Before i go mad and install windows XP

Hello new here, new to Linux (might be a very quick and unhappy experiance with Linux as well), My wife has just brought herself the Acer Aspire One, 1.6ghz Atom CPU, 512mb ram, 120gig hard drive version with Linpus Linux installed. she liked the look of the desktop was her reason for buying it! All my pc's at home are Windows Vista ultimate X64 versions, (5 off them, + build PC's to order for friends / family) have a Windows Home Server and a media server as well, very experienced with all forms of Windows but this Linpus Linux is driving me mad, got it up and running for her no problem she can browse the web and recieve her junk emails no problem through the wireless connection but, How the hell do i give the thing access to the printer thats connected to the Windows Home Server (via USB) and also the files, folders, shared drives etc on the other PCs and media server. there doesn't appear to be any networking capabilities at all on this thing. i can't believe that EVERYTHING has to be done from a command line, thought that went out years ago, is it that i'm so used to Windows just working and double clicking to install stuff? i have got the advanced right click menu activated by following a sticky on here but everything might as well be in Chinese for all the sence it makes.
Thought when the wife brought it that it would be good to have a look and play with Linux but if what i've seen so far is anything to go by its not going to be a very long play. She also wants to know where her Soliitaire game has gone.yes you guessed it she didn't know what Linux was, "operating system what's that then" was her comment when i tried to explain (from talking to the sales man in PCWorld, yes i should know better, the windows based version is outselling the Linux version by 10 to 1, he also made the statement that most of the people they had sold the Linux machines to came back and swapped them for Windows based ones within a month of purchasing), i don't want to give up just yet, will give it a couple of days over christmas so if there is anyone here who can help me in getting it set up to access the shared drives, folders, mp3's pictures etc i'd be very very grateful, if theres a Solitaire game for her even better, If no help then will install Tiny XP or Windows Lite instead or even just put XP on it at least it will work. I did see Unbuntu running on a desktop PC at the computer fair in Bracknell which did look very good and from what i saw fairly easy to use, would that install on to this Aspire One ? perhaps that would be a better option as i can't believe that all the Linux version are like this one, if they are then Windows doesn't have anything to worry about from Linux, just the Mac brigade

Thanks for reading and any help that might be forthcoming
Aquatarkus

 

HI aquatarkus. Now I'm probably not the best person to reply as I'm not a great fan of Linux. The Acer One is great, love it, will buy another soon but....with windows XP (Vista is out).
Linux its self (full version) is something that people get in to and some really enjoy it. I worked in dos for years and loved it but, we move on. After 40 years in IT I still have not come to enjoy Linux, I keep trying it in various forms but find it too heavy a learning cure and a little archaic.
In the version on the Acer you have Linpus, a lite version. It's good for what it is but very limited, and there's not a lot of software around. There are some real nice people on this site who will help you out if you ask and really want to learn, but for me, the convenience that windows offers is its strength.
Sure it has its problems and exp 7 ain't all it should be or that safe but we live with it because its usable and, convenient. I can't be bothered any more with typing in commands, my server days are over and anyway, Scotty would laugh! I bought the Acer (with Linux) just to surf and it does it well and so no complaints there, but when you do simple tasks say in OOo like type a letter you soon realize why MS is still top dog.
In MS Word, if you tell it not to remember your doc's it don't. In OO0 you have to first download an add on and then, check each time you open it that it has not remembered as, it resets its self each time to remember 4 docs?
Now: I'm not knocking Linux or OOo or any one! I'm just pointing out what I have noticed and what to me is the reason that I don't gel with Linux. You may find others on here that dismiss what i have written and that's okay with me as this is still, a relatively (or should that be, just) free society and we have choice and freedom of thought and speech.
I work in the Film and TV industry and we have edit rooms that have both Mac's and PC's. Some love the mac, me, I'm happy on a pc and I don't feel left out or that one is better than the other they're just tools and we are lucky to have the choice.
You sound to me like a PC orientated person and so like me, Linpus will frustrate you. I keep thinking about installing XP but as only surf with it (good point no firewall or anti virus crap slowing it down) I wonder if i'll ever get around to doing it? Mind you, the Acer is worth it as a laptop. Sorry for the prologue!
Obe.

 

"Ditto" pretty much everything said above; except I was able to find on this board, how to install the printers...still no home network access and I'm running out of patience!

Like so many, I've about decided to crack the case and throw in another 1GB ram and install Ron's TInyXP.

Don't get me wrong...I love this little netbook. But like the OP, I've been building Windows boxes and mucking around in windows since day one (Windows 3.11! LOL) I think I will love my AAO even more when I can make it do what I want it to do without having to relearn everything! I pretty much knew I'd be frustrated with Linpus but it was the only version on sale for $249!

 

Can't understand why anybody with a Windows network at home would by a linux unit, when XP is available for only a few more dollars. Too much pain just to do the mundane.

 

As i said in my 1st post the wife brought it because she liked the look of the desktop, she hasn't got a clue as to what an operating system is, she just wants something that works, so do i. After reading loads of threads here and on other Linux forums i've come to the conclusion that Linux is only for geeks, and people who like to do things the hard way, Command line or Terminal what ever you want to call it "rubbish, absolute rubbish", no wonder people can't be bothered with Linux. You really think this is going to change Windows dominance, no way not in a hundred years, Yes Windows might have its faults but it works for 99% of the population. want an alternative to Windows get a Mac.
Like your end comment "Too much pain to do the mundane" prehaps that should be the Linux marketing slogan.

Taking the unit back to Currys tomorrow to get it exchanged for a Windows XP version, looking at another couple of posts in this forum might be a few others as well, if currys won't exchange the will simply put XP on it myself. Wonder how long it is before Acer, Asus et al stop selling the Linux versions and switch to Windows XP /Vista Only? my bet is less than 6 months from now you'll see the Linux versions at firesale prices just to clear the stocks and within 9 months no Linux versions at all.
end of rant.
Aquatarkus

 

I'm a person who comes from XP and OSX, and i'm using Linux Ubuntu on my Aspire One now. I installed it a couple of weeks ago, and i was a newbi at Linux. I installed it, enjoyed the new things and functions. Ubuntu is a very good OS, and alot of people is using it. Since many people use it, there's alot of programs out there. Some programs are more difficult to install, but most of them are very easy.

An example of an install in a full, open linux distro like Ubuntu, Mandriva and Arch Linux, can look like this (i'll demostrate with VLC):

Install from Terminal: sudo apt-get install VLC (if you just remember the first part, it's quite easy to remember this command) to remove VLC again, type sudo apt-get remove VLC.

Install from a .deb-file: Download VLC .deb-package to your desktop, doubleclick, and install.

Install from the repository (add/remove in the menu): Click on VLC in the list, press "Apply". Done

Install from Synaptics: Search for VLC, click, press "Apply". Done
-------------------------------

That's it. It very easy if you want to learn it. Some other nice commands, which is easy to remember is:

- Sudo apt-get autoclean = Clean un-used files.
- Last = View a list of how long and when you booted and shutdown your computer
- iwconfig = Check if there's a internet-connection.
- reboot = reboot the computer
- Help = Help-commands
- Alsamixer = Turn up the systemvolume, and the other way.


I can type to my fingers bleeds, so here's a nice website with all the commands: http://www.ss64.com/bash/

 

Took the Aspire One back to Currys but the queue at the help desk was horrendous so brought a USB DVD rewriter for £20 connected it up and installed the Acer Windows XP image file posted somwhere else on this forum, used one of my spare keys from an OEM disk and Hey Presto a working netbook, everything works as it should networking, printing, wireless the lot no problems at all, no command line nonsense it just works, picked everything up during the install what more could you ask. Doesn't boot as fast as Linpus but didn't expect that it would takes about 1min 45 seconds. Have fully updated system via windows update put office 2007 on as well all is fine, wife is happy as well she has her Solitaire games back. Will beinstalling JRiver Media center later for her so she can access the music library server (JRiver Media center is the best media player i've come across) so all is happy again now. Have also installed NOD32 antivirus as this is a really good AV program that doesn't use many resorses and doesn't slow the PC down like Norton and McAfee.
While i was in Currys i did speak to 3 other people who had been brought the Aspire One with Linpus Linux as christmas presents all 3 were exchanging for the Windows version (all were the 120gig hard drive versions as well).
I did as a last resort this morning before going to Currys ring the Acer tech support help line, guess what they don't provide support for the Linux version, bloody good that, another nail in the coffin. but you might be pleased to here that i don't like to be beaten so have taken the plunge and built from my spares box a pc with a 200 gig hard drive, Intel P4 dual core 3.2 ghz cpu an Asus motherboard with onboard graphics and sound + integrated NIC and am going to install Unbuntu just to see if i can get the thing working as was quite impressed with what i saw at the Bracknell Computer Fair and as i hasn't cost me anything might as well have a play. Wonder how many others who have got the Linpus version will end up taking it back or install XP? rather a lot i think.

Aquatarkus

 

OK, well I'm thinking of persevering with this Linux. I am a systems admin, but I like the idea of trying something new, and whats more I'm on the a1 now surfing and have the headphones plugged in listening to music from the SD card so Im as happy as pie. The only thing I will no doubt need soon is networking and I see that punching in a double slash and the IP of my media server is not working as it should so any help in that direction would be appreciated.

 

“Too much pain just to do the mundane.” Love it! Has to be the slogan of the year! Well; maybe not for Linux. Respect Fornone.

And I’m not knocking Linux or any OP system by my appreciation of the above quote. Just think it was good!

Hi all.
I was going to reply to this thread yesterday but a funny thing happened on the way to the keyboard.
My son asked me to download a sound driver for his Samsung R60plus running Vista. No problemo! I stuck my pendrive into the Acer (don’t download anything to hard drive on this) and downloaded the zip file…….only, when my son opened it, it was empty. Tried again same thing. Downloaded to hard drive (reluctantly) and all was fine.

So…Putting my Sherlock Holmes deer stalker on I tried the same thing on the worlds most noisy Vaio running Unbuntu and …You might want to take note here Aquatarkus…..exactly the same scenario? Not had time to work on this and it may only be zip files that are affected but will try latter. Plus. Is there wi-fi on Unbuntu? Don’t seem to be on mine?

Every time there’s a mag offering a free Linux CD I grab it. I always hope that this will be the… One! It has so much to offer; especially commercially! But! Until we have that One system that works for all (as does Windows hence its market hold over other op systems) and not the plethora of individual releases we have at present it will always be a poor cuz to Windows.

Is it a Geeeeky thing? Yes and no. Dos was thought to be a Geeeeky thing but it proved otherwise and is now all but forgotten. And anyway, we need Geeks like me. I sat on servers for years typing out strings to do various jobs/commands and that was because it was the way we did things. Then came NT4 (NT= New Technology) which was like….WOW! But then came Win 2000 server and boy, what a revelation. I mean; I could now use a Raid system and save to CD as well as Tape! From then on things got better and better (don’t mention windows….ME!) and in case you didn’t realise it XP is Win 2000 with a turbo and a new suit and dam good suit it is too! But Linux, well, it just seems to (my opinion so shoot me down if you like) float around and bring out another Susmanhatfedlinminx thingy! Not knocking, just my thoughts.


Bazookzace obviously enjoys the Terminal and al that initials which is fine and dandy, but for some, we just want to right click and go most of the time.

Georgerax bought his KNOWING he might be a little miffed with Linux and that to me say the guy thought about his purchase and so fine, he’s clued up and willing to take a gamble. But to a lot of people out there, the gamble becomes a real shock when they try to install a piece of software (if they can find the piece of software they want) and are confronted by a Termial.

If you think this is a knock, try cleaning your Acer/ Linpus. I use crap cleaner or to be polite CC-cleaner for my windows server and home set up. What’s out three for Linpus? And if anyone says you don’t need to well, if you are happy to send you Acer back for repair with all your details on the drive, so be it; for the only thing that leaves any hard drive is…its owner!

I’ll keep my brilliant Acer as is and buy a Windows version one day (XP only) as the Acer, or rather, Linpus does what I ask it to do quite well surfing wise. Knocks out printer drives everyday but hey, gives me something to do! And as Aquatarkus pointed out, the linpus version could be come quite rare! Wonder if it that will make it worth more on…..Evilbay!

My Samsung Q35 is Ace! Bat life is S**t and only 2 usb ports but when something works as well as this little thing does, you forgive it right readily for all its little woes.

Take care all.
Obe.

 

We can say this the easy way.

Do you just want to surf the net, play solitaire, and chat on MSN, use Windows.

Do you want something to do, besides working, eating and sleeping, install Ubuntu or another distro. But yeah, you can use right-click to do things fast and easy, but, if you're like me, who likes to dive into the system, then the terminal is a must! Ubuntu is completely open, and i have reinstalled Ubuntu 3 times the last week. Why? Yeah, cause i'm the guy who can let things be. I love to modify things, so Ubuntu is the best thing for me. Windows is to boring and closed for a guy like me, and don't let me begin with OSX. My iMac hasn't been in use for about a month now.

So, if something doesn't work in Ubuntu, no problem. I like to solve problems, and i'm learning new things at the same time. I've only used Ubuntu a couple of weeks now, and i had NEVER touched linux before, and now? i love it.

Another great thing is, that everything is opensource, and FREE.

 

I have been struggling with my AAO with linpus lite, sounds like the same one your wife bought. In terms I can understand can you tell me how to get windows on here instead of linus? Or should I take the loss and go buy another one with windows this time?

 

Toymom
Its easy and quite straight forward to install Windows XP on to the Aspire One from an external USB DVD drive, not quite so simple if you want to do it from a USB flash drive (1gig minimum size required) there are quite a few threads on how to create a windows bootable flash drive on these forums if thats the way you want to do it but think you find the external DVD method easier. You will need the following
1. A USB DVD external drive (£34.99 from Currys/PCWorld if your in the UK) if you don't already have one of course
2. A genuine Windows CD and a serial key that is either not in use or was activated more than 3 months ago (if you don't have a Windows CD and Key then you can get an OEM CD from Ebuyer,Misco,Overclockers,DABS or your local computer fair for £50) if you have a key but no CD then you can download the Acer Aspire ONE unofficial image file from viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2445&p=53935&hilit=recovery+disk#p53935 download it to another PC and burn it to CD with either Nero, Roxio or Power ISO (if your unsure on how to do this just ask). Once you have these items were ready to go
1. Turn off the Aspire One and connect up your external DVD drive via USB to the Aspire ONE i used the USB port on the left hand side next to the storeage expansion slot but it shouldn't make any difference what USB port you use.
2. Turn on the DVD drive and insert the Windows CD.
3. Power on the Aspire ONE and while its powering up press the F12 key to get to the boot menu, when in the boot menu you should then see your external DVD drive listed, Use the up or down arrow to select your external DVD drive as the 1st Boot drive
4. Press enter to confirm ( think it's enter might be OK)
5. The Aspire ONE will then start to boot, you should see at the top lefthand side of the screen a message saying " Press any key to boot from CD" press a key and the Windows CD will start to load.
6. Let the CD run untill you get to the setup screen (Welcome to Setup)
7.Press the enter key to Setup Windows you will then go the End User Licence Acceptance screen Press F8 to accept
9.The next screen will show you the Partitions already on the hard drive (mine had 2 one of 119gig and one of 1gig) you want to delete both of these. select the smal partition first using the up/down arrow keys and then press "D" you will then get a confirmation page asking if you really want to delete the partion press "L" to confirm.
10. you will now be back at the partion screen again this time it wil show the main partition and an unpartitioned space. now select the main partition and press "D" again you will no be given a warning that the partition you are deleting is a system partition, press "Enter" to accept you will then again be asked if you really want to delete the patition press "L" to delete.
11 You will now see your harddrive listed as unpartitioned space press the "Enter" key to select this patition for Windows to install to
12. You now will be given 4 options to format the drive. Select "Format the Selected Partition using the NTFS File System (Quick)" and press enter
13. Setup will now go and format your drive, once the format is complete Windows will start copying it's files to the drive.
14. Once all the files have been copied to the drive your PC will reboot, let it reboot (leave the cd in the drive) once its rebooted Windows will start setting it's self up
15. Go and make a cup of tea and relax let windows.
16. You will during set be prompted for your user name, region and keyboard layout and your serial key enter those as required.
17. Once setup has finished installing (about 30mins) your pc will reboot you will then need to add the drivers for the webcam etc from the Acer site (if you use the image file as linked to in item 2 then all the required drivers and service pack3 are already installed) Activate Windows
18.Install your antivirus / security suite and update it, then go to Windows update to install all the required sercurity patches and updates you require.
19 Install any programs etc you normally install and then if you have a backup program like Acronis make a master backup of the system to a blank DVD (to keep safe incase of emergencies)
20. Enjoy Windows and doing what you normally do without all that command line / Terminal nonsence etc.
If any problems or are unsure of anything post a message or PM me.

regards
Aquatarkus

 

...and to install a printer I have to google the instructions and deal with the command line..?
Again, there is a difference between HAVING a computer and USING it, and *nix has still to understand that.

 

Sorry whos *nix? and think i'm being thick here (not unusual) your point is? agree with the printer point gave up trying to install a local printer and network printer when i was using Linpus.
HAVING a computer and USING it, do you mean the you can only really use it if your running Linux?
Think what i've discovered is that the only people who linux really works for are the geeks and tinkerers who just want to play with the system. well if that is the case then for 99.9% of people Linux will be a complete waste of time. Most people just want to turn the PC on and it works, plug a USB device in, Windows finds the drivers and installs them ( very very easy with Vista).
What i also think doesn't help Linux is all the diferent distro's of Linux, Susie, Fedora, Redhat, Ubuntu, Linpus and a miriad of others. Do i need the Fedora driver or can i use the Redahat one , do i need an RPM or a Deb file etc. Untill Linux can get it's act together and come up with something that offers the ease of use and accessability of Windows (or a Mac) it is always going to aimed at the geeks and tinkerers. To all that will now say well Linux is easy to use, is better than Windows, well sorry but no it's not for the average Joe Public.
As i said in one of my earlier posts i was going to install Ubuntu onto a pc made from my parts bin well i have done and Ubuntu is up and running. still got things to sort out but if there was a lot more development of Ubuntu (i.e all the companies that currently make their own version of Linux pooled their resorces) then you might just have something that could offer a working alternative to Windows, but as linux is supposed to be open sorce and therefore free how are they going to make any money for further development.
Will be interesting to see in 10 years time how linux is doing prediction here, it will be in exactly the same position it's in now loads of different distro's still being used by geeks and tinkerers still playing with the command line. still if there happy!

Aquatarkus

 

I am actually very much agreeing with you..
sorry the comment was meant for BazookaAce..

 

The companies make most of their money by support, especially in the server market.

While I agree that there would be benefits to a more monolithic Linux structure there is also a benefit to having a lot of choice; and the fact that one distro can adopt what another does easily and re-use code freely makes it easy for parallel streams to come together and develop faster.

I've used three main Linux distros over the years; first Mandrake (now Mandriva) which was more heavily point and click orientated and so more Windows-ish, then Ubuntu as that became available, and now Sidux because I like to have the absolute latest versions of things available, and can accept some risk of instability at times (that's instability as in "last crashed several months ago"). Underlying the three distros, which are from two main families (Mandriva is Redhat based, Ubuntu and Sidux both Debian based), you find the same basic principles just implemented differently.

There is a thing called the Linux Standards Base which could develop in the direction of 'standardising' some of how distros work, but it will be in the form of standards which have to be met, and exactly how they are met is up to the distro. So, for example, there could be a standard location for the file httpd.conf - but whether that is implement by putting the file there or by mking a link to the file which is actually elsewhere won't matter; as long as any user or process knows where to find the file or link that's fine. Linux is a democracy, though, and like all democracies it takes time to change things.

 

Thanks for clearing that up, thought you might have been agreeing with me. afraid i'm not that quick in the morning

Regards
Aquatarkus

 

It's called shred: http://unixhelp.ed.ac.uk/CGI/man-cgi?shred+1 and you already have it.

I doubt it. To my knowledge acer went with an operating system based on the Linux kernel because they were tired of going around and around with windows. And who isn't. I have been microsoft free for 3 years now. And no I don't use Mac either.

 

I am not (tired of Windows). And I would say neither are the other 90% that make the MS marketshare.
Again, I have read several times there is a heavy % of the Linux netbook being returned in favour of Windows, or simply being purchased by people that have an unused XP license (I am one of them), since the Linux one is a bit cheaper.

 

thanks for the directions, once I am able to get my new external CD drive to load Nero and get a CD that has windows on it, I will be able to do it.