Suggestions for older high end laptop

JPFlanagan

Hello,

I am brand new to linux and looking to install on a 6 year old lap top that is still spec'd out fairly well. Currently running Vista like a complete dog, and need an overhaul. The machine is an Intel Core2 Duo 2.66 gHz with 4 G of RAM and a 1G dedicated Video card. Also has a 350 GB hard drive. This is not going to be my main computer anymore as I have to Run Adobe CS6 but will run the family media center and e-mail, netflix, skype, etc. I am looking for suggestions on where to start and what distro would work for my needs.

Thank you

arochester

To use Netflix you should be looking at something like Ubuntu, Linux Mint or Fedora.

fisheater

I have a Core2Duo @ 3.0GHz with 8GB RAM and run antiX-13.2 quite successfully and it's pleasingly fast. Wireless can prove to be a problem with Debian-based distros like antiX if the wireless card requires proprietary drivers (Broadcom is most notorious) but, since yours is a desktop and you will most likely use a good wireless router like Netgear (don't try LinkSys), It should not be a problem getting netflix up and running.

If your video card is nVidia, that could be another potential issue with any distro, not just a Debian-based one, due to proprietary drivers and lack of support for so-called Legacy cards. Hardware compatibility is the issue and certain sites will serve to inform you of general degrees of compatibility --

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Hardware-HOWTO/
http://www.linuxcompatible.org/compatdb/index.html

for example. There are others.

Try LinuxMint-13-xfce or LinuxLite, as suggestions. 32-bit will make it less likely that architecture and/or other issues may become a problem.

http://www.linuxmint.com/release.php?id=18
https://linuxliteos.com

Long Term Support (LTS) versions are what one should seek as a newbie trying distro in the 'buntu family, of which the two noted are members. Especially if running "legacy" hardware.

Should one really want to speed things up, with your hardware a Samsung SSD would liven things up considerably and give the biggest bang for the buck.

Welcome, and best wishes!