Trying to install Ubuntu > 10.04

Ok laptop had Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, now support has come to an end.

Tried Ubuntu 14.04, with "forcepae", Flashback (compiz), Flashback (metacity) was so slow, couldn't play Chromium BSU.

Installed Lubuntu & Xubuntu, for low-spec machines, had to "forcepae" to install, Chromium BSU played, though there was glitches in the graphics.
Compiz/composting manager has graphics issues, noticed with Ghostry pop-ups.

Tried Ubuntu 12.04, this complained about "PAE", but "forcepae" option doesn't work.

Finally downloaded the mini.iso from http://www.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/precise/main/installer-i386/current/images/netboot/non-pae/
using "i915.modeset=1" to install.

How long should I wait after selecting Archive = gb.archive.ubuntu.com.

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,078
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    You might need to post your machine specs to assist people with a far greater experience of Linux than I to decide the best route.

    It has Intel graphics is all I infer!
  • Oscar_Oscar_ Posts: 3,191
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    If this is a Pentium M laptop it may need a non-PAE linux kernel. As others have said, it helps if you can post your hardware specs.

    My suggestion would be to take a look at Puppy Linux. It is brilliant on older hardware. Very quick to install and runs very fast as well. There are several variants to choose from, PAE or non-PAE. The core is unique to Puppy but you can select versions that make use of binary packages from Ubuntu Precise or Debian Wheezy or Slackware 14.0 so you can run all the latest software.
    http://puppylinux.com
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 838
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    The laptop used to have Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, compositing with compiz fusion worked really well: wobbly windows, menus, desktop cube etc.

    Dell Laptop, from BIOS:
    • Inspiron 510m,
    • Pentium M 1.70GHz
    • 1280MB Memory (@ 333MHz) < shhftw it does have intel graphics :D
    • Intel 855GM/855GME graphics
    • 60Gig Hard Drive

    Currently installing Xubuntu 12.04.

    Makes me wonder why the download ISO is called: ubuntu-12.04.4-desktop-i386 since this requires a Pentium M processor...
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    I always thought the i386 just denoted the 32 bit version?
    Certainly I've used i386 versions on old Pentium 4 machines.

    (mind you, I have to say, this PAE stuff goes over my head mostly :blush::(:D)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 838
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    Oscar_ wrote: »
    If this is a Pentium M laptop it may need a non-PAE linux kernel. As others have said, it helps if you can post your hardware specs.

    My suggestion would be to take a look at Puppy Linux. It is brilliant on older hardware. Very quick to install and runs very fast as well. There are several variants to choose from, PAE or non-PAE. The core is unique to Puppy but you can select versions that make use of binary packages from Ubuntu Precise or Debian Wheezy or Slackware 14.0 so you can run all the latest software.
    http://puppylinux.com

    Going to give this a try:
    http://distro.ibiblio.org/quirky/precise-5.7.1/precise-5.7.1-retro.iso
  • Oscar_Oscar_ Posts: 3,191
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    That is certainly a good place to start. You have obviously seen that Retro Precise 5.7.1 is non-PAE. The i386 and the PAE are different characteristics or attributes. The choice of PAE or non-PAE has to be made (by the developer) when compiling the Linux kernel which will be used to build the distro. For the user you are supposed to check whether your processor supports PAE or not. In practice you can often use PAE or non-PAE on most machines that are P4 or later, but the Pentium M is said to need non-PAE in most cases. The main limitation of non-PAE is that it can't use more than 4 GB of RAM but with older hardware this is usually irrelevant.

    If you burn your Puppy Linux .iso as a Live CD and boot it in the CD drive it loads fully into RAM so you will be able to try it at full speed. You can eject the disc once booted. If you want to try some config settings or install a few programs you can create a save-file on any internal or external drive at first shutdown or even save back to the Live CD (multi-session).
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