<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16414" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As promised, info and answers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Firstly, Laptop Specs;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi-Grade Notino AS7400, Pentium 2, 367mHz, 128Mb
ram (it doesn't realize it has another 64Mb onboard) 6Gb hard drive, ATi rage 3D
video card. I have removed the network card from it's slot to reduce potential
problems.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The distro's I have tried to install are Mandriva
One, GNewSense and Ubuntu. Personally, I feel more drawn to Ubuntu. I think I
would enjoy Mandriva more but I think I do need a higher spec machine to
successfully run that one. I also have OpenSuse 10.2, but it will not even
consider loading as it clearly informs me that I do nat have enough
memory. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Linux Forge mag I have is the April 2007
edition.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The machine does have an external video port, at
least it does appear to allow the connecting of a CRT screen(The BIOS also gives
a screen select option of LCD or CRT, current setting LCD). I have not
tried a CRT for lack of cabling.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Next, a description of the symptoms as displayed,
or not displayed, whichever way the cookie may crumble.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I first tried to install Mandriva One, which by the
reviews I had read sounded different enough to MSWindows for me to be
thoroughly intrigued. I started with a decently formatted and unpartitioned hard
disc. I booted from the LXFmag dvd and selected the Mandriva option. This
promptly began it's installation, but it was incredibly slow going. (hours,
literally) So much so that I put the laptop next to my bed and went to sleep! It
is a text only installation as far as I can see, except for when I woke up all
groggy one Saturday morning (after sitting watching the screen usefully telling
what was "starting/loading/finding........[ok]" until 1 am), and looked at
the screen to clearly see the lovely orange Mandriva desktop (I presume)
but there was no icon or toolbar or anything indicating a potential next step,
all was also silent from the laptops drives, which had intermittently made their
little grunting sounds as read/write operations were made before I had hit my
pillows. I could get no keyboard response after breakfast so I assumed that
nothing was happening and going to happen. I had to use the power off button to
restart. I tried again after some coffee and this time paid close attention to
the screen, to see if I get asked for any input along the line. I was! But it
was for a root password which I had not set up, and couldn't have set up since I
had been rock solidly asleep. I decided that Mandriva was probably not suited to
my little machine.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I then tried GNewSense, this works very well from
the live DVD I received with my LXFmag, as a live DVD. On the desktop there is
an install icon, which I double clicked and the Laptops' drives grunted
furiously and I was presented with a GUI based installation window which stated
that I need to select my installation language, I chose english and selected
"forward". I also noted that at the bottom of the window it read "step 1 of 6".
I thought at this stage that I had wasted a lot of time the night before and
should have done this from the beginning if it only involved 6 steps and was
this easy. Step 2 required me to select my city and time zone. I did this and
again hit "forward". I was now asked to select the keyboard layout that most
suited mine and was even offered a testing area if I wasn't sure. I duly
checked " and @(which were swapped around, whether I chose US or
British) and selected "foward" again. And this is as far as I get. Step 3,
selecting my keyboard layout. And that little round busy mouse pointer icon. I
also left this for a good few hours. I could even play some of the games
while this all did not happen.The actual laptop itself was not hanging, just the
installation. I then though that something must be wrong with the LXFmag DVD, so
after more searching on the Net I came across a free Ubuntu CD. I asked for it,
it came, I booted it and after checking the live CD works I doubled clicked
the Install icon on the desktop. From there all is identical to my
description of GNewSense. I open the System Monitor and every process listed is
reported as status "sleeping"!! except the System Monitor process, which is duly
running. I read through some of your replies and have disabled ACPI on the BIOS,
this made no difference. I did however note, just before typing this message,
that the BIOS does offer a 'select operating system' option(if I remember the
title correctly) I had selected this on "other" and not WIn98 or Win95. There is
one more but I failed to check what it offers, so I might try that option next
time.(win98 selects ACPI enabled by default, win95 API)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thank you for the invitation to the next meeting in
Horsham, I am seriously considering it, but I will need to check times and
transport first. If I haven't turned my laptop into a bathroom mirror by
then I could show you how I get stuck, it doesn't take very long, I
can do it in under 30 minutes and it is just about as easy as falling down the
bus stairwell, which I am also rather good on a rainy day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Cheers and thank you if you made this far through
this incredibly overlong message.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Andre</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>