CrunchBang Linux - Best Linux for an old laptop?

crunchbanglinux ^

[JoeProBono]

CrunchBang Linux is an Ubuntu based distribution featuring the lightweight Openbox window manager and GTK+ applications. The distribution has been built and customised from a minimal Ubuntu install. The distribution has been designed to offer a good balance of speed and functionality. CrunchBang Linux is currently available as a LiveCD; however, best performance is achieved by installing CrunchBang Linux to your hard disk - CrunchBang Linux comes with the ability to play most popular media formats, including but not limited to MP3, DVD playback & Adobe Flash. CrunchBang Linux also comes with many popular applications installed by default, including but not limited to Firefox 3 web browser, VLC media player, Skype and Transmission BitTorrent Client......

CrunchBang Linux has been reported to be a ”A Faster Ubuntu”. While CrunchBang Linux is not primarily designed for old systems, it has been reported to operate very well where system resources are limited. Once installed, should boot-up and operate much faster than a regular Ubuntu installation.....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Linux Mint does all that too,...and I think has a better update process than Ubuntu and Super OS.

[JoeProBono]

Have a BELKIN N Wireless USB Adaptor (Windows only) and am running Super Unbuntu on an old Dell Thinkpad. Found a complex workaround using Wine et al that I've been fooling around with to no avail as yet. Any Linux package you think might work?

[JoeProBono]

That’s an IBM Thinkpad of course.

[TexasRepublic]

If you want the simplest solution for desktop WiFi, buy an Edimax PCI card from Newegg for $19.99. Linux has built-in driver support for that card’s chipset. It is literal plug and play, no drivers to install. I have installed several of them. The card is also Windows XP compatible on dual-boot machines. If I can do it, even a caveman could.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833315041

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

All I know is what I can search out using the internet....( Sounds like they don't supply linux drivers either ) did find this:

Using the Belkin USB Wireless G key under Linux

Not sure if that is what you have.

[martin_fierro]

'bout freakin' time.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

MAN,...that has almost 1500 reviews....they must have sold a bunch of those.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That's funny,...you have to download specific drivers for Windows 7...but Linux Mint kicks it right into gear!

....no download needed...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I thought I remembered you doing battle with a laptop and a Broadcom wireless chip...right?

[martin_fierro]

You are CORRECT, sir!

Will have to noodle around with those downloads when I get a minute.

[whd23]

Last year I had the opportunity to get two laptops up and running with Verizon AirCards (the model number escapes me at the moment). The only real "trick" was that in order to activate the card we had to use Verizon's Windows software.

After it has been activated the card appeared to Ubuntu as a USB modem. All you need to do at this point is configure a modem connection to the internet using that device. In Ubuntu you go to System->Preferences->Network Connections then click on the "Mobile Broadband" tab.

[TexasRepublic]

Yes, Newegg has sold a lot of them and the 1,500 are just the people that bothered to write a review. A driver disk for Windows XP came with the card. I have used the card with Ubuntu 8.x and 9.x on both old and new Dells. I’m using a directional Yagi antenna with a 15 dbi gain for increased range.

http://mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-1800

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Check out what specific chips you have...if your hardware is not recent...may not have any drivers....there is something called ndiswrapper...I think...but it is not always an answer.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Wiki:

NDISwrapper

[papasmurf]

I used my T-Mo Aircard with Ubuntu for a whaile. This was my routine...

Plug it in
sudo modprobe -r usbserial (unload the usbserial driver)
then reload it with the vendor ID and product ID (of the air card)

Now, I should mention that it makes a difference which Kernel your using. The newest Kernels 2.6.x will recognize it. But, that doesn’t mean it will work, only that it’s recognized. Verizon and Sprint are notorious for having a need for proprietary software to use their products, as well as selling so many different products, it’s next to impossible to stabilize a package to work with all of them.

I do know that it should work well using VirtualBox and the VZW software, as long as you have USB enabled in your virtual machine install. Every USB device I use works well in VB, running XP, with USB enabled.

[Lees Swrd]

Try going here http://distrowatch.com/ 2 good distros I can think of is PCLinuxOS and MEPIS there are thousands you can try and they are free. I am sure that going to some of the forums on linux you can find someone who has had the same problem and you can finds out how to fix it.

[CarryaBigStick]

Just installed the 9.10 distro of Ubuntu the other day and it configured up just the way you said. Very simple matter of just selecting the the G3 broadband provider under the Mobile Broadband tab and telling it to connect. And it did it...very quickly!

From a pain in the ass to painless. I'm impressed.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

[whd23]

Hooray! I'm glad that you were able to get it working.

I too am impressed at how far Linux has come in the past few years; the other day I plugged in an older HP DeskJet to my Ubuntu system and before I could start poking around it announced that the printer was ready for use. Great!