Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

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saroman

Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by saroman »

I have an old Samsung N120 netbook with 2GB of memory (Intel Atom N270, 1.6GHz, 1024x600) running Ubuntu 14.04 but it's a bit pokey. Is there a Linux Mint 17 distro that would be better for this hardware? Thanks.
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jungle_boy
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Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by jungle_boy »

Try Linux Mint 17.1 Xfce version.
Samsung Odyssey, Octa-core, i5 9300H, Geforce GTX 1650, 16GB RAM, SSD SAMSUNG NVMe 500GB
LM 21 Cinnamon
wyrdoak

Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by wyrdoak »

I'm using Linux Mint 17.1 KDE on mine [see below] probably runs about the same as what you got. but 17.1 Mate would be lighter on your system.


If they have xfce it would be best.
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jungle_boy
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Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by jungle_boy »

KDE composition is too heavy for the atom processor.

Better Mate or xfce.
Samsung Odyssey, Octa-core, i5 9300H, Geforce GTX 1650, 16GB RAM, SSD SAMSUNG NVMe 500GB
LM 21 Cinnamon
Mute Ant

Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by Mute Ant »

''KDE composition is too heavy for the atom processor.'' True, it will be lumpy just after you log in for the first time. KDE allows you to switch off all the special effects. KDE and Mate run fine on a 1.8GHz 32-bit processor and 1GiB RAM, for everything except video. Software-rendered video will be horrible unless you transcode them to VCD size like the old VHS tapes (roughly the same as quarter-VGA in Windows XP).
The-Wizard

Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by The-Wizard »

I am typing this from my Acer one aspire [10 yrs old] 1.5mb ram intel atom 1.5 processor, running Mint 17-32bit with XFCE desktop, [not enough resources for mate or cinnamon]

ok its a bit slow to boot in but apart from that works fine for what i need

wizard
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jungle_boy
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Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by jungle_boy »

The beauty of KDE is the composition, transparency, etc.
Samsung Odyssey, Octa-core, i5 9300H, Geforce GTX 1650, 16GB RAM, SSD SAMSUNG NVMe 500GB
LM 21 Cinnamon
wyrdoak

Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by wyrdoak »

Here is what My netbook looks like with LinuxMint 17.1 KDE. I also have Chromium and Amarok running, Flash video and video files over about 720p doesn't do well,
xiaoyue

Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by xiaoyue »

xfce should work well on your notebook. I have a Ausu Eeepc running the xfce. Also, you may change your hard-drive to SSD.
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Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by I2k4 »

Hardware is different. I've found Mint 17 XFCE runs well on my older 1mb RAM Acer but I strongly recommend testing for a week or so with a Persistent Live USB, easily created with Unetbootin in your Ubuntu repository. This will give you a chance to completely canvas your machine's components and any peripherals you attach to it, without wasting time installing to your hard drive. (I use 8gb USB drives, half to the OS and half to "persistence") With 2gb of RAM you will do fine with XFCE and might do fine with MATE or even Cinnamon, if there are no exceptional difficulties with your set up. Note that Mint 17.1 XFCE is currently a "release candidate" but the final release is expected within days or weeks - I'm waiting for that.

Any installation will run a little faster on your hard drive and there are other advantages to a regular installation, but the Persistent USB install will be snappy enough for you to get an excellent feel for the OS and how well it works on your specific machine - if it's noticeably laggy or if something is incompatible on Live USB it will be the same on the hard drive so don't think you will "cure" Live USB problems with a hard drive installation. The XFCE, MATE and Cinnamon desktops are very different in look and feel - forgetting about hardware requirements - and radically different from Ubuntu's Unity desktop, so you should be shopping for what makes you happy. Hope this saves you time and effort.
TRUST BUT VERIFY any advice from anybody, including me. Mint/Ubuntu user since 10.04 LTS. LM20 64 bit XFCE (Dell 1520). Dual boot LM20 XFCE / Win7 (Lenovo desktop and Acer netbook). Testing LM21.1 Cinnamon and XFCE Live for new Lenovo desktop.
FlyingAntero

Re: Linux Mint 17 Distro for Netbook?

Post by FlyingAntero »

The-Wizard wrote:I am typing this from my Acer one aspire [10 yrs old] 1.5mb ram intel atom 1.5 processor, running Mint 17-32bit with XFCE desktop, [not enough resources for mate or cinnamon]

ok its a bit slow to boot in but apart from that works fine for what i need

wizard
I have also OLD Acer Aspire One (ZG5) with 1.5Mb RAM. When I abandoned Windows I tried first Puppy Linux. I think it was pretty fast but little bit too flimsy. Then I installed Linux Mint 13 Mate and I liked it very much. However, I faced some lag so I switched to Mint 13 Xfce. Now I have nothing to complain.

Today I noticed that Linux Mint 17.2 Rafaela Xfce was released last Friday. Now I'm really tempt to try it but I'm wondering does my laptop have enought power to Mint 17.2. It has Intel Atom n270 CPU running 1.60Ghz. (I tried to OC it with http://www.laptop-forums.com/threads/ov ... rks.14735/ but ended up freezing my laptop when I OC over 1.64Ghz). I don't want to see any lag. With Mint 13 Xfce only browser first launch is little bit slow but everything else runs pertty smooth.
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