Zoostorm PCs for Linux Mint?

[Carl H]

I am in the market for a new PC and have spotted these two at ebuyer.com, both of which look cheaper and better value than building my own.

http://www.ebuyer.com/344622-zoostorm-p ... -7873-1057

http://www.ebuyer.com/362648-zoostorm-d ... -7873-1058

Are there any known problems with using either of these for Linux Mint?

Someone has commented that they couldn't get Linux to run on the AMD one but they don't say which distro.

Thank you for any help.

[Murdock]

Call them up and see if they use Foxxcon motherboards. If so, they're junk.I'm on #3 in a 2 year old FPC-Intel rig. Thank God for warranties.

[Carl H]

Call them up and see if they use Foxxcon motherboards. If so, they're junk.I'm on #3 in a 2 year old FPC-Intel rig. Thank God for warranties.

The AMD system runs on a Giga-Byte motherboards. I have used those in the past with no problems.

[Carl H]

The one I took delivery of last night had an Asus motherboard.

Booting a Mint CD ends with a blank screen. I suspect a video driver issue. Tonight I'm trying it with 'nomodeset' and 'xdriver=vesa'.

I will post back my findings, in case they are useful to others.

[Carl H]

It's not going very well.

Adding 'nomodeset' to the kernel parameters gets it to boot up into a desktop, but the screen resolution is maxed at 1280x960 and the display is horrible - wonky fonts, random coloured squares appearing, and it's very sluggish.

[AlbertP]

@ Carl H: But if you use nomodeset to install Linux you can install the graphics driver for AMD afterwards, from http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/l ... linux.aspx

Maybe it also helps to use Mint 13 instead of 12. But I think you'd better have taken the Intel version of the computer.

[Carl H]

@ Carl H: But if you use nomodeset to install Linux you can install the graphics driver for AMD afterwards, from http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/l ... linux.aspx
Maybe it also helps to use Mint 13 instead of 12.

I've had equal lack of success with both Mint 12 and 13. I've tried the AMD driver... but it would only boot to a console after I'd installed the driver. X would not start as the screen was not valid.

But I think you'd better have taken the Intel version of the computer.

I'm also starting to think that. I have always used AMD CPUs and Nvidia graphics and never had any problems. Searching the internet did not reveal any ATI/Linux issues so I went with the AMD version..... I obviously did not look well enough, I have since found lots.

[Carl H]

Still very little success with this machine, and to make matters worse, eBuyer have just knocked £30 off the price of it.

I think I might try older versions of Mint and see how that works.

[AlbertP]

That you get black screen is because the newer kernel version thinks it supports the AMD GPU but fails. With older Mints you have no support out-of-the-box - so it will fall back to vesa which allows basic desktop usage till you've installed the driver from AMD's website.

[Carl H]

I've installed Mint11 and the proprietary AMD driver and it all works very nicely.

[highcannons]

I have been trying to install Mint on a Zoostorm 8515 laptop. It goes to a black screen if you try to run the live disc, but runs it ok in compatability mode. Tried both 13 and 14. So I then istalled in compatability mode but after installation the picture breaks down (video driver problem). Only other disc ihad was a Peppermint 3 which worked ok. I think the zoostorm is one of the generic Mitac jobs which include Rock and Clevo... So the issues with some Samsung laptops may be related. I know not enougth to muck about but know I like Linux Mint and have it running 13 or 14 0n the rest of our hardware. So bye bye Zoostorm.

[AlbertP]

@ highcannons: I think what you're having is a problem with a specific model of NVIDIA or AMD graphics, and not an issue with Zoostorm (or Mitac/Rock/Clevo) in general.

[highcannons]

Ah! I think you are right there. Later on I decided to try XP on it (Vista is standard) and had loads of trouble loading Nvidia driver........such is life. Kinda reminds me of the mess AMD got in with the Compaq F500 videa chip cooking the wifi card and itself! As a matter of interest I am using Medion Akoya E5211 which took Mint 13 like a dream.