Crunchbang For Acer Laptops

[Lazarus]

Just replaced a failing (now failed. Period) Hard Disc Drive in an Acer 5732Z Laptop.

Took the opportunity to install Ubuntu 12.04 rather than any Microsh*t product and all is well apart from a known bug with the Video Driver for the Intel Mobile Integrated Graphics that the Acer uses. This causes Backlight to be turned off and the workaround leaves no option but to run at low-res with only a 4:3 Aspect Ratio available.

So I've ascertained by Google (other Search Engines are available) that the Linux Distro "Crunchbang" is alleged to work properly with the Acer Graphics but I'm loathe to try it (Chiefly 'cos I'm getting perilously close to my Month's Interweb Usage limit with all the shenanigans of downloading Images followed by vast amounts of updates and Apps.) just yet.

Has anyone here tried Crunchbang?

I'm awaiting a SVGA/SVGA cable so I can use my Telly as a Monitor with Ubuntu, but that's a clumsy solution for the long term - I'd rather have it all in one box.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Is there a reason why you cannot have Ubuntu and Microsoft stuff within the same hard drive ? You may then be able to share the correct screen/aspect by outsourcing back to the original operating system.

Plenty of Apple users create a shell for the Windows stuff to run from the eMacs and I have reprogrammed a G5 for a customer using just XP, using a package of drivers for the motherboard and it works flawlessly.

 

[Lazarus]

None at all - I dual Boot Win 7 and Ubuntu 12.04 on our Toshiba Netbook.

I have no inclination to put Win 7 back on the Laptop, though ............. trying to get away from Microsoft in the long run.

I cast Microsoft in the same die as BT, BSkyB, Tesco etc. and would like to wean myself - and SWMBO - off them.

 

[Lazarus]

Well I took the plunge and created a Live USB Stick, bunged it in the Acer and did the F12 thing.


Boots off USB in two seconds flat, gives me correct screen resolution (not retrograde 405 line!), aspect ratio etc.

Uses modified Firefox etc. (Iceweasel) and can get Libre Office.

Looks nice. Easy GUI.



Looks like the job is a good 'un


I'll trial it for the weekend and it looks as if it will be goodbye Ubuntu next week.

 

[Vipersan]

..Nicely done G ..
glad you now have a working solution.
..can you post or pm a link for the latest ubuntu build dload ..
I may well give it a try on a spare lappy ..just to get familliar with it.
I have about 6 lappys at my disposal ..mostly toshibas ..and of varying ages..
I might well bit clone the image off one of em as a backup..and give ubuntu a try....when I have a free slot in my 'to-do' list

currently have 30 rubber doorstop wedges on order to alter tilt on Christinas extension wings ...
..and a second superior dark motor ..to replace the ailing SG2100
so ..lots to do
;)

 

[Lazarus]

Aye, give me a few mins. as I'm multitasking right now: Olympics, Cricket, Linux.

Been trying to PM and EMail you for days, but I think you might have full boxes: Please empty and test!

I'll post links for 32 bit Ubuntu 12.04 (Nice, but boogers up my Graphics) and for 64 bit Crunchbang (Really suits me already) here shortly.

 

[Lazarus]

Links only - anyone who feels confident enough to play will have no trouble selecting alternative Distros or with creating Bootable CD/DVD or USB stick either instinctively or from easily available destructions.

_http://www.ubuntu.com/download

_http://crunchbang.org/download/ (I used the Stable version, but there is another version with a newer Kernel)

 

[Lazarus]

Well I am chuffed to my moonboots with Crunchbang - so much so I've already erased Ubuntu and now have it as my sole OS.

Everything is intuitive and easy to do and anything one is unsure of has probably already been solved by a vibrant (and hitherto hidden!) Crunchbang community.

I commend it to the house.

 

[Analoguesat]

Interesting - Ive got some redundant ex network laptops at work that are just crying out to be played with - they are completely useless atm as they are too old to go onto our spanking new network.

 

[Lazarus]

Yes, there are some interesting OS's out there now - all with pros and cons and I feel lucky to have hit upon one I really like and that copes with temperamental Acer cr*p happily.

And it's all FREE !

 

[Lazarus]

Been testing this Crunchbang distro on and off all day and I simply cannot fault it.

Even SWMBO likes the look of it and isn't daunted by learning a new way of doing things.

And it is really fast and responsive.


................. Set this alongside the bthserv.exe Trojan that fooked up my Netbook today and there is good enough reason alone to ditch Windoze for good.

This malware appears to have been lying in wait as a time-bomb: It came to notice via UAC (but ran itself anyway) and gave symptoms of Disk Failure, before taking over and destroying the Desktop and throwing up lots of nasty error messages.

Fortunately, I had actually examined the SMART Data for my Hard Disk earlier in the morning (using the powerful apps. in Ubunt - which I have as dualboot on the Netbook) and it was A-One in all respects.

So, I did not panic, but rebooted in Safe Mode, ran Malware Bytes, did a System Restore and got a normal Boot to work. MSSE failed miserably, so I've now binned it in favour of AVG again.

But that was not the end of it: It hid all my Data - giving the impression of having lost it. Soon sorted that out.

But it also locked my Thunderbird and Firefox Profiles rendering the apps. incapable of running. Fortunately my Profiles are regularly backed up using the wonderful Mozbackup prog.

SO BE WARNED _ I am no dunderhead at trying to keep my PCs clean, yet got caught out in a big way.

Yer bog-standard user would have thrown it against the wall or paid a fortune for a "repair".

 

[Llew]

Haven't tried Crunchbang, but I think for those new to Linux, it would be better to try Ubuntu first (Gnome rather than KDE), being a tried and tested distro with a long history. I've tried many distros, but I always seem to come back to Ubuntu.

Having said that, reading users' comments on Crunchbang forums, it does appear to be a well-received variant of Debian.

 

[Lazarus]

I run Ubuntu alongside Win7 on this Netbook and it is awful compared to Crunchbang.

Seriously thinking of running both Netbook and Laptop on Crunchbang alone.

Ubuntu has got too big for its boots (Good PC pun there) with the Unity interface. Dreadful.

Crunchbang is just so much more user friendly and easier to drive, even for a relative newcomer to Open Source.

 

[Lazarus]

I handed over the Crunchbag equipped Lappie to SWMBO an hour ago and invited her to "use it".

She knows nothing about OS's or owt under the bonnet, but took to it like a duck to water.

Finds it clear, simple and very responsive.

Another tick in the box.


Now if only I could get it to rum MS Money .................... (Probably the only programme that doesn't have a Linux equivalent - Well, there are some, but I can't get to grips with them)

 

[Lazarus]

..Nicely done G ..
glad you now have a working solution.
..can you post or pm a link for the latest ubuntu build dload ..
I may well give it a try on a spare lappy ..just to get familliar with it.
I have about 6 lappys at my disposal ..mostly toshibas ..and of varying ages..
I might well bit clone the image off one of em as a backup..and give ubuntu a try....when I have a free slot in my 'to-do' list

currently have 30 rubber doorstop wedges on order to alter tilt on Christinas extension wings ...
..and a second superior dark motor ..to replace the ailing SG2100
so ..lots to do
;)

So, VS, how have you been getting along with this latest projectette?

 

[Analoguesat]

Ive found out an ancient Compaq laptop - I was given it years ago and told if I could fix it I could have it - so I fixed it Will try CB on it when Ive got a few minutes.

 

[Lazarus]

Excellent!

Today's Top Tip ............... the #! "Super" key is (somebody has a sense of humour {humor?}) >>> The "Windows" key.


I'm seriously impressed by this OS. Really light on resources and lightning fast.

 

[Analoguesat]

This is posted off a dilapidated old Compaq Evo 1020 thats been crunchbanged simple enough to set up, although getting the wifi working took a bit of figuring out.

Its VERY slow though - running iceweasel is glacial This may be because Ive booted off a live cd and its a slow lappie anyway. I'll find out something with a bit more oomph for the next tests

 

[Analoguesat]

Or maybe its the forum or my internet connection - things seem to be running slow atm!

 

[Lazarus]

Sh*t off a raft for me ............... The OS only takes 200-400 MB RAM and I haven't seen CPU go above 2% and SWAP only comes into play after Hibernation (Which doesn't work properly, so set up a Suspend key instead - or close the lid.


Not sure what the problem was with setting up t'Web as it works very similar to that old Micros**t system (Windoze, I think it was called). Detects owt there is to detect, asks for a Security Key and off it toddles. Finds Wireless Printers fine too.

Edit: Ah yes, Live CD will be relatively slow. It ran fast off a USB stick and like the wind off the HDD.