Linux on Toshiba Tecra 8100

Picked up a new "craptop" this week. I like to occasionally buy a cheapie laptop to play around with, run Linux and sometimes mod.

This time, a Tecra 8100 (600mhz PIII w/ 192mb RAM) is my victim.

I installed Ubuntu 8.10, but had sound issues* , so I messed around w/ Vanilla Debian and actually finally settled on CrunchBang Linux (an Ubuntu variant running OpenBox Window Manager).

Everything is working out of the box on this thing. I know it's slow. I know the battery holds a charge for 15 minutes w/ the wifi card installed. BUT. I paid $50. It works. And it may just get a paintjob like the REALLY slow one I played with last time (pictured below). Actually, after looking at how good that one came out, this one will definitely get a paint job. Maybe a nice red to offset the silver and charcoal...


*Blonde Moment: Volume Dial was turned down on the front of the machine. There really was no sound issue).

 

Front loading Floppy drive FTW!!! :wink:

Fiddy bux ain't bad for something that works!

 

That laptop looks like a budget version of Acer's Lamborghini series.

 

Kudos for the paint job, what kind of paint did you use?
A can of paint and then multiple thin layers?
It looks very good!

 

Thanks. The name of the paint eludes me as that was done a while ago, but it was a Spray Enamel from Murrays Auto Store. Whichever one comes in "School Bus Yellow". I actually started w/ one coat of white primer then did several thin layers of yellow and two clear.

That was a great "looking" laptop that ran like crap.

I really need to decide if I am keeping this Tecra or not before I go and paint it.

***EDIT
The paint is Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel. Color was indeed SCHOOL BUS YELLOW.

 

Was it an old celery? Or a Cyrix or something? At least with a PIII you get some L2, should be smooth enough for most light tasks at least. The paintjob is nice

 

That one was an AMD k6. It was dog slooooooooow.

I think I am going to keep this one. Crunch Bang Linux is running pretty nicely.

Might get some RAM and possibly even a new hard drive...