lippy 782 #1 May 6, 2009 I recently bought a Dell Mini (I mainly bought it as part of an elaborate scheme to trap a midget, but that didn't work out as planned). It came with XP, but I'm interested in playing with Linux on it. I use Linux regularly at work, but when it comes to installing the OS I just use a 'Rescue CD' that installs all of our proprietary systems. Does anybody know about Ubuntu and how I can get a copy and install it? I'd be willing to shell out a few bucks, but free is better. I mainly use the laptop for downloading torrents. Aside from that it's handy as hell when I need to troubleshoot from home and I can use my work laptop running Linux and can IM from the mini with the guy in the field with a problem. I'd need something that can run a 'Windows Live' -compatible IM service and that I can connect to my WIFI @ home. Can anybody point me in the right direction to start?I got nuthin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #2 May 6, 2009 http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download would be the place to start... I guess.... Myself... I'm a "XP kind of guy" so I don't know jack shit about Unbuntu “The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #3 May 6, 2009 Quote I recently bought a Dell Mini (I mainly bought it as part of an elaborate scheme to trap a midget, but that didn't work out as planned). It came with XP, but I'm interested in playing with Linux on it. I use Linux regularly at work, but when it comes to installing the OS I just use a 'Rescue CD' that installs all of our proprietary systems. Does anybody know about Ubuntu and how I can get a copy and install it? I'd be willing to shell out a few bucks, but free is better. I mainly use the laptop for downloading torrents. Aside from that it's handy as hell when I need to troubleshoot from home and I can use my work laptop running Linux and can IM from the mini with the guy in the field with a problem. I'd need something that can run a 'Windows Live' -compatible IM service and that I can connect to my WIFI @ home. Can anybody point me in the right direction to start? back|track Youll probably want to go with BT3 for now, BT4 is a little more advanced. You can connect to MANY wireless stations, even WEP encrypted onesNot saying that I would..."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rlucus 0 #4 May 6, 2009 BackTrack is not designed as a full time OS. It is meant to run from a USB drive only. (But I always carry it with me) Make sure you get the x86 version of Ubuntu instead of the LPIA version (LPIA is used in the dell version of ubuntu but it will save you headaches with software compatibility and only affects the battery by a few minutes) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #5 May 6, 2009 QuoteBackTrack is not designed as a full time OS. It is meant to run from a USB drive only. (But I always carry it with me) Make sure you get the x86 version of Ubuntu instead of the LPIA version (LPIA is used in the dell version of ubuntu but it will save you headaches with software compatibility and only affects the battery by a few minutes) BS, there is an installer with BT3 to install it to your HDD. I have it on an extra partition on my laptop with xp. (except now I upgraded to bt4) and keep another copy on my thumbdrive. Its nice to just boot into it without finding the thumbdrive and loading it that way. Its also nice because I need the IPWRAW drivers for my card to inject... and I like having persistant changes too. Not to mention a spare, hidden partition to hide my porn on because Qatar customs DOES CHECK!"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #6 May 6, 2009 Quotehttp://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download would be the place to start... I guess.... That's a good place to start... ubuntu is relatively simple to install and use... it seems to be the consistent favorite... and can be had freely by downloading... edited to add: I believe it can also be installed beside windows relatively simply...Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #7 May 6, 2009 tell me more about this!“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rlucus 0 #8 May 6, 2009 QuoteQuoteBackTrack is not designed as a full time OS. It is meant to run from a USB drive only. (But I always carry it with me) Make sure you get the x86 version of Ubuntu instead of the LPIA version (LPIA is used in the dell version of ubuntu but it will save you headaches with software compatibility and only affects the battery by a few minutes) BS, there is an installer with BT3 to install it to your HDD. I have it on an extra partition on my laptop with xp. (except now I upgraded to bt4) and keep another copy on my thumbdrive. Its nice to just boot into it without finding the thumbdrive and loading it that way. Its also nice because I need the IPWRAW drivers for my card to inject... and I like having persistant changes too. Not to mention a spare, hidden partition to hide my porn on because Qatar customs DOES CHECK! How do you consider it a hidden partition? Do you use grub as your bootloader? I can make an extra ext3 partition and tell any linux distro not to mount it on boot... *hypothetical* I'm only running windows on the HDD that partition really is hidden (as I'm sure you know windows refuses to recognize anything but FAT and NTFS) Then with any linux distro on a USB drive... boot computer (no boot loader so only loads windows) no porn... plug in usb drive (after computer is booted), no porn on USB either. The partition remains hidden unless I boot the USB. I've been through Qatar twice, but not a single person on my plane was searched either time. I didn't say it couldn't be installed on the HDD. But it is NOT meant to be a full time OS. My USB statement might have over generalized (I have persistent changes and extra storage on my USB also) It is a distribution designed for penetration testing by security experts, not for every day use by average users. That was my point. Also BT3 doesn't run perfectly on the Mini 9, but Ubuntu 9.04 does. As for the OP your last statement about IM software, Pidgin is included by default and will log you in to (almost) any IM network. However if you want to use video chat aMSN is a great linux replica for that feature. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
