Is it worth it?

[Paul Bryce]

Duncan Williamson wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> Over the last three days I have created around 10 CD ROMS and one DVD 
> in my attempt to try Linux on one or all of my three computers:
>
> P2 MMX 200Mhz 82 Mb memory
>
> AMD Duron 1000Mhz 256 Mb memory
>
> P4 Laptop 2000Mhz 512 Mb memory
>
> No success at all worth noting.
>
> The PII has most problems, as one might expect.
>
> SUSE and SUSE Live DVD have failed yet I thought SUSE Live DVD would 
> be the answer: booting from the DVD and running without installation. 
> The AMD computer ran the DVD but had a Kernel failure problem as it 
> told me it had run out of memory (it’s got 256Mb installed). The Live 
> DVD will not even kick in on the laptop, 512Mb memory installed; and I 
> didn’t even bother with the P2 as far as the Live DVD is concerned.
>
> Having failed with both P2 and AMD machines, I then got Fedora running 
> on the Laptop up to the point where we needed to discuss a disc 
> partition but then either it or I couldn’t fathom the next step: I 
> wanted it to do the partitioning for me.
>
> I don’t know why I’m having so many problems and would welcome any 
> tips anyone might have. I am attracted to Linux following the 
> successes that many of you are enjoying. I have worked through 
> tutorials and demonstrations of Gnome and am aware of OpenOffice, Gimp 
> and goodness knows what else.
>
> So, in the end I’m left with a 2003 version of Mandrake Linux to dump 
> onto CD from ISO images but is it worth? Can I ever get Linux 
> installed anywhere?
>
> My real ambition is to get Linux working on the P2 since the other two 
> computers are too important to experiment on until I am happy with 
> what I am doing.
>
> TIA if you can.
>
> Duncan Williamson
>
Duncan,

I am running FC2 on an AMD Duron 1000GHz (256Mb RAM) without any 
problems. The install went smoothly and has been running for about 3 
months now. As for the P2 - I couldn't get FC2 to run on my aging P2Pro 
(96Mb RAM), so installed RH9 instead. A smooth (albeit slow) install has 
resulted in a very reliable server that has been running for about 6 
months without any problems.

If you are keen on running FC2, you cloud try dual booting (probably 
easiest with the AMD). Otherwise, you might look out for a cheap RAM 
upgrade for your P2MMX and attempt an FC2 install, or go with RH9 to try 
Linux out.

I'm sure that once you try Linux, you will stick with it and look to 
find ways of giving ms-win-blows the flick.

Good luck...


Paul Bryce

-- 

/"...chance favours only the prepared mind" Louis Pasteur/

/"One crowded hour of glorious life /
/is worth more than a lifetime without a name" Thomas Mordaunt/