ubuntu and old laptop,... some problems
 

Hello,
I have an older laptop that i only use to surf the internet, watch low quality videos, and for torrent downloading,
little things like that
so i though that i would try ubuntu because windows sucks and is slow.

i downloaded the program, and i have it running in the demo mode, off of the live cd,

my first question is that the resolution is only 800x600, and thats the highest setting in ubuntu, is this because i am in the live cd mode, or is that the way it is?, will i be able to get a higher resolution if i install ubuntu?
i am using an KDS Valiant laptop p3 700mhz, and at 800x600 resolution the screen has a 1" black bar all the way around, so its impossible to use

my second question is what is this 'keyring' thing

next question, .no sound, and it says it cant find any speakers,? something about 'gstream'

i put in my wireless card and it just works, which was nice, if i could resolve these other problems i will do the full install.
this looks like a great OS

Otherwise

There are alternatives to the ubiquitous Ubuntu for older, slower systems. Puppy and VectorLinux come to mind, both as live-cds . You could also try a PcLinuxOS live-cd as a sound check. It is a live-cd with built in media support.

Open a terminal and as root use the command <lspci -v> after first typing man lspci to find out what you're doing and post it back.

You have been on Ubuntu forums about configuring your sound system and reconfiguring the screen? What resolution does it run at in Windows?

i typed that in

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ ispci <ispci -v>
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `newline'

dont know what any of that means, you'll have to hold my hand


in windows i can run 1024x786

Cmd is

lspci -v

first char is an 'el' not an 'eye'

stands for List PCI contents (-v = verbose). In Unix ls = dir on MS.

man lspci

show the manual ie docs for that cmd.

Here's a good couple of links for you:
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm (short desc of diff in approach for Linux v MS)
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz (very good Linux tutorial)

here is ispci -v

mike@mike-laptop:~$ lspci -v
00:00.0 Host bridge: ALi Corporation M1621 (rev 01)
Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 0
Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-ali
Kernel modules: ali-agp

00:01.0 PCI bridge: ALi Corporation PCI to AGP Controller (rev 01)
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
Memory behind bridge: ee900000-efffffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 28000000-280fffff
Kernel modules: shpchp

00:02.0 USB Controller: ALi Corporation USB 1.1 Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 10)
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
Memory at ee800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
Kernel modules: ohci-hcd

00:03.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 11
Memory at 28100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=05, sec-latency=176
Memory window 0: 20000000-23fff000 (prefetchable)
Memory window 1: 24000000-27fff000
I/O window 0: 00001400-000014ff
I/O window 1: 00001c00-00001cff
16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
Kernel modules: yenta_socket

00:04.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 10
I/O ports at 2000 [size=256]
Memory at ee802000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: 8139too
Kernel modules: 8139cp, 8139too

00:06.0 Bridge: ALi Corporation M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU]
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: medium devsel
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ali1535_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c-ali1535, i2c-ali15x3, alim7101_wdt

00:07.0 ISA bridge: ALi Corporation M1533/M1535/M1543 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV/V/V+]
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel modules: alim1535_wdt, alim7101_wdt

00:08.0 Multimedia audio controller: ALi Corporation M5451 PCI AC-Link Controller Audio Device (rev 01)
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 10
I/O ports at 1000 [size=256]
Memory at ee801000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel modules: snd-ali5451

00:0f.0 IDE interface: ALi Corporation M5229 IDE (rev c3) (prog-if f0)
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32
I/O ports at 01f0 [size=8]
I/O ports at 03f4 [size=1]
I/O ports at 0170 [size=8]
I/O ports at 0374 [size=1]
I/O ports at 1800 [size=16]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: pata_ali
Kernel modules: pata_ali

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1 (rev 5d)
Subsystem: Device 168f:0001
Flags: fast Back2Back, 66MHz, medium devsel, IRQ 9
Memory at ef800000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8M]
Memory at ee900000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
Memory at ef000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8M]
[virtual] Expansion ROM at 28000000 [disabled] [size=64K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel modules: tridentfb

02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. Atheros AR5001X+ Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
Subsystem: Device 17f9:0010
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 11
Memory at 24000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ath_pci
Kernel modules: ath_pci

Mmmm - cyberblade. I have one of them in an old laptop - might need xorg tweaked. Mine runs 1024x768 fine on (very) similar hardware. I used to use mine for the same sort of activity you are proposing (except I don't do video). But it ain't quick.
Intrepid (Ubuntu 8.10) is much less accommodating to older hardware than its predecessors. Try the Hardy (8.04) CD.
If Windoze is slow so will (normal) Ubuntu be - possibly Xubuntu would be better for an old system; what does "free -m" return ?.

yeah i dont quite understand the differences between all the different distros...there all Linux right,
i chose ubuntu because i saw a sticker that said "ubuntu, linux for humans"

so i thought it would be the most user friendly.

here is what free -m returns:
mike@mike-laptop:~$ free -m
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 494 385 108 0 11 164
-/+ buffers/cache: 209 285
Swap: 572 51 521
mike@mike-laptop:~$

Yep - they're all GNU/Linux (plus some Unix as well, but let's leave that alone). Linux is all about choice.
xubuntu is Ubuntu with a different desktop environment - less resource hungry. Might be a good fit for you.

P'raps have a look around distrowatch for an idea of what's available. Each distro link has a small description of what that distro is.