FREE Mint discs for XP users in 2014

[Catchpole]

In Munich (Germany) they will be distributing Lubuntu CDs in 2014 to try and avoid a glut of computers running Microsoft XP ending up as electronic waste.
Ref: Linux Format magazine issue 174 (Sept 2013) page 7

Many of these computers will be laptops and many will fail because of problems with WIFI.
If we are to promote Linux Mint then we ought to be preparing for this golden opportunity by ensuring that the vast majority of laptops will connect "Out of the box".

I have been unsuccessfully trying to get my "Linux friendly" Lenovo laptop to work with WIFI but with Puppy Linux it connected immediately.

When potential converts try Mint and fail due to WIFI they will just buy another Microsoft or Apple computer.

I hope our wonderfully capable experts can rise to the challenge and produce first class WIFI support in advance of this opportunity.

[Pierre]

or even a small cost, - say $5 - with Free postage,
- within an area, like - Europe or America or Asia

[Catchpole]

In my case Puppy Linux WIFI works when nothing else I've tried works.
As the Linux community welcomes sharing, it would be nice if the other distro's used the Puppy code for their WIFI connections.

[Crewp]

Good idea

[TechGuyAndrew]

I like this idea, except how would people prove they were on XP? Also, I think that they should only be made to pay postage, otherwise this could get expensive.

I personally have installed Mint over an old computer running XP and I think that this is a great idea.

[Catchpole]

I've just converted two XP laptops to Mint 13.
The WIFI support for the Atheros cards was not on the downloadable iso image so there was no internet connection.
However when I connected to the internet with a wire and allowed all the updates, it got the WIFI working!

Its a pity that the WIFI support was not on the iso image.
This could put potential Windows converts off if it doesn't connect immediately.

I think its essential to get maximum WIFI support onto the live CD.

Perhaps it may mean leaving other things off but they can be included in the downloads after connection.

[rbeltz48]

I have been using IBM/Lenovo laptops (R51, T60, T61) for the past 5 years and have never had any problem with Wifi running on Ubuntu or Mint. What model of laptop have you had a problem with?

[Catchpole]

Hi, rbeltz48

The Lenovo I had problems with was a Z61t. (Last year)
I managed to fix it by putting:

Code: Select all

options ath5k nohwcrypt

into /etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf.

With my most recent attempt I found that after installation it will download the wifi fix but it needs a wired connection first. (Atheros wifi card on Toshiba Satellite Pro L20)

However the point I am trying to make is that its vital in my opinion to get a wifi connection with the live CD image.
We don't want new converts to give up at the first hurdle.