Linux - Laptop and NetbookHaving a problem installing or configuring Linux on your laptop? Need help running Linux on your netbook? This forum is for you. This forum is for any topics relating to Linux and either traditional laptops or netbooks (such as the Asus EEE PC, Everex CloudBook or MSI Wind).
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Has anyone had success loading and running a Linux distro on an Acer Aspire 1360?
I bought the Aspire in 2004, running XP. Now that XP is dead I would like to use the laptop with Linux. Unfortunately I cannot get the Ubuntu CD to load. Called Acer and was told Linux does not work on that model (???). They did not tell me why!! I now have a $1500 paperweight, unless I can find a workaround for running a Linux distro.
Ubuntu is probably to heavy for a computer that old. You could post some info on the computer hardware such as processor, RAM, graphics card. You might try Lubuntu or just do a google for Linux on older machines.
CPU specifications:
Manufacturer / Family Model Features
AMD Mobile Sempron 2800+
Chipset: VIA K8N800
Front Side Bus: 333 MHz FSB
Installed memory: 512MB
Maximum supported memory: 2GB
Video card: UniChrome Pro IGP
64MB of shared video RAM
Audio card: Compatible with MS Sound
Compatible with Sound Blaster Pro
Speakers: Built-in
Screen size: 15" [1]
15.4" [1]
Screen resolution: 1024 x 768 (16.7 million colors) [1]
1280 x 800 (16.7 million colors) [1]
Screen aspect ratio: Standard [1]
Widescreen [1]
Screen type: TFT
Hard disk drive: 40GB
or larger drive
Hard disk features: ATA/100
Floppy drive: None
CD-ROM/DVD/Optical drive: DVD-Dual drive [1]
DVD/CD-RW combo drive [1]
Pointing device: Touchpad
PCMCIA slots: TI PCI 7420 PCCard controller
Modem: 56K ITU V.92 data/fax modem
LAN: 10/100Mb
External ports: 1 x Audio Headphones/Speakers/Line-out
1 x Audio Mic/Line-in
1 x FIR
1 x IEEE 1394
1 x Parallel
1 x S-Video/TV-out
1 x VGA
4 x USB 2.0
Dimensions: 360.7mm x 292.1mm x 45.7mm (14.2" x 11.5" x 1.8")
Weight: 7.9lb (with primary battery)
Battery: Li-Ion battery
Operating System(s): Windows XP Home
Windows XP Professional
Included accessories: 100V - 240V AC adapter
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty
Thanks for all the help. I upgraded to 2gb of ram. Somewhere else on this forum I had read that people were having issues running Linux because of the video chip, and that it was heating up and causing Linux to quit.
I will try Lubuntu, which yancek mentioned, and report back what happens.
Thanks all.
I now have a $1500 paperweight, unless I can find a workaround for running a Linux distro.
I would suggest that you have a $15 paperweight, if you cannot find a workaround for running a Linux distro.
Your Acer Aspire 1360, with XP originally, may have cost $1500 new in 2004 but that is not its current value.
Quote:
I had read that people were having issues running Linux because of the video chip
You are correct that there is a problem with the graphics card and Linux on this particular 11 year old laptop but it would appear that a solution has been found:
Your laptop with 2GB of memory is capable of running most Linux distributions, but the graphics problem will need fixing.
I have no idea how bad the screen display will be during an attempt to install a Linux distro, but from the above link it would appear that a solution can be found soon after installation.
If you wish to go ahead and try, then I recommend either Linux Mint MATE 17.1 (32 bit) or Zorin OS 9 Core (32 bit).
You could also use the 32 bit versions of Zorin OS 9 Lite or Lubuntu.
It would be nice to have a version which would make moving from Windows to Linux easy. The reality is, though, Linux is an OS for the younger geeks, or experienced programmer, not an OS for the avg user. Why can't that change? I realize this is an age old question, which has been around for years, but I'm realizing it is now becoming a reality I need to face.
I am running linux mint maya xfce sucesfully on an Acer Aspire 1353 (similar but older). In order to install mint ( or xubuntu which also works well) I had to do this:
Boot to live installation on USB stick - (if the dvd does not work to boot from use plop boot manager to enable the usb drive from the plop bootable cd)
Once running from usb or dvd, run the following in a terminal in the live session:
sudo apt-get remove ubuquity-slideshow-linuxmint
Then select install
This stops the ubiquity slideshow from running - the graphics in the laptop cannot cope with it and it crashes the install as soon as the slideshow tries to change
The "linuxmint" part will need to change to "ubuntu" to suit the distro you are trying to install.
With your laptop, sse2 instructions are not possible and it is therefore best to run ubuntu 12.04 (or distros based on this) because newer distros contain packages that wont run eg chrome, chromium, simplescan..I use mint because it has 2 extra years before end of life.
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