do backups but me too lazy.

Thanks for caring about me.

marcus0263 · 19 Jul 2010, 06:34 AM

Me, I've got an HP Mini 311 and I've been running Linux Mint on her. Mint runs very well, I do have 3 GB of RAM though. If you're looking for a lighter weight for the 1 GB RAM try Mint LXDE which you can download here

With the cost of RAM which is rather cheap I do highly recommend maxing out the RAM.

vans · 12 Aug 2010, 04:01 PM

I have an Aspire One with 16GB SSD. It came with Linpus, which I used for a year or so. I think it was purpose made or amended for the Aspire One. I know next to nothing about Linux but I found it easy to use.

I gave up on Linpus because I need to use a particular site that uses ActiveX. Therefore I replaced Linpus with XP (because I happened to have an old copy of XP) and it works well enough, but perhaps a little slower than Linpus

mister · 14 Aug 2010, 11:40 PM

Afte trying Kubuntu I settled on Linux Mint as well .

22 Nov 2009, 05:05 AM	#1
nooby Essential Contributor Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Europe Posts: 474	Linux for small Netbooks? I bought a small one. 10 inch screen. Acer Aspire One D250 and it is small and light. Unfortunately it only has win 7 Starter version so not so advanced and it is only 1 gig memory. So I know one can try Puppy 4.2 or something like that. But there also exists special made versions of Ubuntu that are adjusted to work on this smaller machine. EasyPeasy linux is one such distro, another are CrunchBang linux. I guess both can be used and tested on an USB memory first before one try to install them. IIRC they both work in memory so they don't have to touch the HDD unless one want it to. That makes them very fast. As fast as your memory allow I guess. does any of you have any clue on which would work best of these two or if a third would be even better? http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=easypeasy http://distrowatch.com/table.php?dis...ion=crunchbang

22 Nov 2009, 05:13 AM	#2
janusz Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: EU Posts: 5,016	Have also look at Damn Small Linux

23 Nov 2009, 12:43 AM	#3
beeboy Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 563	Some of the big distros have customized Moblin versions for use with netbooks. Moblin is designed for netbooks. Mandriva, one example, has a moblin version. I tried a few on my little eight inch acer. Have not tried any of the newest stuff. Have been happy with Mint 7. Puppy 4.3.1 should work well. It has an up-to-date kernel. I run it on two newer laptops and it is extremely fast and stable. If you want the card readers to work you might have to stick with a specialized distro or Moblin. Card readers are hit and miss with anything else. I never use them myself.

23 Nov 2009, 01:02 AM	#4
mister Essential Contributor Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 434	http://www.leeenux.com/ This discusses some of the Linux netbook distros. www.eeebuntu.org looks interesting.You may want to note that it's no longer based on Ubuntu.

4 Feb 2010, 04:19 PM	#8
biteokli890 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 7	Jolicloud maybe? I am using it on MSI Wind U90... a bit unusual, but... nice!

4 Feb 2010, 04:55 PM	#9
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	Thanks yes I use that one just no on my Acer D250 but it is a wubi install so a bit special. I answered you on another thread too. 11 clouds

17 Jul 2010, 03:13 PM	#10
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	I've finally migrated from Windows XP, Vista, Win7Starter to only use Linux. Puppy linux. Quirky 1.0 both for the desktop with Vista dualbooting and for the Netbook dualbooting with Win7 and have set them up in Windows to give priority to Linux. So it boots into Linux without me having to do a thing. But it took me some 6 month to learn how to. Hahah my memory is so short that I have no idea how to do it again if I needed to. Terrible. Thanks to everybody who helped me get to know Puppy linux. Much appreciated

18 Jul 2010, 01:40 AM	#12
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	Well. the good thing is that I now use only linux unless something totally fails or take days to find out how to only then do I boot up windows. Bad thing is my memory so short that I have a working system but have no clue on how to repair it if it breaks. So I should do backups but me too lazy. Thanks for caring about me.

19 Jul 2010, 06:34 AM	#13
marcus0263 Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 594	Me, I've got an HP Mini 311 and I've been running Linux Mint on her. Mint runs very well, I do have 3 GB of RAM though. If you're looking for a lighter weight for the 1 GB RAM try Mint LXDE which you can download here With the cost of RAM which is rather cheap I do highly recommend maxing out the RAM.

12 Aug 2010, 04:01 PM	#14
vans Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 59	I have an Aspire One with 16GB SSD. It came with Linpus, which I used for a year or so. I think it was purpose made or amended for the Aspire One. I know next to nothing about Linux but I found it easy to use. I gave up on Linpus because I need to use a particular site that uses ActiveX. Therefore I replaced Linpus with XP (because I happened to have an old copy of XP) and it works well enough, but perhaps a little slower than Linpus

14 Aug 2010, 11:40 PM	#15
mister Essential Contributor Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 434	Afte trying Kubuntu I settled on Linux Mint as well .