Ubuntu on a Compaq Presario 700 laptop?

[navychop]

Is it a good idea to try to load Ubuntu on this laptop? I must reload Windows on it, but thought I might just give Ubuntu a try, rather than Windows or Xandros. Very little on the Ubuntu forums, just a bit on Gutsy & Hardy, whatever they are. This laptop would be used for Chat chats and light surfing, very little else.

I believe the specs are:
900 MHz AMD Duron
20 GB HDD
S3 GRAPHICS
ethernet/sound/modem/touchpad
1024X768
but only 256 RAM - 384 is stated minimum.

I am checking to see if this notebook can still be upgraded to 512 as originally advertised, and at what cost.

Is it worth paying anything (I'd guess$60-$90) to upgrade the RAM and installing Ubuntu?

Are there other concerns about installing this (or any other) Linux on such a laptop?

My only Linux experience was Xandros on a desktop.

 

[vurbano]

Is it a good idea to try to load Ubuntu on this laptop? I must reload Windows on it, but thought I might just give Ubuntu a try, rather than Windows or Xandros. Very little on the Ubuntu forums, just a bit on Gutsy & Hardy, whatever they are. This laptop would be used for Chat chats and light surfing, very little else.

I believe the specs are:
900 MHz AMD Duron
20 GB HDD
S3 GRAPHICS
ethernet/sound/modem/touchpad
1024X768
but only 256 RAM - 384 is stated minimum.

I am checking to see if this notebook can still be upgraded to 512 as originally advertised, and at what cost.

Is it worth paying anything (I'd guess$60-$90) to upgrade the RAM and installing Ubuntu?

Are there other concerns about installing this (or any other) Linux on such a laptop?

My only Linux experience was Xandros on a desktop.

I have the same notebook. Presario 700US No longer use it. I went througth this memory search a few years ago. Only an expensive Compaq branded memory module will work, all the rest will overheat and give errors. Linux cannot be installed because theres not enough memory. If you select memory from one of the manufacturers websites like Corsair, crucial etc their selection software will give you the wrong type. I think I installed about 3 different modules. You will install it and it will work for a few minutes then bam, blue screen. You have to get the Compaq module. I even went so far as to send the laptop to compaq, and they said it was the third party module. Unfortunately the price for the upgrade is more than the laptop is worth.

The module is 200 bucks at the parts store. HP Parts Store - HP Computer Parts - HP Printer Parts - Compaq Parts

 

[Van]

I had the 700Z version, with the 1 gig processor that changed to 900mhz depending on what the os felt it should be each day, 27 gig hd and all the other same specs except for the speakers. Check on ebay for the memory modules but it really wont matter if its compaq branded or not, this line of laptops has an extensive history of lock ups and blue screens due to a throttling issue and a heatsink issue that even after compaq replaced everything but the outer case still plagued mine.

 

[vurbano]

Funny we all have 3 useless computers all the same model. We should have a bon fire.

 

[Hall]

I was going to tell you to really try and get more RAM but factor in the cost of that RAM. Looks like vurbano is the bearer of bad news for you on that factor.

 

[torp74]

Chop,

Just go with a linux live CD designed for that kind of system. Try DSL 4.0, or PuppyLinux, or Anti-X 7.01....You can find severeal of them at DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.. All of the above are designed to work with "legacy" systems. I use MEPIS 7.0 with my AMD Duron 700 Mhz machine with 256 mb of ram. Works good.

torp

 

[navychop]

I might try the restore function- can't find any Windows Home disc to reinstall. Sounds like it's unlikely any Linux would work on it, even with lower RAM requirements due to drivers.

A man shoots his own dog. This one's close.

On edit: Just read torp74's post. I might try that.

 

[Peter Parker]

My son who would put Ubuntu on the toaster if he could tried it with a similar Presario. He got it t o run but as slow as a dog and yhjat one had more memory than you are describing.

 

[navychop]

Which particular one might work with this laptop, from the CD?

I really have little to lose, I guess. It's mostly used for playing solitaire by my FiL, and he's not able to play it so much anymore.

 

[vurbano]

I might try the restore function- can't find any Windows Home disc to reinstall. Sounds like it's unlikely any Linux would work on it, even with lower RAM requirements due to drivers.

A man shoots his own dog. This one's close.

On edit: Just read torp74's post. I might try that.

Im gonna go try to boot up ubuntu but I think Ive tried before and the Presario falls slightly short of the mem requirements. It doesnt give you the whole chip size that is stated. I dont know why.

 

[vurbano]

ubuntu live works. It was SUSE I tried to install and failed. Maybe I will try to install Ubuntu. I installed it on a 1.2 ghz athlon comp and it smoked XP for web surfing speed.

 

[Van]

I may still have all of the restore cd's for my gutted presario, if I do I can send them to you for shipping price if you want, give me a few days to find them, these are the updated discs and theres a total of 6 or 7.

 

[navychop]

Thank you, I might take you up on that.

 

[vurbano]

My Ubuntu live experience last night:


Ubuntu running on the CD is PAINFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Installing to the HD with the limited memory I have is well, I dont know if its possible. I got to step 4 (partitioner) after about 1.5 hours of screwing with it and turned it off.

 

[badhat]

This might be a bit late. But this would be a good read for this situation:

Modest Spec or Barebones Installation of Ubuntu

 

[navychop]

Thank you.