Which linux install works best on laptops?

[NeonFlak]

I plan on giving linux a try. Which linux install would you say works best on a laptop? I use the laptop as my server at home(running xp pro) which also shares my internet connection to a couple of win2k/xp boxes. The laptop is an IBM T22: 900mhz p3, 512mb ram, 40gig hd, built in intel 10/100 nic, also using pcmcia intel 10/100 nic. If you need any other info let me know. Thanks

 

[ndee]

I would say Mandrake 9.0. I had Debian installed and the installation was a piece of cake. But currently, I'm in Mandrake 9.0 mood so go with Mandrake 😉

 

[bignick]

Suse 8.0

 

[Louie1961a]

I would also have to say Suse, but I vote for 8.1, with all of the updated software, etc. I have it running on my thinkpad 600. I think the ALSA sound system as implemented in Suse does a better job of configuring the think pad sound systems. And as an added bonus, Suse comes with the Mwave winmodem driver for Linux as part of the distribution, so it worked with my modem right off the bat as well. Unfortunately, I don't think your T-22 doesn't use the Mwave or the HSF (conexant) chipsets, so it won't be natively supported by Suse (or probably any other distro). But if you go here, you may find a linux driver for that modem that may work:

<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://
http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/MIGR-4VFTT3.html?lang=en_US&page=brand&brand=root&doctype=&subtype=Cat&up=unknownuser1004106089">IBM support site for T-22</a>

In Suse's set up tool, it didn't recognize my soundcard, but after the install, I used the "alsaconfig" tool (be sure to install all the alsa packages) and it set it up without a problem. Sndconfig in Mandrake didn't get the job done as well, and I had to fiddle around with Modules.conf to get it to work.

 

[NeonFlak]

I have Mandrake 9.0, Redhat 8.0, SuSe 8.0 (couldn't find 8.1 anywhere), and Trustix so far. Since the laptop is my server and shares my connection can someone tell me how hard it is to setup connection sharing through linux. Also, will I have to make a fat32 partition on the drive so that my win2k/xp boxes and transfer stuff to and from the server? If so how would you suggest I set the partitions?

thanks again


edit:the laptop now has a 20gig hd in it instead of the 40gig

 

[bignick]

Go to Linux Headquarters and LDP for help on setup of SAMBA, and sharing your internet connection.

The filesystem doesn't matter. Your windows boxes aren't accessing the drive directly. I recommend that you have at least two partitions, "/" and "/home". For a small home server "/" doesn't need to be large. Since you're most likely going to use redhat/mandrake/suse, 2gb is the minimum I'd use. Then just let "/home" be the remainder of the drive. Don't forget swap space.

 

[wjsulliv]

Go to Linux on Laptops and see what people have used on your laptop. If an older version worked, a newer one should work too (I.e. if RH6 worked, RH8 should too).

 

[NeonFlak]

I've tried Mandrake 9.0 and RH 8.0 so far. Both of them configure the built in nic fine (intel pro 100B). But when I try to configure the pcmcia intel nic (pro 100) they keep configuring it as a xircom. Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[NeonFlak]

Maybe a little bump for some help...

 

[NeonFlak]

sorry, double post 10min apart? =(

 

[Jugernot]

Originally posted by: NeonFlak
I've tried Mandrake 9.0 and RH 8.0 so far. Both of them configure the built in nic fine (intel pro 100B). But when I try to configure the pcmcia intel nic (pro 100) they keep configuring it as a xircom. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Intel bought out Xircom a couple years ago, no doubt you DO have a Xircom nic with the Intel name.