X10 Notebook runs Ubuntu Netbook Remix - CONFIRMED

[village_idiot]

Hi everyone.

In case you're thinking of taking the plunge, I can confirm that Ubuntu Netbook Remix installs and runs perfectly on the X10 Netbook.

I've installed it on two machines this afternoon and it was a breeze (with one caveat).

The little instruction book supplied tells you to press <DEL> to enter the BIOS.

That's fine and you should take this opportunity to set the system date/time (both of mine were wrong).

You don't need to worry about setting the boot order to place USB drives before the internal drive as this is the default.

*** Key point here ***

However, even though you've created your bootable USB pen drive containing the Ubuntu .iso file the machine won't boot when you insert it into any of the three USB ports on the machine.

But don't worry !!!!!

You'll have noticed that when you boot the machine, you get a fair amount of text on a couple of screens and then the machine stops at a DOS prompt.

This is because "Free DOS" is already installed.

Buried in that fast disappearing text is an option to press F11 when you boot up to select your boot device.

YOU NEED TO DO THIS GET TO YOUR BOOT DEVICE.

So, power off, plug in your USB drive and power on. As soon as some text appears, press F11 a few times and after a few seconds a selection of USB boot devices will be displayed in a small window.

When I formatted my USB drive I called it something like "Ubuntu Install". This name appears in the list of bootable devices together with a generic description for the same device; something like "USB storage device". THIS IS THE DEVICE YOU MUST SELECT TO BOOT FROM.

If you do this, then within a few seconds the Ubuntu splash screens begin to appear and you're on your way.

By the way, when you're selecting your install options, you will be told that Free-DOS is installed and given the option to keep it (top radio button) or to format the entire drive for Ubuntu, hence destroying the Free-DOS partition (middle radio button). The choice is yours.

I chose to blow it away and give the entire drive over to Linux.

You can get very clever and create separate logical volumes and filesystems by selecting the bottom radio button, but I couldn't be bothered (and as I'm a professional UNIX Systems Administrator that's saying something !)

One other thing, as far as I can tell, if you're going Ubuntu, you don't need anything from the enclosed driver CD.

If anyone can demonstrate otherwise, I'm sure we'd all like to know.

All the best and good luck,

Nick,
Cardiff

[mrgoose]

Thanks for the info Nick - a nice, thorough write-up. And welcome to the forums. Good to have a genuine Unix guy here. Hopefully you'll be able to show us Windows-defector/permanent-student types a thing or two! :)

FWIW I recently put Ubuntu Karmic 64 on an E16 for my elderly mother and an X16 Pro for my own use. This was slightly more tricky. But I've run these lappies for several weeks - mine hardly ever gets switched off! I am delighted with the end results - fast, reliable, hassle-free and virus free - just the way I like my computers! I'd be interested to know what you think about your X10's a few weeks down the road?

WRT Driver CD's, with most kit these generally only apply to Windows users. So much hardware works out-of-the-box with most popular Linux distros these days and anything extra you need is usually small and available on-line. Frankly, the only use we have for these discs in my office is as coasters! Though you may want to copy-off any PDF's first e.g. the manufacturer's manual etc.

WRT FreeDOS, if you ever get a rush of blood to the head and decide you simply cannot live without DOS, then there is always dosemu. :)

Best wishes, G.

Edit: out of curiosity (or sheer nosiness actually!) what Unix do you administer and how|where did you do your training?

[Mr Grapes]

i do like the look of the new NBR interface. I wasn't keen on the 9.04 version, but the 9.10 seems to make more sense