New OS for outdated notebook?

[Abir Vandergriff]

Hello LTT Forums, I recently moved and found myself unable to run Ethernet to my desktop. As a result I pulled out an old notebook (Toshiba Satellite L455-S5980 4GB DDR2 (upgraded the CPU after I built my desktop. Now running a Intel Celeron T3500 @2.1GHz. Yes, I gambled the life of my notebook for 200MHz.)) so I could just have a (rather slow) connection through the WiFi on the notebook. Even though it's running 802.11g, it is fast enough to stream 720p 60fps video, however, the notebook itself is very slow. It's running an unlicensed version of Windows 7 Pro x64 at the moment.

On to the question, I was curious as to what I could run on this to replace Windows, but keep my WiFi/Ethernet pass-through nonsense. I have started using the notebook for light word processing in some college work and would need something with a GUI, so I was thinking some version of Linux would be best. I've played with Mint before, but I don't know how well that would work on this notebook, so I kept Windows at the time. I'd done some Google searching and found one I could probably live with. A rather small Linux OS called "Slax" in it's x64 version. The question I have is whether or not Linux will allow me to do this weird WiFi/Ethernet nonsense until I move into another house where I'll be allowed to run Ethernet? I know Linux is very versatile, so I'm sure it'll have a setting to allow my notebook to have a closed lid without going into sleep mode. 

I'm going to try running Slax in a VM for a while to get a feel of it before I install it, if I do. 

Thanks,

Abir Vandergriff

(I apologize for the rambling.)

[cloclo8003]

I think it will be insanely slow in a VM cause your poor notebook will have to push Windows and a VM at the same time, I suggest installing it. Slacko puppy is great for old/slow PCs and WiFi worked with my Toshiba NB525 (which is cheap).

[ohJey]

that notebook isn't really that slow, try Lubuntu

[Abir Vandergriff]

@cloclo8003

Didn't plan on running the VM on my laptop. Was going to run it on my desktop to play with the UI.

[Abir Vandergriff]

@ohJey

@Name Taken

Looking at those forum threads, I was thinking about Xubuntu, though I'd probably try Lubuntu to get used to Linux UI a little more as a starter. 

Do either of you know how to boot Linux from an external HDD? I know how to do it with Windows, but was unsure if the process was the same. 

I suppose Ubuntu (referring to Lubuntu and Xubuntu, as they have the Ubuntu kernal) supports sharing a network connection somewhere?

Edit: Meant to thank you for your help. Guess I forgot. Thanks.

[ohJey]

@ohJey

@Name Taken

Looking at those forum threads, I was thinking about Xubuntu, though I'd probably try Lubuntu to get used to Linux UI a little more as a starter. 

Do either of you know how to boot Linux from an external HDD? I know how to do it with Windows, but was unsure if the process was the same. 

I suppose Ubuntu (referring to Lubuntu and Xubuntu, as they have the Ubuntu kernal) supports sharing a network connection somewhere?

Edit: Meant to thank you for your help. Guess I forgot. Thanks.

you should be able to boot from a external HDD just like you can do with a USB

 

they do support bridging networks

[Abir Vandergriff]

@ohJey

Thank you. I was wanting to run Lubuntu off my 1TB HDD until I really know if I like it or not. 

[cloclo8003]

@cloclo8003

Didn't plan on running the VM on my laptop. Was going to run it on my desktop to play with the UI.

Oh, ok. Great idea.

[gkubed]

I've always been a big fan of Crunchbang Linux for old machines. I've never had a problem with getting the desktop environment to work like I've had on every other OS I've tried on old systems.

[Opcode]

I've always been a big fan of Crunchbang Linux for old machines. I've never had a problem with getting the desktop environment to work like I've had on every other OS I've tried on old systems.

Crunchbang is EOL as far as we know. The owner of the distribution decided to quit the project (as can be seen on their homepage). So I wouldn't go for a system that will likely not see any future updates. I would go with Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu Mate or Linux Mint Mate Edition.

[gkubed]

Crunchbang is EOL as far as we know. The owner of the distribution decided to quit the project (as can be seen on their homepage). So I wouldn't go for a system that will likely not see any future updates. I would go with Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu Mate or Linux Mint Mate Edition.

I've seen, but I'd still use it. It's just Debian with some fun scripts on top which will still work just fine today. That being said, all of your suggestions are great as well.

[Opcode]

I've seen, but I'd still use it. It's just Debian with some fun scripts on top which will still work just fine today. That being said, all of your suggestions are great as well.

I personally wouldn't nor would I recommend it to anyone. A unsupported distribution is sitting duck to major security threats (since patches aren't being rolled out anymore).

[gkubed]

I personally wouldn't nor would I recommend it to anyone. A unsupported distribution is sitting duck to major security threats (since patches aren't being rolled out anymore).

It's...Debian...of course there's security patches.