Compatible hardware

[cicero01]

I recently loaded Mint on my old PC and want to now add it to an Asus EEE netbook but I need an external DVD writer and also an external hard disk drive.

None of the ads. I've looked at say whether they are OK with Linux software all mention windows of course and sometimes Mac. Will they all generally run Mint OK or is there a specific list of compatible hardware I should check out?

No wish to spend my hard earned cash only for them not to work.

This may be a rather naive question but please bear with me I'm very new to this!

[viking777]

This is a place to start looking anyway:

http://community.linuxmint.com/hardware/search

I have a cheap external dvd writer which works OK (Buffalo is the makers name but not sure of the model number), but my Western Digital My_Passport_0740 prevented my old Linux box from ever booting (Acer Aspire), but works perfectly well with my new Linux box (Fujitsu Lifebook) and that is the trouble with hardware compatibility questions, the results are so completely random that they are hardly worth reading most of the time.

[cicero01]

Thank you for your reply.

I've looked at the hardware compatibility list from the Mint home page but none of them are on sale at my two local stores!

I'll check out the info. you have kindly provided.

Thanks.

[cicero01]

Just realised that's the location I've already checked out!

Back to the drawing board, and thanks anyway.

[cicero01]

Just tested a Freecom external HDD in my Asus Eee pc netbook and it works fine in my PC on which I have mint 13 running it doesn't recognise the drive is even connected!

Makes buying an external DVD writer and external HDD a bit of a lottery.