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Check Your Laptop's Linux Friendliness at TuxMobil
Posted by Kevin Purdy at 9:00 PM on December 13, 2007
So you've just un-boxed your new laptop, and you've been intrigued by all this talk of Gutsy and Werewolf and the like—but how do you know if a Linux installation will be a revelation or headache? Free Linux guide TuxMobil has more than 7,000 installation stories and guides, covering the tricks and tweaks necessary to get nearly any laptop, PDA or even cell phone up and running with an open source operating system. Between this site and Linux on Laptops, you should be able to find an open source operating system that works on any portable hardware, and save yourself some serious headaches digging through user forums and tech support sites.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Mahmoud
Posted 9:57 AM 13/12/07
@MEOIP: Yes, each distribution has its own compiled kernel, installer and other packages which are usually patched/modified according to what they (as distribution developers or maintainers) see works better from their point of view. That's one of the reasons there are many Linux distributions.
Mahmoud
MEoip
Posted 9:17 AM 13/12/07
Ubuntu wouldn't install from the live CD on my Dell laptop. I tried using UNetbootin to install Debian, it wouldn't recognize my network card so it didn't install. I was able to install Ubuntu using UNetbootin. This goes to show that not all distros and installation methods are created equal.
MEoip
Therevan
Posted 8:08 AM 13/12/07
@tbbx: Good point. I've changed the link to match up with the laptops specifically.
Therevan
tbbx
Posted 7:57 AM 13/12/07
Here's a link directly to the installation guide:
[tuxmobil.org]
tbbx
Fifthwind
Posted 12:18 PM 13/12/07
I'd like to see a list built the other way around. Rather than a list of laptops and the OS that works on them... how about a list of OS and the laptops that run it without trouble?
That way, I can just look up "Gutsy" and find a list of compatible laptops. I think that is what *most* people will be looking for.
Fifthwind
emmetp
Posted 3:40 PM 13/12/07
those hardware compatabality sites are sooo hard to navigate. just google the name of your laptop and "linux" or "ubuntu" and you'll quickly find what works and what doesn't.
emmetp
tinkernut
Posted 3:34 PM 13/12/07
Now this is very handy. Often I find myself in a venturous mode and decide to install linux on a portable system only to find out that it doesn't recognize half my stuff.
tinkernut
whiskey
Posted 7:58 PM 13/12/07
Give Fedora 8 a spin if your Ubuntu won't recoignize your wifi/ethernet/soundcard.
It worked on my Toshiba Satellite A135-S4427 (though i haven't figured out how to get it to know when i insert my headphones).
Google for the "HOWTO Install Fedora 8: The perfect desktop" guide to add DVD/MP3 and some bonuses!
It's a much happier place than Vista!
whiskey