Asus C90s, my experience with var. distros...

For those with similar hardware in my sig, the following distros installed with everything working OTB, in order of easiest (I use a BT Mouse also):

Fedora 8 (gnome) <----------like a dream, easiest of all.
Unbuntu (gnome)<----------like a dream
Mint (gnome)<----------like a dream
Sabayon (kde)<--------everything working in short order
Mandriva 2008 (kde) <----------took some 'fiddling', almost gave up

The following distro worked well except for wireless, and this is the distro I want to use the most:

MEPIS 7.0<-------very easy, but intel 4965 problem...I heard Warren is working on embedding support.

Some other efforts and comments:

Zenwalk.....smooth install with sound, wireless problem but didn't try to resolve. Didn't try Bluetooth. Would like to try this one in a gnome flavor, with wireless working OTB...very FAST!

PCLinuxOS (gnome edition).....very smooth install, wireless not supported yet (my card). I read on the forum over there that no one has gotten my card to work yet. It's not near as radically simple as Fedora and Ubuntu/Mint. It's a keeper, too bad about the wireless.

PClinuxOS (KDE)....same as above.

Note, Bluetooth setup in Fedora was two command lines, 4 I think in Ubuntu and Mint.

Threw this together fast, will edit later. Hope it helps someone trying to decide on a distro.

I'm currently using Fedora 8 gnome. That will change to MEPIS if I can find a wireless solution. Or, I may go back to Ubuntu or Mint, wait, I'm probably better off sticking to Fedora as it's rock solid, but I like boutique distros...oh well...so many choices, so little time

 

Thank you theZoid.

 

Nice.

Can you tell me how to connect to WLAN with Fedora 8? I just got my DVD and it doesn't seem to work the Windows/Mint way. (Mint was a popup saying "networks are available, click here to connect" like in windows ).


Also, why are the gnome of Fedora and mint so different?

 

I'm with you on loving Mepis, it's my favorite distro so far, and I've tried most of the ones you've mentioned here, and a few others as well.

Cool thread, thanks for sharing.

 

JCMS....with wireless, I just left clicked the net icon while still in LiveCD, selected my own wireless net, and it asked for the passkey and voila, I was on. Then I installed. The menu is normal gnome, like Ubuntu. Mint consolidated the menu into one panel, and one drop down menu. You are right about hotkey buttons not working, I'm checking into that now on Fedora forums.

 

Someone on fedora forum told me how. I had to do go to system->administration->services and activate networkmanager

 

JCMS.....for the fn keys to work, go to system>preferences>keyboard and set your keyboard 'type' to Asus Laptop, and the fn keys start working like magic

 

Yeah you told me in a PM but it still don't work.

The hardware related Fn k eys work OTB though (wireless ON/off, brightness and that stuff). The touch pad & volume ones don't work, as the 4 power4gear keys ones

 

touchpad? they work on mine..? the power for gear keys don't, but I never used those anyway except to go into gaming mode in vista.

EDIT: Volume key doesn't work...I was going to map that one.

 

I mean, Fn + F9 to disable to touch pad. I usually use the gear keys though.

They overclocking key brings up the shutdown/log off / restart / hibernation menu in Mint.

 

I see...yes, I never used that one for the touchpad, but probably should have I set my power button to shutdown in Fedora power settings.

 

Ok scoober, I've got MEPIS installed, they are helping me over there with wireless set up because of the 4965 card. It seems very fast. Fedora in all it's glory and solidness, isn't very windows friendly (out of the box) I don't think, but very compatible and easy to set up. I've pretty much boiled it down to Mint and Mepis, with Mepis still being my favorite if I can get wireless up.

 

When you say like dream, does that include suspend/resume, HDMI, and finger scanner? I'm looking at getting either c90, g1s, or ifl90, and Linux is must.

 

I can vouch for suspend/resume on Fedora, Mint and Ubuntu....I never tried HDMI or cared to even bother with the fingerprint scanner as I use it only in Vista to login. I'm talking about basically functionality like wireless, sound, bluetooth, and graphics drivers. I'm trying Mepis right now, and can't get wirelss working,,,embedded support for my card won't be until the next Kernel release....that's really a shame for me So it looks like I'm going back to one of the 'buntu's I guess. I could get my fingerprint scanner working in a VM, but I couldn't see why bother with that.

 

All roads led back to Ubuntu for me, with my hardware. (or Mint) it was toss up.

 

Looks like Mepis, even though it's such a great distro, really dropped the ball on wireless, but at least it's good to know that it will be fixed with the next kernel.

When I get my new notebook, if I can't get wireless working under Mepis, I guess I'll have to try a *buntu to hold me over until it does.

Thanks again for keeping us all up to date on your Linux adventure!

 

Actually, search for 4965 on the forum over there, and there is a rather complex way of doing it on Mepis right now, but you need to be cable connected to the 'net to do it.

 

OK, I checked your thread over there. Sounds like fun...

 

Well, I dug an old 50ft ethernet cable out of the closet yesterday, thought about pulling that out, hooking up directly, and giving it a go so I can download the files needed to get the 4965 working...MEPIS is the only distro that can pull me away from Ubuntu....but of course, that's subject to change lol I might try it again doing it that way.

 

Hi

First of all, I am french, so sorry If I dont speak well english ^^ .

I have just buy an asus C90s.
I-ve remove vista for Xp and Mandriva 2008.0

My probleme is with mandriva, I Have try many ways but I can't make work my Nvidia GF8600M gt.

Wich drive have you used ?
Can you tell me please the steps, from an "fresh installed" mandriva ?

Thx a lot

C u

 

macraft...there is a restricted driver for this card. I don't remember however to install it. I'd check the mandriva forums. My problem with Mandriva was the Intel 4965 card, which worked OTB, but kept disconnecting, a problem I had with every K desktop network manager for some reason.

 

Ok thx.
I will check the forum too.
I don't have an intel chipset on my wireless card but an Atheros, and trust me, It was very hard to make it work ...

thx again

 

I believe you Ubuntu will automatically download the nvidia for you at some point and flag you that it's available. I think Mandriva is similar? I liked Mandriva but that wireless thing was driving me crazy.

 

Ok

So if anyone have a working driver package, or just the name of this package.
Please tell.

Because I am desperate.

^^

++