Best distro for Samsung R580 laptop.

elsmandino · 03-30-2017, 07:50 AM

I am experimenting with distro's for my laptop and would be really grateful for some advice on picking a distro.

Specs are as follows:

Code:

alex@R580 ~ $ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: R580 Kernel: 4.4.0-53-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.2.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.2)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.1 Serena
Machine:   Mobo: SAMSUNG model: R580
           Bios: Phoenix v: 04JB.M014.20091221.hkk date: 12/21/2009
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3 M 330 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 8510
           clock speeds: max: 2133 MHz 1: 1333 MHz 2: 933 MHz 3: 1199 MHz
           4: 1066 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GT218M [GeForce 310M] bus-ID: 02:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: GeForce 310M/PCIe/SSE2
           GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.101 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 NVIDIA High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 02:00.1
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-53-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8192E/RTL8192SE Wireless LAN Controller
           driver: rtl819xE port: 3000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Marvell Yukon Optima 88E8059 [PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Controller with AVB]
           driver: sky2 v: 1.30 port: 5000 bus-ID: 07:00.0
           IF: enp7s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-3: Realtek RTL8191SU 802.11n WLAN Adapter
           driver: r8712u usb-ID: 002-004
           IF: wlx001f1f690d1e state: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 60.0GB (14.3% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: OCZ size: 60.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 54G used: 7.1G (14%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 1.02GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda1
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 38.0C mobo: 38.0C gpu: 0.0:46C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 217 Uptime: 2 min Memory: 751.0/3814.5MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.461) inxi: 2.2.35

I am currently using Linux Mint 18.1 and have been having some problems with it - system keeps freezing and the wifi keeps dropping.

Could anyone else suggest an alternative that should work out of the box, please?

The GUI does not have to be pretty and all I am going to be using the laptop for is browsing the net, Kodi and Libreoffice.

I only use the laptop on my living room (plugged in), so power saving is not hugely important either.

mising69 · 03-30-2017, 09:00 AM

Before you blow away Linux Mint, I would check to make sure you have the latest Wi-Fi and GPU drivers installed:
https://johners.tech/2017/01/11/inst...linux-mint-18/

If that does not work, I would check the LinuxMint Forums, they are usually pretty quick to provide a response.
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewfor...e92430b605b8ff

If you still want to try something else, Manjaro has always been pretty reliable on anything I put it on.
https://manjaro.github.io/

ceantuco · 03-30-2017, 09:12 AM

Hi,

It seems like you will be using the laptop for multimedia. I recommend you stay with Linux mint. As 'mising69' pointed, make sure you are using the latest wi-fi drivers. You might want to check 'additional drivers' option. Perhaps, if you enable/turn on proprietary drivers it might solve your issue.
Good luck!

DavidMcCann · 03-30-2017, 11:17 AM

Mint is very tolerant when it comes to hardware, more so than some other distros. Have you made sure that you have the right drivers installed?
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1578
http://www.binarytides.com/install-n...linux-mint-16/

elsmandino · 04-03-2017, 07:15 AM

Thanks very much for that - I will stick with Mint and see if I can tinker with the system until it works.

The GPU issue was a nice easy fix, thanks to the link above - seems that I was using a non-proprietary driver for my graphics card. Once I changed this to the NVidia one, in device manager, it works absolutely fine now.

The wifi problem is more problematic (unfortunately, there was no option for using a different driver for my wifi card).

I tried to follow this:

https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1578

but having had a look on the Realtek website, I could not find any Linux drivers for my card.

I found and followed part 9 of this guide:

https://sites.google.com/site/easyli...-from-lwfinger

the installation went fine but now I cannot use my wifi card at all - there is no longer the option to turn it on now.

What should I try next?

beachboy2 · 04-04-2017, 08:25 AM

elsmandino,

I think you need this RTL driver:
rtl8192e_linux_2.6.0015.1013.2010

which is available from:
https://people.debian.org/~benh/rtl-wlan/

You probably need to blacklist the R driver (r8192se_pci).

The following 2 links may be of help to you:

Post #5:
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....2#post10343332

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1689148