Best Distro for Zenith Laptop

sakumar79 · 19-12-2008, 07:46 PM

Hi,
I want to install Linux on my wife's Laptop... It is a few years old Zenith SalesPro Laptop. I think it uses Intel 845 chipset or something... She will be using it mostly for working with spreadsheets and word processing (using OOo)... Please suggest which distro to use. I have two main criterion:
1. Driver support
2. Ease of use for novice Windows user.

Thanks in advance.
Arun

sganesh · 19-12-2008, 08:25 PM

Try Ubuntu or OpenSuse11

Dark Star · 19-12-2008, 11:08 PM

Mandriva 2009

NucleusKore · 19-12-2008, 11:23 PM

Ubuntu 8.10

sakumar79 · 20-12-2008, 10:20 AM

One more point to take into account is that it has no DVD drive but only CD drive... So I have to install using CDs only... Any distro that has Live CDs instead of Live DVDs for previewing before installing?

And I would like it to be zippy which is why I would prefer not to go for Ubuntu... I have Ubuntu on home system dual booting. It is not as fast as I would like it to be...

Finally, it would be nice it has a look and feel of Windows XP...

Arun

sganesh · 20-12-2008, 10:42 AM

try Downloading opensuse11.1 live cd version,
It was released day before yesterday only
http://software.opensuse.org/

or try Mandriva One 2009 live Cd,
http://www.mandriva.com/en/download/free

Garbage · 20-12-2008, 11:08 AM

And if you want something like Windows, then try Linspire.
Warning : it's not FREE. But it's "Windows like Linux" for sure.

QwertyManiac · 20-12-2008, 10:04 PM

For a configuration that old I suggest using Slackware. But OOo in it is provided via a 3rd party source.

wraj · 20-12-2008, 10:21 PM

Why not Xubuntu then coz its meant for the older pcs.But you'll have to install OOo separately as it comes bundled with Abiword and Gnumeric.
If not impressed by Xubuntu,then you can also try Vector Linux which is supposed to run over PCs with minimal configuration.An excerpt from the webpage

"This is our foundation edition - a freely downloadable distribution, which includes best of breed applications for every task and is specifically designed for use on older computers with slower processors and less RAM, or for those who appreciate bloat-free distributions. Features include the fast Xfce desktop environment, multimedia, email, web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and networking applications. It forms the stable base of our other editions and is ideally suited for an Internet workstation."

Follow the link here and choose the version that seems to be best for you http://vectorlinux.com/products

Also follow up the Hardware req. it quotes,that might impress you.

The only hiccup includes that its not a live CD (but it has its own advantage for this,the minimum RAM and Processor req. gets lowered too)

Dark Star · 20-12-2008, 11:14 PM

I am also using 845 PC now .. Every linux except few works like charm.. For performance please tell the amount of ram it has

Ross · 22-12-2008, 01:38 AM

I am also using PC with Intel 845 & 512 MB RAM,
i havent tried much distros but Fedora 8 &10, OpenSUSE 11.0 & 11.1, Mandriva 2009 didnt work ie was either terribly slow or non responsive, though Ubuntu 8.04 (DE & Studio both) works flawlessly..