Need advice Linux laptops

[ivanovic]

Here is my experience with getting a refund for Windows from Lenovo in Germany:
Windows refund

I hope it helps some others to get a refund, too.

[niniendowarrior]

I doubt that'll work though for a Vista recovery disc. That's just me.

[Panix]

I ordered the Acer one.
I am half hoping they give me a legitimate Vista disc, not some hammy recovery disc (which is likely to be what I get). If I get a legitimate copy of Vista, I'll be more than happy to kill Vista and give it to my brothers. But we'll see. I have no real use for Vista, and Ubuntu must use all of my hardware, well at least most of it.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it all works out.

Some of my folks have dished out similar complaints on Compaq and HP so, oh well. Really would have wanted a Dell, but you can't have it all in life.

Foot note: I have NIC problems with Ubuntu on my Desktop PC and Ubuntu forums has done nothing to help me. So much for Linux people helping fellow Linux users.

I have read that the newer HPs are decent machines and the Core 2 Duos (if you choose one) have a lot of hardware that is compatible with Linux. The core issues, wireless and graphics, work out of the box or need only minor tweaking. The machines run cooler than the AMD machines and the quality of the HP Core 2 Duo machines are satisfactory. I have seen older Acers that have the black hardware that almost look like Asus or Compaq laptops. The newer ones are all-white. It's these newer white versions that I think are giving the problems. Something to keep in mind. I was also considering the Acers but I don't like the keyboards much and they do look kinda cheap compared to the HP and Toshibas (that I was comparing to). However, the Core 2 Duo Acers also have compatible hardware (Intel 3945 wireless and Intel GM965/X3100 graphics) so there shouldn't be much variation in Linux compatiblity if you stick with these hardware components. Just keep an eye out for your Acer model and google it in case you are interested at all in reviews or others' experiences. One might want a distro with a more recent kernel, in order to have more potential at a trouble-free install.

[niniendowarrior]

Well, seeing that I've ordered my lappie, there's nothing much I can do about reading more reviews. I can only hope it's a good laptop.

[niniendowarrior]

Okay... I got my laptop. No recovery disc. I'm supposed to create one. I dunno, but I don't know if this is a backup disc or a recovery disc.

Vista is really making me angry... but I'm trying my best to preserve it... because it's something I paid for.

EDIT:

I read somewhere that if I install GRUB on MBR, the Vista boot loader will be overwritten. With that, my recovery discs will be rendered useless. I hate this deal. I pay for Vista, and now I cannot even be sure that I have a copy of WHAT I PAID FOR.

I haven't touched my laptop. Honestly, I don't know what to do to install Ubuntu without killing Acer's recovery facilities. I need help and I need advise.

By the way, Vista is really the stinkers. Doing a back up earlier and burning the recovery disc and Vista chose to lock my mouse and keyboard and then got stuck there. I knew Vista was bad news for my laptop.

[Panix]

I haven't touched my laptop. Honestly, I don't know what to do to install Ubuntu without killing Acer's recovery facilities. I need help and I need advise.

By the way, Vista is really the stinkers. Doing a back up earlier and burning the recovery disc and Vista chose to lock my mouse and keyboard and then got stuck there. I knew Vista was bad news for my laptop.

I wish I knew how as I'd explain it for you. If I was you, I'd go to the Ubuntu forum and read the howto if there is one. Else search the forum for "Vista dual boot" or something similar. Honestly, I think you are screwed if you choose to dual boot one of these laptops pre-installed with Vista. I thought if you had XP OEM, you could just use the product key on the computer and just needed any XP CD to re-install your OS on the laptop. Apparently, this isn't the way with Vista? If so, Mikeysoft is trying to make it ultra-difficult for computer users. If Linux wasn't so impossible when it comes to wireless, I'd do without Windows entirely. I know that is a delicate issue with Linux diehards but for me, I have yet to find a good explanation of how to configure a wireless connection using a manual configuration. It doesn't matter the distro, the distro forum or any amount of googling. It's so complicated. Anyway, sorry to go out on a tangent. I would even consider buying an OEM copy of XP and then I could just re-install anytime I had to after fiddling around with partitions/MBR etc. I'd get the cheapest CD and then I could probably make certain I'd have at least wireless with Windoze.

I hate to give funds to Mikeysoft like that but if I am stuck with only recovery options and there's always a chance to eliminate my Windoze by playing around with Linux, I would want to do away with Windoze. If I could get a wireless, WPA, static IP connection via manual configuration, I would do so.

[niniendowarrior]

I just bit the bullet and repartitioned. I've written this post from Ubuntu in my new laptop. Wireless seemed to work out okay. It wasn't working and while I was looking for an answer, it worked. Weird stuff.

nV drivers from Ubuntu works okay and the sound is okay.

Vista recovery stuff, I have no idea. And the longer it takes me to setup my laptop, the more money I lose. So, I just decided to do it.

[Panix]

I just bit the bullet and repartitioned. I've written this post from Ubuntu in my new laptop. Wireless seemed to work out okay. It wasn't working and while I was looking for an answer, it worked. Weird stuff.

nV drivers from Ubuntu works okay and the sound is okay.

Vista recovery stuff, I have no idea. And the longer it takes me to setup my laptop, the more money I lose. So, I just decided to do it.

Can you boot into Vista (is it single boot to Ubuntu or dual boot?)? Are you using the Grub bootloader? I'm curious since I've been looking at laptops preconfigured with Vista and would probably partition for a distro.

[yoshi314]

acer extensa 5220 - this is an out-of-the-box linux friendly laptop. everything "just works" there.

i'm looking for something more modern than that model right now.

[niniendowarrior]

Can you boot into Vista (is it single boot to Ubuntu or dual boot?)? Are you using the Grub bootloader? I'm curious since I've been looking at laptops preconfigured with Vista and would probably partition for a distro.

It's a dual boot Vista/Ubuntu. I will say that Windows Vista's repartitioning tool is good. It does make installing Linux a bit easier. Unfortunately, it puts some fairly restrictive repartitioning, making Vista hold at least 40 GB despite me needing at least 10 GB from it.

I can also boot the Vista Recovery partition through GRUB. Strange.

I also need a gnome based wifi tool that would allow me to search and connect to APs. Right now, I'm manually configuring it.

I also want to get the webcam working. Acer Crystal Eye. So far, no luck.