If Not Ubuntu Which Os?

[Richb2004v2]

I have a particular model Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu. The wireless function will not work and although it is possible to fix it is a little complicated. So, I am wondering what alternatives I should consider. I have Xandros on my Asus machine which is good but I would like to try a different distro. Any suggestions?

[Tywais]

You might try openSUSE 11.1. I found it to be a pretty sound package and worked on my MSI Wind with no issues.

openSUSE.org

More info here Novel openSUSE which have a LiveCD version.

[dave_boo]

Try Linux Mint. Apparently, and this is from a co-worker, it's based upon Ubuntu but contains quite a few non-libre packages. I.E., drivers that aren't open-source are included in the distro. May be worth checking out.

Otherwise I'd also recommend OpenSuSE 11.1; just stay away from KDE 4.....

[Nagatus]

I have a particular model Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu. The wireless function will not work and although it is possible to fix it is a little complicated. So, I am wondering what alternatives I should consider. I have Xandros on my Asus machine which is good but I would like to try a different distro. Any suggestions?

I would rather like to know what is actually the problem and how cumbersome it is to make it work, I assume you want to use linux and (X)buntu in general. That said, it is still (sadly) often the case that having the wireless working perfectly with Linux is a pain in the ass

Luckily normally once you make a fix, it will stay onboard through all upgrades.

To the question, try Fedora (Redhat) or OpenSuSe they are generally accepted as the ones that have the most support for hardware.

[dave_boo]

I have a particular model Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu. The wireless function will not work and although it is possible to fix it is a little complicated. So, I am wondering what alternatives I should consider. I have Xandros on my Asus machine which is good but I would like to try a different distro. Any suggestions?

I would rather like to know what is actually the problem and how cumbersome it is to make it work, I assume you want to use linux and (X)buntu in general. That said, it is still (sadly) often the case that having the wireless working perfectly with Linux is a pain in the ass

Luckily normally once you make a fix, it will stay onboard through all upgrades.

To the question, try Fedora (Redhat) or OpenSuSe they are generally accepted as the ones that have the most support for hardware.

Hence my recommendation of Linux Mint. It has a graphical ndiswrapper. If you can install a windows driver for Wi-Fi you can install it on Mint.

Sorry if I sound curt, but lack of willingness to learn a new way of doing something is something that bothers me. I remember back in the late eighties/early nineties that the command line was the only thing we had (MS-DOS mostly). And yet grandmas learned how to use it. Why are people so braindeadenised by Microsoft to think that if you can't get it done via GUI it's impossible?

[Tywais]

Hence my recommendation of Linux Mint. It has a graphical ndiswrapper. If you can install a windows driver for Wi-Fi you can install it on Mint.

"Ndiswrapper is included with your SUSE installation CD's. Use the software management utility in YaST and make sure the following packages are installed:"

Also details on how to use it > SUSE ndiswrapper, though it may not use a GUI in this distribution.

[livinthailandos]

Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu

would you explain in further detail on what isn't fully compatible with ubuntu. as far as wifi issues, you didn't detail with wifi maker you have atheros or others. I'll assume that you were trying ubuntu 8.10? Also should you decide to check on ubuntu again there are at least 3 websites I recommend

ubuntugeek.com

tombuntu.com

madberry.org

as for wifi madberry very well detailed information on getting wifi working and it worked for me, but then again I have atheros 242.

OpenSUSE is pretty good, 1 click installs but couldn't get wifi working though, so i said bye bye openSUSE. If you need any other information check out at least the 1st website it has lots of information

[siamshot]

I'm running eeebuntu on eeePC and on my Acer Aspire one - best solution, everything works just fine including wifi & ethernet.

Just check it out:   www.eeebuntu.org/

[dave_boo]

Hence my recommendation of Linux Mint. It has a graphical ndiswrapper. If you can install a windows driver for Wi-Fi you can install it on Mint.

"Ndiswrapper is included with your SUSE installation CD's. Use the software management utility in YaST and make sure the following packages are installed:"

Also details on how to use it > SUSE ndiswrapper, though it may not use a GUI in this distribution.

Exactly what I was trying to point out! The OP does not want to have to do anything in the CLI, he wants it to just work.

I'm running eeebuntu on eeePC and on my Acer Aspire one - best solution, everything works just fine including wifi & ethernet.

The reason it works is because the manufacturer uses a WLAN card that has Linux support from the manufacturer. The OP has a machine that includes a WLAN card that is NOT supported under Linux by the manufacturer. So installing an OS set up to use a card that is supported and expecting it to magically support an unsupported card is a bit naieve.

[HAL9000]

I have a particular model Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu. The wireless function will not work and although it is possible to fix it is a little complicated. So, I am wondering what alternatives I should consider. I have Xandros on my Asus machine which is good but I would like to try a different distro. Any suggestions?

Freespire installed fine on my Acer.

[stub]

I have a particular model Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu. The wireless function will not work and although it is possible to fix it is a little complicated. So, I am wondering what alternatives I should consider. I have Xandros on my Asus machine which is good but I would like to try a different distro. Any suggestions?

If Ubuntu doesn't work out of the box with your wireless, then it is unlikely that other distributions will either. If you give more details, you might get some better recommendations or even a simple fix for Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid) (like using the ndisgtk ndiswrapper GUI that I think is on your install CD). If you have the bandwidth, you might also want to download and try the Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty) beta as hardware support gets better nearly every release.

[kujirasan]

I have used various Linuxs, and prefer the ones that are not affiliated with Corporations and have backing from them, Debian is the genuine Free Linux, but if have no knowledge of C, C++ and LINUX/UNIX better head for a user friendly variety, top of the range is definitely OpenSuSe, this one is owned by NOVELL and it has the latest Bell and Whistles for Internet, as well, a very friendly and helpful forum, most of it users are from Europe, as it was originally a German Distro! And if you can try to install the 64 Bit one, as the 32 Bit is being neglected a bit! They seem paying more attention to the future!

They have their own packaging for installing new software and can handle the three DESK TOP ENVIRONMENT

(KDE, GNOME, XFc) , Fedora was great(up to Version 7), but now is as flee ridden as camel driver's blanket!

If they come up with a decent package go for it! As unlike SuSe, it is much easier to Install non packaged software that you specifically want and are not in the repository !

[Richb2004v2]

Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu

would you explain in further detail on what isn't fully compatible with ubuntu. as far as wifi issues, you didn't detail with wifi maker you have atheros or others. I'll assume that you were trying ubuntu 8.10? Also should you decide to check on ubuntu again there are at least 3 websites I recommend

ubuntugeek.com

tombuntu.com

madberry.org

as for wifi madberry very well detailed information on getting wifi working and it worked for me, but then again I have atheros 242.

OpenSUSE is pretty good, 1 click installs but couldn't get wifi working though, so i said bye bye openSUSE. If you need any other information check out at least the 1st website it has lots of information

My Acer has atheros 242. I am going to check out the info on madberry. I will need to upgrade from 8.04 to 8.10 first though.

I also can't get connected to the net through a wired connection.

[astral]

Check out the Acer site for your model and see if they offer Linux drivers.

[Richb2004v2]

Check out the Acer site for your model and see if they offer Linux drivers.

I've given up for the time being. I've wiped it and gone back to XP. I might try again when Ubuntu 9.04 is properly released. Maybe the problem may have been rectified by then.

[niller74]

Don't feel bad about giving up on Linux. Most people do that and come back a few months later with new energy and a new version to install.

What I would recommend is that you install a dual-boot system. That way you can keep a working XP on your machine, while you experiment with a linux distribution. There are several good tutorials available on this topic.

If you happen to come to Chiangmai, drop me a PM and I'll help you get a working system over a cup of coffee.

Good luck.

[Richb2004v2]

Thanks for the advice.

I have reinstalled Ubuntueee on my netbook. It seems to be working fine, with some of the old glitches fixed too.

As advised I am thinking of trying Suse 11.1 on my problematic Acer. After researching online it seems that this is maybe the only Linux OS that will work fully with my 4520G Acer machine. I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks

[RKASA]

With the 2009.1 release of PClinuxOS some wireless was fixed.  Might just check in the forum pclinuxos.com and ask about your PC first, who is using the same and how it works.  I don't use wireless so can't be sure, but its vary fresh and up to date.

[Richb2004v2]

I've given Ubuntueee a test now and found a couple of minor problems. Cheese does not work, but I'm sure there must be a fix somewhere. My various memory devices don't mount which is more of a concern. My very old USB memory stick does, but my Kingston USB stick and SDD card does not, nor does my new Seagate external drive. I hope I can fix these issues.

I tried downloading openSUSE from various sources last night without success. I'll try again later.

[grtaylor]

I had a problem with wireless not working on my Acer Aspire One after I installed Ubuntu. I fixed it by downloading and installing a new kernel from this site: http://www.aspireonekernel.com/

Since then - no problem.

Graham

[supashot]

Debian is the only decent linux distro. Ubuntu cant be dangerous for newbies because of security problems, port open out of the box

[stub]

Debian is the only decent linux distro. Ubuntu cant be dangerous for newbies because of security problems, port open out of the box

If you found a port open, file a bug. There should not be any, and I don't recall there being any... ever. This clearly stated policy by both Ubuntu and Debian is often cited when comparing the security models of various operating systems.

[mbox]

I have a particular model Acer laptop that is not fully compatible with Ubuntu. The wireless function will not work and although it is possible to fix it is a little complicated. So, I am wondering what alternatives I should consider. I have Xandros on my Asus machine which is good but I would like to try a different distro. Any suggestions?

Hi there...i have just returned again to linux....not on all machines though. I always liked the following distros which never had problems with wireless which i use on every machine. Freespire, Pclinuxos, Suse, Kubuntu ( i prefer kde over gnome) , Mandriva .... i loaded the latest Kubuntu yesterday on an axioo classmate ( small screen same as eeepc 701 but regular/not solid state, 30 gb hdd), it was taking its time to install, but it runs quite nice. The Xandros (eeepc version) is the best distro for eeepc as it is way faster than any of those i mentioned above, you will mostliekly roll back to xandros .

hope that helps

mbox

[stevenlarrie]

Hi,

You can use Redhat linux for your system.

[Richb2004v2]

I leave for work at the weekend and I'm worried that my internet connection might not function whilst there. So as a back up I got a copy of openSUSE 11.1 today. However now that I have it I am tempted to try it on one of my machines to see how it is. I wonder how well it will work on my little eeePC? I best not try just yet.

[jackdanielsesq]

See my response to ya previous - I switched to PCLOS 4 years back, after MDV started going south - never disappoints. .

BR>Jack

[dave_boo]

I leave for work at the weekend and I'm worried that my internet connection might not function whilst there. So as a back up I got a copy of openSUSE 11.1 today. However now that I have it I am tempted to try it on one of my machines to see how it is. I wonder how well it will work on my little eeePC? I best not try just yet.

I don't remember which EEE model you have, but SuSE has added a repository specifically for EEE machines. It includes a special kernel, eeectrl, etc. You can read about all the nuances to get it running here.

[Richb2004v2]

I'm having great success with Ubuntu 9.04. I am in the desert and even my internet access via the mobile is working. The screen setup isn't ideal with the small eeePC, but its ok. It's only a Beta test but it works fine.