Ubuntu on toshiba satellite 1670cds laptop

[toshiba1670cds]

Hello,
I am looking to revive a toshiba satellite 1670cds laptop with about 500Mhz CPU, 6Gb Hard Drive and low RAM, not quite sure how low, maybe 124Mb or there about. The machine currently has win 98 installed and is, more or less working but the thing is a mess. I'd like to wipe it all and use it as a word processor for my Dad who is 82 and technophobic. It needs to be ultra clean! With, if possible, no other software other than an operating system, OpenOffice and printer drivers. Can it be done? Any ideas or recomendations?

 

[chamaecyparis]

Hello,
I am looking to revive a toshiba satellite 1670cds laptop with about 500Mhz CPU, 6Gb Hard Drive and low RAM, not quite sure how low, maybe 124Mb or there about. The machine currently has win 98 installed and is, more or less working but the thing is a mess. I'd like to wipe it all and use it as a word processor for my Dad who is 82 and technophobic. It needs to be ultra clean! With, if possible, no other software other than an operating system, OpenOffice and printer drivers. Can it be done? Any ideas or recomendations?

Yes, and one way to do it is with a core install of antiX-M11-486. Read about the Debian-based distro, antiX (some call it little brother to MEPIS) at its Home Page here ( http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page ). The first section, About antiX, explains your situation well. Then just click on the link for antiX-M11-core therein.

One needs to know a little about the command line interface (CLI) of Linux when doing a core install and making a swap file. Good places to start the learning curve, if applicable, are listed below:

Wiping the hard drive
Partitioning with fdisk
http://pthree.org/2007/08/12/aptitude-vs-apt-get/
How to make a swap file
Linux-compatible Printers

No matter which distro chosen for your appointed task, this How2 will prove of benefit.

Best wishes and hope to see you on the return visit!

EDIT: distrowatch.com has published a review of antiX-M11, I discovered yesterday. The USB issue is easily resolved as shown in the review. Overall, it is a little more geeky than the 'butus, but still easy.