Hardware Question 3-Parter
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There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
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Hardware Question 3-Parter
Hey all. I'm about to buy a new laptop and have been very impressed with what I've read about LinuxMint 3.0. What I want to know is: does the laptop I plan on purchasing meet the system requirements for LinuxMint 3.0?
Here are the stats:
ACER TM2483 WXMi
Processor: Celeron M430 1.73GHz
RAM: DDR 2 512 MB
80GB HDD
Intel 940GML video card
It uses Wireless LAN and has a DVD Super Multi. Will this machine meet the system requirements for LinuxMint 3.0?
If not, what are the basic system requirements I need to look for in a laptop in order to use LinuxMint 3.0?
Lastly, being a first-time Linux user, would I be completely baffled by XFCE Community Edition BETA 003, or should I just stick with 3.0?
Thanks very much in advance.
Here are the stats:
ACER TM2483 WXMi
Processor: Celeron M430 1.73GHz
RAM: DDR 2 512 MB
80GB HDD
Intel 940GML video card
It uses Wireless LAN and has a DVD Super Multi. Will this machine meet the system requirements for LinuxMint 3.0?
If not, what are the basic system requirements I need to look for in a laptop in order to use LinuxMint 3.0?
Lastly, being a first-time Linux user, would I be completely baffled by XFCE Community Edition BETA 003, or should I just stick with 3.0?
Thanks very much in advance.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Hi the specs which you ve given is entrylevel laptop.Its ll run linuxmint but i m not sure for your video card for beryl.Just refer some threads related to beryl you ll get answer for beryl support for your card.Other main prob in linux is wireless network adapter specially bcm43xx which need some tweaking but it ll work.your laptop ll have intel wireless so its not a big prob.I ve compaq v3000z amd turion x2 laptop running good after lit tweaking of wifi card.Other is linux mint xfce edition is community edition which is replacing gnome with xfce.It require less hardware compare to gnome edition also known as lightweight edition.
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Some WLAN chips can create a lot of trouble, e.g. because the manufacturer doesn't want to release the hardware specs so that the kernel people (Linus Torvalds & his buddies of kernel hackers) could write proper drivers for those devices. I have read postings from other people that suggest that Acer TravelMate laptops use an unsupported (in Linux) WLAN chipset. It may depend on the model. I suggest you really really find out what WLAN chipset is in that laptop or you may get stuck with non-working WLAN.red-e-made wrote: It uses Wireless LAN
Also: Sound is an issue on some laptops. If the sound chip is too new (no support yet in Linux) or if the specs are (still) unknown it could happen that sound doesn't properly work. I had that problem with my HP Pavilion dv2108EA laptop (solved now as newer Linux distros fully support the sound chip in that laptop).
It's hard to give any recommendations. From experience I know that the business models of most HP Laptops will work tip top with Linux (HP NC* and NX* series); most HP home models probably too (e.g. Pavilion dv2000, dv4000, dv6000 and dv9000 series).
Your best bet would be to make sure you have "Linux-friendly" hardware in your laptop as far as this is possible:
Laptop: Don't go for the brand-newest model; chances are it has hardware that isn't fully supported yet (your mileage may vary). Some brands are better in this regard than others.
Graphics: Go for Intel or NVidia, avoid ATI! (ATI's support for Linux sucks!)
WLAN: Go for Intel (e.g. Intel 3945abg) or Atheros (not too new though), avoid Broadcom BCM42xx chipsets (they can be made to work but it's a rather frustrating chore).
Ethernet: Some "Gigabit Ethernet" brands can make trouble; but usually standard Ethernet should work without bigger troubles.
DVD-Writers: LightScribe doesn't work as of now as it is a closed-source technology. Don't waste your money on "LightScribe" drives as you most likely won't be able to use that technology with Linux. Other than that DVD- and CD-writing should work as expected.
Also check this page: http://www.linux-laptop.net/
It has a nice database of laptops brands & models that are known to work with Linux.
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Should work perfectly. I have a very similar card in my dv2108.poision wrote:i m not sure for your video card for beryl..
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Hi scorp thanks for info.I ve compaq v3000z with same line of dv2000z in hp home series.Well scorp you have same laptop are you able to use headphone jack.Its not working for me in mint.Any suggestion for that.Thanks in advance
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Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Excellent advice all around, thanks. I'll be sure to carefully shop and scope before buying anything.scorp123 wrote:Also check this page: http://www.linux-laptop.net/
It has a nice database of laptops brands & models that are known to work with Linux.
My only other question was, as a brand-new Linux user, will I be lost using Cassandra XFCE Community Edition BETA 003, or should I just stick to 3.0?
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Yes, it apparently uses its own soundcard or something like that. Pretty weird. It did not work under OpenSUSE 10.2 but it works on newer Debian-based distros.poision wrote: are you able to use headphone jack.
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Also, please pardon my ignorance here, but on visiting this Linux on Laptops page (very comprehensive, btw), am I to assume that a model of laptop that has worked with one distro (e.g., Ubuntu 5.04 on an Acer Aspire 1524WLMi), should work with any other Linux distro?
Sorry if that seems like an obvious question. Still learning here.
Sorry if that seems like an obvious question. Still learning here.
Usually yes. Especially if it is a newer version of the same distro or "related" one. So if e.g. one laptop works with Ubuntu 5.04 than it should also work with later versions 6.06, 6.10 and 7.04; it should therefore also work with e.g. Linux Mint 3.0 (which is based on Ubuntu 7.04) and Debian 4.0 (on which Ubuntu is based).red-e-made wrote: am I to assume that a model of laptop that has worked with one distro (e.g., Ubuntu 5.04 on an Acer Aspire 1524WLMi), should work with any other Linux distro?
There are some very rare occasions where this isn't true, but that usually has to be some really exotic piece of hardware (like my Sony VAIO C1vfk sub-notebook which is a real b***ch when it comes to Linux ...)
Unless you have one of those exotic laptops (e.g. like mine with its non-standard resolution of 1024 x 480 and other proprietary extras) your assumption should be right.
The package format has nothing to do with this ... It's rather a question of which kernel version is shipped with the distro, which kind of WLAN driver, which version of it, which type of sound driver, how the kernel is configured per default, and and and.poision wrote: other like fedora open suse mandriva are rpm based distro.
The package format is the smallest of all problems.
BTW; please try and use some correct spelling and grammar. Your messages are really hard to read.
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Hi scorp i just tried with ipod earphones its working but main speakers not disconnecting when i plugged in earphones.Means i m getting sound from main laptop speakers as well as from earplug.Thats strange.One more thing i installed bcm43xx with ndswrapper but in command prompt still it gives me message bcm43xx not found.So can you tell me how to check weather wifi card is properly installed or not?
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I figured as much. But you can never be too careful, so I had to ask.scorp123 wrote:Usually yes. Especially if it is a newer version of the same distro or "related" one. So if e.g. one laptop works with Ubuntu 5.04 than it should also work with later versions 6.06, 6.10 and 7.04; it should therefore also work with e.g. Linux Mint 3.0 (which is based on Ubuntu 7.04) and Debian 4.0 (on which Ubuntu is based).
Strangely, I've been using a Clevo since 2003 and just discovered that Linux runs swimmingly on it! Too bad the Clevo I bought was already on its last legs at the time, and has already more or less died.scorp123 wrote:There are some very rare occasions where this isn't true, but that usually has to be some really exotic piece of hardware (like my Sony VAIO C1vfk sub-notebook which is a real b***ch when it comes to Linux ...)
Unless you have one of those exotic laptops (e.g. like mine with its non-standard resolution of 1024 x 480 and other proprietary extras) your assumption should be right.
Again, thanks very much. I have this thread bookmarked.
Re: Hardware Question 3-Parter
Exactly. Pretty weird.poision wrote: but main speakers not disconnecting when i plugged in earphones.Means i m getting sound from main laptop speakers as well as from earplug.
It's as if they are on two separate sound chips.
Sorry, I have no experience with that.poision wrote: i installed bcm43xx with ndswrapper