Buying A Linux Laptop


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I'm looking at purchasing a laptop off of eBay or fixing up one on there. Preferable I'd like to spend as little as possible (less than $200). I have a 20GB notebook hard drive, but I was wondering what processor and RAM would be my best bet. I know Linux will run with very low specs, but I want enough power to do some useful things.

So, would I want 128 or 256 MB of RAM

Would a PIII 833 be enough? Less/more cpu power?

Let me know, TIA!

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I would say linux when using gnome or kde is similar to XP as for requirments. I would not want to run it with less then 256mb ram. Linux does give you the option to run lighter windows mangers. They are not as feature rich but will run better with less ram.

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So I've go with a 20GB HDD, 256MB RAM, what processor would be good, something above a PIII 800?

I think I might just buy a cheap laptop with no hard drive or memory and buy the RAM off of ebay

As shanenin said you don't want to go too much below 256 MB RAM.

A 20 GB HD, 256 MB of RAM, and a Plll 800 will run most distros. I run a Plll 800 with 256 MB RAM and an 18 GB scsi drive, running Slackware, and it runs fine. Some distros require a bit more RAM to run optimally.

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So I've go with a 20GB HDD, 256MB RAM, what processor would be good, something above a PIII 800?

I think I might just buy a cheap laptop with no hard drive or memory and buy the RAM off of ebay

As shanenin said you don't want to go too much below 256 MB RAM.

A 20 GB HD, 256 MB of RAM, and a Plll 800 will run most distros. I run a Plll 800 with 256 MB RAM and an 18 GB scsi drive, running Slackware, and it runs fine. Some distros require a bit more RAM to run optimally.

I'm just looking at running some security suites for some ethical wireless hacking!

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I have a desktop running SuSe 9.1 nicely with a P2 500 and 256 mb ram

Suse is an awesome distro, agreed! :thumbsup:

Would it be good for a linux noob? I'm pretty much clueless to linux, but i'm a really fast learner.

Yes. Suse is very user-friendly. It has an intuitive install routine that'll guide you through it, very windows like.

I've used Suse 9.1, 10.0, and 10.1, and they really are good. You can download opensuse for free or order it for a few bucks on-line. Other very good first time choices are Mandriva or Ubuntu.

Download- Open Suse

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The main reason I'm looking at doing this on a lappy are because I:

dont' want to mess up the home computer (the one I built)

the home computer has an AMD X2 processor that no linux distro has been compatible with (even fedora)

i want to get into people's wireless internet (I mean, "let people know they have wireless vulnerabilities")

Besides, as of know, it looks like I might be going to college at Georgia Tech around this time next year so I might be needing a computer for a little wireless mischief

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The main reason I'm looking at doing this on a lappy are because I:

dont' want to mess up the home computer (the one I built)

the home computer has an AMD X2 processor that no linux distro has been compatible with (even fedora)

i want to get into people's wireless internet (I mean, "let people know they have wireless vulnerabilities")

Besides, as of know, it looks like I might be going to college at Georgia Tech around this time next year so I might be needing a computer for a little wireless mischief

I would go to Suse's site and check to see if they have a data base of supported hardware. I've heard that Suse has good wireless support:-)

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Sorry for the off topicness, but your going to GA Tech?

Awsome man.

Where you from?

I'd be really happy if I find fellow Georgian that hates UGA and loves GT :)

I live in North Carolina, but I'm really looking at going to GT after my senior year of high school. I thought about going to NC State, but it's not really the type of school I want to go to (which is more urban, and more of an engineering program).

I have no problem with UGA (I don't even have a favorite college team, being that I'm originally from Chicago, I never followed college as much as the pros) But I do pull for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers! (a 1-aa school that my brother plays football for)

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