My Sony Vaio Crashed , what OS to load?

[Windsma]

I have a Sony Vaio Laptop (PCG-R505TEK) that crashed during a System restore for MS XP (microsoft sucks ass)

So I wanted to go to w/ Linux what you guys suggest, i would like something similar to XPde, I had a semester using RedHat a few years ago. (hated it)

And the boot would have to be off a USB 1gig thumbdrive B/c my DVD drive is crap. So LIVE CD!

Thankyou for your help

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

Check the link in my signature for lots of good information on getting started with Linux. There are a couple of quizzes there that might also help you to pick your first distribution.

For a large listing of liveCDs, take a look here.

Enjoy the Linux experience...

[Freston]

Welcome!

If you have a look at DistroWatch.com, any and all of the top ten are legitimate options.

As friendly advice I'd want to add that it's better to forget about XP. Linux looks nothing like Windows under the hood, and a similar GUI will only prolong this conclusion with times of frustration. Read this

Take your time. Linux isn't a system recovery tool, it's a whole different OS. Feel free to ask any question you may have.

[Windsma]

Thanks for the links and info. I got alot of reading to do.
I didnt think it was a system recovery but i would really love to keep the person files on the laptop if possible.
I would really happy to get rid of MS XP all together.
But i really didn't like Redhat's GUI. Well there have been some advances in the past 5 yrs and I think im ready to give it another go.

I have a 1 gig USB thumb drive that i need to use for the initial boot install. Which LIVE CD program will fit on it? I can upgrade to the good stuff later.


Im going to be running KDE 4.0 on my desktop w/ that kick ass , media center add-on. So eventually Ill prob use the KDE on my laptop also.
$3 bucks for an OS i love Linux already.

[Freston]

I didnt think it was a system recovery but i would really love to keep the person files on the laptop if possible.

That could be doable. It depends on the extend of your crash though. And you'll need a medium for storage. Hm... how to approach this depends on the hardware you have.

But i really didn't like Redhat's GUI. Well there have been some advances in the past 5 yrs and I think im ready to give it another go.

That is personal taste. Rest assured that most mainstream GUI's (KDE, Gnome, Xfce, etc) are highly adjustable. Much more so than *ahem* certain other well known GUI's.

I have a 1 gig USB thumb drive that i need to use for the initial boot install. Which LIVE CD program will fit on it? I can upgrade to the good stuff later.

All of them fit. Keep in mind that a lifeUSB is more work than a lifeCD. Look here to get started

Im going to be running KDE 4.0 on my desktop w/ that kick ass , media center add-on. So eventually Ill prob use the KDE on my laptop also.

Oh! Look here Windsma will not complain about an ugly GUI again... That's the bleeding edge good stuff!
If your hardware can take the load, the PCG-R505TEK is a PIII?? I've successfully ran KDE3.x on a PII but it was by no means smooth. On the other hand, it's running great on my 1.5 celeron (and that's no dual core). You can always try your luck.

[Windsma]

I loaded Ubuntu 7.10 on the LT HD.

using my desktop IDE port. w/ and adapter

It runs great on my desktop.

But when i install the HD into my LT it gives the usual Starting UP txt,
Grub runs as normal, then the unusual stuff starts to happen
gives some weird txt in command line,
sometimes i can catch it and it says my user info... /matthew/usr/local/ login... stuff like that.
then the screen goes blank, w/ a little back light and stays that way.

Its on a Sony Vaio mo.# PCGr505tek