Best OS to install on a 2001(ish) laptop

Lifebook2000 · 12-31-2015, 10:48 PM

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook Simens, model number YBVX014098, that I recently found. It has no CD or Floppy disk drive and I can't seem to boot an OS from a USB so my only way of doing anything to it is to take the hard drive out and load files to that from my main PC with an adaptor.
Keeping all of this in mind, I'm wondering what the best Operating System would be to install.

Right now I'm unsure what I want to do with this laptop but I'm open to any suggestions. I might use it as a pet project to learn about PCs, maybe upgrading its wifi capabilities and using it to pentest my wifi access point or Frankensteining it into a more powerful version of itself as cheaply as possible.

TxLonghorn · 01-01-2016, 12:00 AM

I have heard good things about antiX for older computers - and MX-14, also.
Other light-weight distros to consider - MacPup, Lubuntu, Slitaz,

ardvark71 · 01-01-2016, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifebook2000

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook Simens, model number YBVX014098, that I recently found. It has no CD or Floppy disk drive and I can't seem to boot an OS from a USB so my only way of doing anything to it is to take the hard drive out and load files to that from my main PC with an adaptor.

Hi...

Welcome to the forum

By any chance, can you give us the exact model? The model number you provided isn't bringing anything up. What is the processor, memory and graphics chip?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifebook2000

Right now I'm unsure what I want to do with this laptop but I'm open to any suggestions. I might use it as a pet project to learn about PCs, maybe upgrading its wifi capabilities and using it to pentest my wifi access point or Frankensteining it into a more powerful version of itself as cheaply as possible.

If you can, I would suggest maxing out the memory, as much as the motherboard will support.

Regards...

oldtechaa · 01-01-2016, 06:22 AM

The easiest way to install to the hard drive would be to use an external DVD enclosure, or to unplug the hard drives from your main computer, boot the installation environment, and install to the hard drive in an external enclosure. I don't really have a suggestion as far as a distro.

wpeckham · 01-01-2016, 08:36 AM

I may have some suggestions, but the results of the questions on model, hardware, etc. will refine the answers offered.
I do not want to suggest something that will not work for you.

beachboy2 · 01-01-2016, 11:41 AM

Lifebook2000,

Welcome to LQ.

Quote:

Right now I'm unsure what I want to do with this laptop but I'm open to any suggestions. I might use it as a pet project to learn about PCs, maybe upgrading its wifi capabilities and using it to pentest my wifi access point or Frankensteining it into a more powerful version of itself as cheaply as possible.

I have no wish to pour cold water on your attempt to get this ancient machine running using Linux, but I would seriously question the idea of throwing good money at this.

There are probably loads of much younger, higher-specced unwanted laptops/PCs sitting around nearby that you could pick up for next to nothing.

Put an ad in the local paper or look online. Ask friends and neighbours, your local PC repair shop etc.

All I am trying to do is stop you wasting your money on parts for a 16+ year old computer.

wpeckham · 01-01-2016, 06:05 PM

After some research, I am going to echo BeachBoy2 here. I could find nothing about that model, apparently because that model either never existed, or has been out of production so long even the MFG support no longer lists it.

That company made a bunch of locked-down windows-only systems for distribution to corporate clients who wanted to protect the company, and the user, from any changes that might entail risk. I am not sure if your model falls into that category. If it does, even installing linux might not make it a viable platform for any normal use.

See if you can find additional information about it. There may be specs that will help, additional model information, something that will give us clues to guide additional research.

Meanwhile: if I wanted to resurrect a machine using Linux, I might look for something a bit more current (built for WinXP perhaps) that is not locked down or obsolete beyond hope.

rokytnji · 01-01-2016, 07:08 PM

Slitaz , LinuxBBQ, Windows 2000 Pro SP4

are what can boot a run just fine on my 2002 Panasonic CF-48.

My floppy and cdrw are not missing though and both work just fine with PLOP boot manager (I use the floppy image ) to boot off my usb 1.1 port on the back with Linux live iso.

I bumped cpu to pentium M P4 (it was a P3). The ram. I installed 1 gig stick next to the 256MB soldered in ram stick to give me 1.2 gig of ram.

It runs OK though a little hot, but internals are clean and artic silver cpu paste is fresh.
Battery is trashed. A/C adapter works the unit just fine. It is just a distro tester I use.
So there. I showed you bit on how to answer post threads when asked for a description of your laptop.

Here is another way: http://www.pcworld.com/product/13350...-notebook.html

Here is picture of it in action before I replaced the lcd cable that goes between the inverter and the back of the screen. I live in the desert and dust storms are common.

http://oi47.tinypic.com/nbybsj.jpg

Old spec readout:

Code:

Code:
    harry@bikertest3:~$ sux
    Password:
    root@bikertest3:/home/harry# inxi -zv7
    System:    Host: bikertest3 Kernel: 3.3.3-antix.1-486-smp i686 (32 bit gcc: 4.6.3)
               Desktop: IceWM 1.3.7 dm: slim
               Distro: antiX-M11- Jayaben Desai 12 April 2011
    Machine:   System: Matsushita product: CF-48V4HLUQM v: 004
               Mobo: Matsushita model: CF48-4 v: 001
               Bios: Phoenix K.K. v: V4.00L13 date: 12/12/2002
    CPU:       Single core Intel Pentium 4 Mobile (-UP-) cache: 512 KB
               flags: (pae sse sse2) bmips: 3190 clocked at 1600 MHz
    Memory:    Array-1 capacity: 1.25 GB (est) devices: 1 EC: None
               max module size: 512 MB
               Device-1: Onboard size: 256 MB (Double-bank) speed: N/A
               type: SDRAM (Synchronous) bus width: 64 bits
               manufacturer: N/A part: N/A serial: N/A
               Device-2: DIMM size: 1 GB (Double-bank) speed: N/A
               type: SDRAM (Synchronous) bus width: 64 bits
               manufacturer: N/A part: N/A serial: N/A
               Device-3: Flash ROM size: 512 kB speed: N/A
               type: Flash (Non-Volatile) bus width: 8 bits
               manufacturer: N/A part: N/A serial: N/A
    Graphics:  Card: ATI Radeon Mobility M7 LW [Radeon Mobility 7500]
               bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:4c57
               Display Server: X.org 1.11.1 driver: radeon
               tty size: 80x24 Advanced Data: N/A for root
    Audio:     Card Intel 82801CA/CAM AC'97 Audio Controller
               driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: 1c00 1880 bus-ID: 00:1f.5 chip-ID: 8086:2485
               Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: 1.0.24
    Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
               driver: 8139too v: 0.9.28 port: 4400
               bus-ID: 02:02.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8139
               IF: eth1 state: down mac: <filter>
               Card-2: Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG [Calexico2] Network Connection
               driver: ipw2200 v: 1.2.2kmprq bus-ID: 02:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:4223
               IF: eth0 state: up mac: <filter>
               WAN IP: <filter> IF: eth0 ip: <filter> ip-v6: <filter>
               IF: eth1 ip: N/A ip-v6: N/A
    Drives:    HDD Total Size: 100.0GB (23.0% used)
               ID-1: /dev/sda model: FUJITSU_MHU2100A size: 100.0GB serial: NQ07T572F3DK temp: 32C
               Optical: /dev/sr0 model: MATSHITA UJDA340
               rev: 1.50 dev-links: cdrom2,cdrw2,scd0
               Features: speed: 24x multisession: yes
               audio: yes dvd: no rw: cd-r,cd-rw state: running
    Partition: ID-1: / size: 29G used: 4.2G (16%) fs: ext3 dev: /dev/sda3
               label: N/A uuid: 3fe7d362-f455-43a0-9eb6-d60231f24be2
               ID-2: /mnt/hda1 size: 15G used: 9.2G (62%) fs: fuseblk dev: /dev/sda1
               label: N/A uuid: 1A20A02E20A01335
               ID-3: /mnt/hda6 size: 7.9G used: 3.3G (45%) fs: ext3 dev: /dev/sda6
               label: / uuid: 93317189-8b9c-440a-9224-0799fa567f9b
               ID-4: /mnt/hda7 size: 41G used: 3.5G (9%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/sda7
               label: /Data1 uuid: 4B5F-B945
               ID-5: swap-1 size: 1.55GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
               label: N/A uuid: 38d34375-a4c6-4fda-bcc7-736eeb487061
    RAID:      No RAID data: /proc/mdstat missing-is md_mod kernel module loaded?
    Unmounted: No unmounted partitions detected
    Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 56.8C mobo: N/A
               Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
    Info:      Processes: 97 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 114.7/1262.7MB
               Init: SysVinit v: 2.88 runlevel: 5 default: 5
               Gcc sys: 4.6.1 alt: 4.4/4.5
               Client: Shell (bash 4.1.51 running in roxterm) inxi: 2.2.3

ondoho · 01-02-2016, 07:17 AM

it would seem this is the model, or at least sth. similar:
http://solutions.ca.fujitsu.com/pdf/...ok/e/e2010.pdf

fwiw, i once had a fujitsu/siemens amilo, a few years younger than that model, and i could never get the booting from usb to work on it. always had to burn a cd to install a distro.
and the only usb 2.0 connector was hidden under a lid on the bottom of the case.

wpeckham · 01-02-2016, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

it would seem this is the model, or at least sth. similar:
http://solutions.ca.fujitsu.com/pdf/...ok/e/e2010.pdf

fwiw, i once had a fujitsu/siemens amilo, a few years younger than that model, and i could never get the booting from usb to work on it. always had to burn a cd to install a distro.
and the only usb 2.0 connector was hidden under a lid on the bottom of the case.

If his model is much like that, it should support frugal install of TinyCore, or native install of a wide selection of thin or minimal distributions! While I would like to know where the optical drive went, that it is missing (and the USB unreliable) makes a frugal install or a network install the only good options.

The network install is higher risk here, so I advise frugal. The nice thing about a frugal install, is that you need not wipe disk (slight in-place repartition MAY be useful), and you are not limited to ONE additional OS option. I have Mint, Kolibrios, TinyCore on one laptop. For the OP to add TinyCore using the instructions from the web site and wiki should be doable.

He may need and easy way to repartition to non-destructively add a small fat or ext2 partition.

BW-userx · 01-05-2016, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifebook2000

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook Simens, model number YBVX014098, that I recently found. It has no CD or Floppy disk drive and I can't seem to boot an OS from a USB so my only way of doing anything to it is to take the hard drive out and load files to that from my main PC with an adaptor.
Keeping all of this in mind, I'm wondering what the best Operating System would be to install.

Right now I'm unsure what I want to do with this laptop but I'm open to any suggestions. I might use it as a pet project to learn about PCs, maybe upgrading its wifi capabilities and using it to pentest my wifi access point or Frankensteining it into a more powerful version of itself as cheaply as possible.

Slackware, it has what is called HUGE kernel that is loaded with just about every driver needed to be sure the system boots, and it's stable and easy to use.