Is there any flavor or linux that seems to install better than others. I would assume that SuSE installs quite easily but I've heard that Slackware is pretty quality too for laptops. I have a 9700 ATI and was also curious of other peoples experiences with installing the drivers for that.

Madman

I don't know why some distros should be better suitable for laptops specifically than others. Just install and run the distro you're most comfortable with. I'm running Debian on both my desktop and laptop.

Aren't the ATI mobility cards a pain in the ass to get working? I remember hearing that someplace... I'm buying a laptop with an ATI 9000 and I'd like to know too.

Actually, atheist, on that note I found that there are some difference between distros installed on Desktops and Laptops.

i.e. On this laptop that I'm using now, I originally installed RH Enterprise Professional....which is like $90 dollars on stores.
Well, I installed it and the sound would not work....some weird error with not being able to load the module needed for my sound.

So, I got Fedora, and it worked beautifully....everything got recognized and works perfect. The wireless, pcmcia, firewire, including the sound as well, etc....

However, on my desktop server at home, I installed RH Enterprise and everything was perfect....well considering I built it myself exclusively so that everything would be compatible with Linux, hehehe. But RH Enterprise runs really well on that server, however not so well on my laptop.

So I think some distros are better for some hardwares than others....I think that he can try a distro, and if that doesn't work for him, he can try another distro.
I recommend Fedora of course, hehehe. :-p

zLinuxz

I have found that alot of distro's do not work very well with laptops. I run a Dell Inspiron 600m now and had a Compaq Presario 2100 before. Suse is a great distro for the laptop, as is Mandrake. That is if you are a newer linux user. I would suggest Gentoo if you are experianced. Gentoo lets you completely configure all your system yourself and you can get the best performance out of the laptop. Distro's to stay away from if you have a brand new laptop are Debian(I love it, but for new laptop's it stinks), Fedora(I have had nothing but trouble on laptops with it), Slackware is good but I have had issues with it dieing after a few days, more than likely nothing to do with the distro. Those are my suggestions from my experiance.
John

oh well, hornbeck, now you are going on a different path.... I was comparing Desktop support to Laptop support of one similar distro....but in regard to what you are saying...it's rather easy...

everyone knows that in general Compaq, HP, Dell, Gateway....all the american brand name computer manufacturers completely suck when it comes to installing Linux on those computers.

So it's not Linux you're having problems with...it's your laptop, blame it on Dell....they are the ones who choose the "Designed for Windows" bullcrap hardware, they suck ass.

zLinuxz

i hav slackware 10 on my hp pavillion zt3010ea notebook and cos its widescreen im having probs getting it to display properly and i cant get my 9200 radeon 2 work, or my soundmax audio....or my centrino wireless, or my wired lan.....i hav power management working tho...does anybody know which drivers i should be using and how 2 install them.

I recommend getting a more user friendly distribution instead of Slackware 10....the more user friendly the distro is...the best luck you will have in getting everything installed correctly during install.

You made a bad purchase with that hp if you wanted it for running Linux.... so now you have to test several different distros and see which one fits that hp laptop better....see which one detects the most things.....and look in your Windows OS....in the control panel and find what drivers are being used by windows....some times the names help, so write them down.

I have a pavillion 4420us and yes the radeons hell. However, suse runs perfect will full support save 3d video.

I heard that vios are prime choice for linux, yes/no?????

Sony Vios?....naw....in general not the best....probably like the 5th best choice....but definately above all of the American manufaturers.

how about this laptop? I will be buying it within the month, and a stick of ram. Already have the processor, and hard disk.

For any one who wanst to know, a 3.06GHz Northwood with HT, 512 (or 1 gig) of ddr333, 60 gig 5400rpm hdd, and of course that shell.


I was planning on using slackware 10, as I am used to slackware on my webserver, and enjoy using it. Though I have never heard of Gentoo, so I will probably try it next. But how would you guys say the ECS laptops run linux? Also, should I get onboard(mini PCI) wifi to save about 20 to 40 bucks, or go for an orionoco gold?

i didnt origionally buy it for linux, more of an after thought cos im fed up of m$.

im trying red hat 9 at the moment and im having less luck with it as my keyboard keeps unmapping, ive had this problem with windows before as well, and also if i shut the lid the display gets screwed up, so slackware definatly ran better,but i didnt manage 2 get sound on it.

http://www.linuxcd.org/view_item.php?id_version=206 Check it out. For $35, they'll ship you CDs of the following distros:

Debian 3.0r2 (3CDs)
Fedora 2 (4CDs)
FreeBSD 5.2.1 (2CDs)
Gentoo 2004.2 x86 (3CDs)
Knoppix 3.4 (1CD)
Mandrake 10.0 (4CDs)
Mepis 2003-10 (2CDs)
Slackware 10 (2CDs)
SuSE 9.1 Personal (1 CD)

You might want to try a bunch. I am running Slackware 10 on a Dell laptop (Inspiron 1000) and I've run into a couple problems here and there, but nothing major - all have been fixable (dhcpcd wouldn't automatically get DNS addresses at first unlike Knoppix, I had to manually add my i810_audio soundcard to some config file to load it at boot, had to enable ACPI, etc.). I originally installed 9.1, and the upgrade process when they came out with 10 was really easy.

Brian

i have dsl so getting the distros isnt a problem, im having some success with red hat 9 now, and i am getting used 2 linux. i just wish that it wouldnt cras so much, but i think that it is kde that is the problem

Uhmm... it's easy to chose a laptop that will work with Linux... is as easy as searching on google
Laptop with Linux Support....

for example: www.eurocom.com
they have laptops that has the right hardware.
hardware that will be supported, wether you use Slack, Redhat, SuSE, Gentoo, LFS

doesn't matter, it will be supported

Well, In my experience with installing linux on laptops, I have found fedora to be the easiest all-round (havent found anything else that would be able to probe the LCD in my Inspiron 3800... the 686 arch might have sumthin to do with it too)