is my hardware compatible

[johnmcp]

i just tried out the live cd of ubuntu.

i expected my wirless network card (Realtek RTL8180) won't run without using ndiswrapper etc (and from past experience I know I'll be lucky to get it going even then!) but annoyingly, ubuntu seemed to squash my screen up at the edges (ie didn't use full width).

I have a Dell Dimension 2400;

http://support.euro.dell.com/support...m_en/specs.htm

am I going to be able to install linux on this at all?

[farslayer]

Should install fine on there. I don't see any show stoppers. I just installed Debian on my Dads Dell 8300 last week using the Debian Netinstall (Testing Beta 1 ) iso.


4.5 Hours to re-install windows XP, fight throught the drivers, activation etc.. re-install applications, AV, and do updates.
30 Minutes to install Debian Testing from Netinstall iso from start to working system...
go figure...
Amazing Linux detected ALL the hardware in his machine, and was able to configure it automaticaly. while Windows didn't install drivers for the Video, Network Card, Audio, Sound card or Modem..


the driver for your NIC is available from Realtek although you will ahve to compile it yourself..
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...model=RTL8180L



Your screen issue with the Live CD was probably just a matter of the autodetect not getting the settings just right for your video card or monitor.. something you should be able to tweak once you install Linux on your system.

[johnmcp]

thanks, hopefully that will be the case.

is there anyway to configure the type of monitor while running ubuntu on the live cd.

also would i be able to install the driver for the network card whilst running the live cd.

the reason i ask is i want a kind of trial with ubuntu without installing it, just incase there are hiccups (like the monitor problem) and i have to waste time getting rid of it.

[farslayer]

Well Personally I would recommend setting up your PC as dual boot.. that way you can have Windows installed and working in case you need it and Linux is there so you can learn it. The Live CD's are nice to take a look around, but if you really want to make the system your own and customize things you will need to install it.

basically you need to make free space on your Hard drive so there is room to install Linux along side Windows. you can use a program like Partition magic to do this.. (a live Linux CD with ranish partition manager or qtparted may be able to resize the existing partition as well.. )

[johnmcp]

the thing is... i want to just have a look around without installing and the fact i can't get on the web and that it doesn't detect my monitor problem is preventing me doing that.

i just want to see if its worth doing with the live cd.