treble Posted January 26, 2008 Report Posted January 26, 2008 Fedora 8, more specifically. I've installed it on my laptop since I'm taking a Linux course this semester, but I don't plan on using it for too much. Everything seems to be working fine, but I can't get any resolution over 800x600. I've checked all over and everything that everyone's said will fix it hasn't worked yet (from editing xorg.conf to installling new drivers). Anyone have a good place to check out that might help?
Guest Vitamin X Posted January 26, 2008 Report Posted January 26, 2008 Fedora's a pain. Are you allowed to use another distro?
treble Posted January 26, 2008 Author Report Posted January 26, 2008 Yeah, I just used it because that's the one that's what's set up in the lab at school, but I don't think it really matters. What's a better one you'd recommend?
treble Posted January 26, 2008 Author Report Posted January 26, 2008 Well, some messing around with it got me to 1024x768. Not perfect, but getting better.
Guest Vitamin X Posted January 26, 2008 Report Posted January 26, 2008 Ubuntu is a highly popular one, as is PCLinuxOS. Ubuntu is the one that everyone seems to like because of its compatibility, though. openSUSE Linux is a really great distro, too. But just remember- if it's a problem with Linux, it's almost always a problem with the drivers. Some either work kinda funky like yours, or not at all. I know a lot of people who've tried to boot up Linux on their laptops and it's fairly useless to them because their distro doesn't recognize the driver for their wireless card, and other sorts of things like that.
treble Posted January 26, 2008 Author Report Posted January 26, 2008 Yeah, I haven't been able to connect wirelessly yet, but I was more concerned with trying to fix the resolution issue. It's not a huge deal, though. Like I said, I'm not going to use it too much, just something to fuck around in to help me learn it.
MrRant Posted January 30, 2008 Report Posted January 30, 2008 Usually if you have a wireless card by Linksys I've found it to be much easier to get working. I'd used the wireless on my laptop with both Ubuntu and Fedora Core (but Fedora was waaaaaay back a few years ago). I'm thinking of giving FreeBSD a try.
AnnieEclectic Posted January 30, 2008 Report Posted January 30, 2008 Wireless on linux is sadly still a bitch to get working, especially if you have a newer laptop that's either "ready for Vista" or has the Bloated Beast on it proper. Vista 'requires' odd specs out of new wireless cards, basically to make it harder for the OSS folk. Ubuntu is probably the best compatibility wise (the only one I could use that got wireless working on my new HP laptop). I'd recommend KUbuntu though, since GNOME is quite possibly the most frustrating GUI I've ever used. I'd honestly rather use Vista than GNOME. -Annie
MrRant Posted January 30, 2008 Report Posted January 30, 2008 I think Ubuntu includes both KDE and GNOME in the distro though doesn't it? Been a bit.
AnnieEclectic Posted February 6, 2008 Report Posted February 6, 2008 I think Ubuntu includes both KDE and GNOME in the distro though doesn't it? Been a bit. They do, but as two different distro options - Ubuntu proper (GNOME) or Kubuntu (KDE). If we want to go super technical there's three (XFCE on Xubuntu) But when I see "Ubuntu" I assume the GNOME version, but you're right. I've used Kubuntu to much joy.
MrRant Posted February 6, 2008 Report Posted February 6, 2008 I know Kubutnu is a straight KDE distro but I thought Ubuntu had the option to install with KDE instead of GNOME on install. Or maybe I just am thinking that you could download the KDE package and install then use.
ZGangsta Posted February 7, 2008 Report Posted February 7, 2008 So the HD on my laptop has gone completely to hell (overheated I think) so I'm thinking of pulling it and putting a new drive in. Since all good computer makers these days don't actually give you a copy of Windows despite you PAYING FOR THE DAMN THING as part of the purchase price I was thinking of trying Linux on it rather than a pirated version of XP. a)You guys think it'll work? It's a Centrino based system so Pentium M CPU and Intel onboard wireless. It also has a Radeon Mobile as the video card. b)What's a good distro to use?
MrRant Posted February 9, 2008 Report Posted February 9, 2008 I'd give Ubuntu a shot just because most everything should work right away for you.
treble Posted February 10, 2008 Author Report Posted February 10, 2008 http://linux-laptop.net/ Try that site.
treble Posted February 10, 2008 Author Report Posted February 10, 2008 Finally got the resolution problem fixed, it was a pain in the ass trying to figure out all the bs I had to do to install the driver for my video card.
AnnieEclectic Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Video and wireless, always fun with laptops on linux. The above site is a godsend for this type of stuff. I'm waiting for Kubuntu 8.04 to get released so we can all enjoy KDE 4 - apparently twice as powerful, twice as fast, half the resource hog. NO Idea how they pulled that off if true but if it's true... damn. It's also usable in windows as well! Dunno why you'd do that but hey. -Annie
treble Posted February 12, 2008 Author Report Posted February 12, 2008 I switched to KDE, and it looks a lot nicer, but I was able to access all the files on my Windows partition in GNOME, which I can't do in KDE. Is there something I can do about that?
Guest Danny Dubya v 2.0 Posted February 12, 2008 Report Posted February 12, 2008 It's also usable in windows as well! Dunno why you'd do that but hey. Me neither, but the two reasons I've seen the most are with people who get stuck using Windows at work but want KDE apps, and, well... Amarok. I'd recommend KUbuntu though, since GNOME is quite possibly the most frustrating GUI I've ever used. It says quite a bit about GNOME that it's the only modern desktop out there where you can't even customize a damned screensaver, doesn't it? GNOME in 10 years will probably be a giant OK button that uses up 2gb RAM.
AnnieEclectic Posted February 15, 2008 Report Posted February 15, 2008 Depends on how you switched to KDE. If you did the Ubuntu to KUbuntu deal, Kubuntu may not have installed with NTFS support (something that still kind of experimental at this stage, but more stable than it has been). Kubuntu's install discs of late don't include non-free or experimental kernel modules (little device progs attached to the main linux program). You can adjust them in a system menu option but I can't remember which one. Now if you just installed KDE on top of your linux+GNOME setup, well I don't know because that doesn't make sense. Unless you installed KDE 4 which last I checked is still beta? Or did they finalize the release. Either way that might be a reason but otherwise I'd need to see the comp. -Annie
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now