[linskyjack]

Hello--I know very little about Linux but I just got the free Ubuntu disks and I am thinking of putting it on an old laptop I have. I do have a couple of questions that some of you gurus might be able to answer.

Any problems with drivers---I have an older Thinkpad Pentium 3 700mghz---It has a build in video chip etc. I guess I am asking is what would be necessary to make this thing run.

[saikee]

Installed over 100 distros but never bother finding a driver yet.

Thus my suggestion is try it out. If not all the hardware work try another distro.

[Leiki]

Ubuntu doesn't play videos and music right out of the box. It's really good at detecting hardware, so that shouldn't be a problem, but you will need to install codecs (which can be a ***** sometimes). I suggest reading www.ubuntuguide.org for any help you need, including the codecs.

[1_rob_1]

If you are nnot happy with Ubuntu if /when you install it, try puppy I havent found any driver issues with it yet & it contains all the programs you need: http://www.goosee.com/puppy/

[JohnWill]

I've found a while bunch of standard Linux distributions don't play music and videos out of the box. Mostly, it's due to the encryption of DVD's, and some sort of patent issues with MP3 decoders from what I read.

[killah]

thats wierd, I got the latest edition (10 i think) of ubuntu last week...it played everything well, right out of the box..one of the easiest distro's i have come across

[Wino]

Originally Posted by linskyjack

Hello--I know very little about Linux but I just got the free Ubuntu disks and I am thinking of putting it on an old laptop I have. I do have a couple of questions that some of you gurus might be able to answer.

Any problems with drivers---I have an older Thinkpad Pentium 3 700mghz---It has a build in video chip etc. I guess I am asking is what would be necessary to make this thing run.

You're going to like it. I've been playing with it for a few months now and ubuntu has impressed me and has taken everything (drivers) I've thrown at it. Still having problems with some DVD's, music Cd's just fine. I'm setting up one old machine as a server and preparing to load it on an old compaq laptop (PIII 450) which doesn't run worth snot with XP and set up two machines for others to use for email and browsing (P 266 & PIII 1.0). This is my first experience with linux and haven't found the need to try other distro's. Does take some getting use to and the learning curve has been long and at times frustrating, but well worth the time and trouble IMHO.

[JohnWill]

Ubunti 10? I just downloaded a distro the other day, it was 5.10! It does not play MP3 or standard encrypted DVD's out of the box. If it's possible to play them without installing other packages, I'd sure like to hear how.

[linskyjack]

Well, I am loading it on my old Thinkpad as I type--I am sure I will have plenty of questions over the first couple of days--It will be nice to run a computer without anti-virus software. Anyhow, thanks for all the advice.

[linskyjack]

LIke what I see so far but I am having trouble getting on the Internet. Any of you know where there is a step by step guide---I have a Linksys wireless card and a D-Link wireless router using Verizon's Fios service. I go to System/Adminsitrator/Network and set the ethernet connection on, and configure it to DHCP---it doesn't seem to work.

[JohnWill]

I'd suggest trying it with a cable to sort out any non-wireless issues, then attacking the wireless issue.

[killah]

hey, your right john, the one i got was the 64bit ubuntu version 5.1
not sure what i was thinking about being version 10...heh
so many os's..so little time :P

[linskyjack]

Funny, I finally got it to work by swiping an new wireless card for an old one I had laying around. The next problem is getting it to recognize my printer---I own a Canon s9000 and I hear it isn't supported.

[lynch]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

Ubunti 10? I just downloaded a distro the other day, it was 5.10! It does not play MP3 or standard encrypted DVD's out of the box. If it's possible to play them without installing other packages, I'd sure like to hear how.

Have you tried automatix.?
lynch

[linskyjack]

Thanks Lynch---I looked at the printer support list and didn't see mine.