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I have a legacy Lenovo R60 laptop running an Intel Core Solo T3100 (1.67MHz) processor currently running Windows XP (192mb RAM / 40GB HDD). My goal is to try and run Ubuntu on it using a pen-drive, so that machine response is faster and I can free up some space on it for other purposes. Would any particular version of Ubuntu only, work? I would love any tips that a Linux noob can use, and a link to the exact version of Ubuntu to be downloaded would be really appreciated!

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3 Answers 3

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The latest version of Lubuntu (12.04)should work just fine. You can download it from here. (Choose the recommended 32 bit disk image unless your Laptop can run a 64 bit Operating system)

Also since you want to run it on a USB drive, you can easily create a live USB using lili USB disk creator on your windows set up.

You can also watch this video for a step by step guide in creating bootable USB pen drive.

Make sure you choose the 'PERSITENCE'option in Lili USB disk creator, which in simpler terms will allow you to install programs and store files on the pen drive and not lose them when you shut down or reboot. So in essence you would have your Ubuntu set up on a pen drive.

Since you want to run the OS solely via the pen drive I'd recommend a >=4GB one.

Hope this helps.

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  • I would be careful using Ubuntu, if anything Lubuntu would run better, because of the memory requirements being lower. Ubuntu might eat up all your memory. Whichever you isntall, you should make a decent-sized SWAP partition (> 3GB In my opinion) in case your RAM is overused.
    – Thomas Ward
    Aug 22, 2012 at 17:45
  • @LordofTime Should I then edit my question with Lubuntu 12.04 replacing Ubuntu 12.04?
    – Mysterio
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:13
  • no, i'm just stating from my opinions as a technician. Personally, Ubuntu 12.04 with 2d Unity, or gnome-shell or gnome-fallback is somewhat lightweight enough for older machines. But Lubuntu is just a bit more streamlined for lower-powered systems (again, from my experience)
    – Thomas Ward
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:39
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    Thanks Mysterio and Lord of Time. I shall give Lubuntu a whirl and post!! Aug 22, 2012 at 18:40
  • @MerwinJames I posted my Lubuntu suggestion as an answer, just for the record :p
    – Thomas Ward
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:43
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I have run Ubuntu 10.x on T40 series laptops. You can't get very good screen resolution with those older and they won't be able to run Unity. So 10.x is about the best you're going to do. It does run very fast for me on those machines.

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  • Isn't Ubuntu 2D compatible with these kind of machines?
    – Mysterio
    Aug 22, 2012 at 17:31
  • I never got it to work with a T40. R60 might be different.
    – Ed Manet
    Aug 22, 2012 at 17:33
  • Oh ok. That's quite unfortunate
    – Mysterio
    Aug 22, 2012 at 17:35
  • Try Lubuntu, it might work better. Also, the 10.x series will be EOL in a couple of years (the only supported one is 10.04)
    – Thomas Ward
    Aug 22, 2012 at 17:45
  • Lubuntu it is, then!! Thanks again guys. Just a noob so will tinker around a bit and check in again if I have any further queries or hit a mental roadblock :) Aug 22, 2012 at 18:39
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I'd try using Lubuntu. It is a tad more streamlined for older, lesser-powered machines. 12.04 should work, if it doesnt, you can always try 11.10 (which is not End-Of-Life yet, at the time of this post.)

(From my experience, Lubuntu works a bit better on older or low-powered systems in comparison to Ubuntu)

Regardless of which version/derivative of Ubuntu you install, you should put a decent-sized swap partition in, i'd recommend > 2GB, so that the swap can kick in if RAM gets eaten up.

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  • Oops I just updated my answer to Lubuntu, which kind of makes this a double answer. How about we merge your answer with mine?
    – Mysterio
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:47
  • @Mysterio no problem. i doubt this will be deleted, because this reflects my comments on the other answers :P
    – Thomas Ward
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:48
  • @Mysterio, deepens my conundrum on which to click as accepted answer? Or can I just click multiple accepts? Cos either way, all of you have been helpful! @ Lord of Time, will ensure the swap partition, though I will have to read a lot more on how to do that and other specifics. Very very very new to Linux :) Aug 22, 2012 at 18:49
  • @MerwinJames you can only choose one answer as the accepted one unfortunately and since you want to run the OS solely via the pen drive I'd recommend a >=4GB one
    – Mysterio
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:51
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    @MerwinJames if you do a default install, it should automatically set up a swap partition, even if you set it up as a dual boot.
    – Thomas Ward
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:55

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