What to install on my old netbook

Hi everyone.

I have an Asus eeePC 1000HD from late 2008. It originally came with a windows XP home install, but I have it currently in a dual-boot with Ubuntu 11.4. However, as I have finally purchased a new, proper laptop, I find myself no longer needing to run this machine as a primary portable unit.

So, I want to go ahead and format and clean install something on this puppy. I do not have a win7 license to install on it, so naturally I can't take most logical option, so I am left with a few options:

1: Install XP Pro (which I do have a license for) 2: Install XP Home (Also have a license for it) (would be pointless with the XP Pro license, though) 3: Install Xubuntu (I do not like Unity, so will naturally be avoiding normal Ubuntu from now on) 4: Install XP Home from the ASUS DVD, and basically restore the system to how I originally purchase it.

I am personally leaning towards Xubuntu, to have a nice, portable, versatile machine, with good security, etc... However, integration with my primarily windows based home network would be annoying (Samba always acts funny for me), so that could be an issue. I do have a linuix based desktop as well, but I rarely use it, so this would be a good route for replacement.

The XP route would be the most mainstream and would have plenty of benefits on it's own, BUT I really would rather not continue to use such an aged (but very loved by me) operating system. I mean, it's XP. It has it's benifits, but has it's flaws.

I don't want to go dual boot anymore, since I tended to never use Linux unless I wanted to "show off" to friends. Basically, without being FORCED to use one or the other, I simply stuck with Windows.

So, baring that long as heck explanation.. what do you guys think?

pc windows linux eee netbook ubuntu asus xp xubuntu

asked Sep 05 '11 at 17:52

Kurisu
401●2●6●9

10 Answers:

oldest newest most voted

3	Xubuntu! (25 Characters...) answered Sep 05 '11 at 18:35 ojmar 1.5k●31●38●63 Quick and to the point. Thanks. :D (Sep 05 '11 at 20:01) Kurisu 1 Yes there are ways to do that but we don't discuss that here @Super Clone (Sep 09 '11 at 22:28) DJ Scooby Doo

I put XP Home and XP Pro on any old machines I have. Either one seems to work well.

answered Sep 05 '11 at 18:55

Steven Hibbs
4.6k●87●106●156

Yeah, they do work well, and yes, that would certainly be what the machine was built for (as I state, I even have downloaded the ASUS DVD for recovery of these machines.. just lack an external DVD drive) but I am concerned with the general safety of such a machine as support for XP ends.. I still want to use it in what I call "real world" situations as a special task machine... hence my dilemma on just what choice to take. I love XP a ton, but a decade old OS is just a risk in many ways nowadays. I have to tread carefully with it.

(Sep 05 '11 at 20:04) Kurisu

Support for XP SP3 will be around for another couple years. If this is not your primary machine, I'd just reinstall another OS in 2 or 3 years anyway. You might have more options or you might not even be using this machine in 3 years. XP is a safe bet if you ask me.

(Sep 05 '11 at 20:13) Steven Hibbs

Hmn.. that would be pressing this little machine to survive 5+ years total, but I am known for pressing machines as far as they can go: Indeed, my old XP desktop only had to be replaced when I friend half the motherboard checking the voltage on my USB ports: otherwise, I bet I would STILL be using it as a primary machine.

Still, I need to find a way to force myself to use the old girl more... I don't know if a fresh XP install will do that for me, but it would give me a more usable machine in ways VS a linux install.

Hmn...

(Sep 05 '11 at 20:28) Kurisu

Just make sure you use a trusted AV. It can be a free one like MSE or avast! just make sure it's up to date.

(Sep 05 '11 at 22:26) ryebread761

I say 7, if you dont have a licence, use Xubuntu, but if you really dont need it, donate it to a Church or a charity.

answered Sep 05 '11 at 18:40

DJ Scooby Doo
9.5k●237●281●380

Donating would be a good idea, but I spent way too much on this over time to really just let it go. You're right in that I don't "need" it anymore, but computers are things I like to use as best I can until they finally just bite the dust.

Yep.. no valid win7 license to use on this puppy, and in a funny way, me having 7 on it would be pointless, as I could just use my main laptop for anything that wouldn't be more of an "XP only" kind of thing.

That's another vote for Xubuntu chalked up. :D

(Sep 05 '11 at 18:54) Kurisu

Well what do you want to do on this? Since it's a netbook you likely want to do just mostly web browsing and basic tasks so in that case Xubuntu will be the fastest an lightest option. However if you just don't really like Linux don't force yourself to use use it.

answered Sep 05 '11 at 19:57

ryebread761
7.5k●216●242●325

Oh, no, I do love linux. I really would like to use this as a low end device for.. well.. general surfing, special tasks, or situations where taking my new laptop would not be the best option.

I wanted to crowdsource my choices. I am rather indecisive, but knew that the choices I listed are what I COULD, and WANTED to do. I just really wanted the recommendation to help me feel confident with whatever decision I make: Granted I can ALWAYS just change what I have installed, I would still like this to be a solid choice that I would likely not regret.

So far all the feedback has been exactly as predicted, and exactly as I have thought, so I know I am making a good probable decision.

Thanks for your input!

(Sep 05 '11 at 20:01) Kurisu

Ok then I would go with Linux and Your Welcome!

(Sep 05 '11 at 22:28) ryebread761

0	Have you tried other distros like Linux Mint, Fedora (15 is a bit unstable for me) or even Zorin OS. All of them are free so you could try each and see what works for you. answered Sep 06 '11 at 03:25 Louis Jenvey 591●6●9●20

Xubuntu, 120MB ram used after a few minor tweaks.

I use Mint on my laptop with tweaks to drop the ram to 140mb base with compiz. (I always found there was more in the mint repo than ubuntu)

But they both use the annoyingly slow software center. The KDE one is so much faster to use because you can quickly queue apps to install/uninstall. (on a netbook style install I go to bare-bones so there is a lot to get rid of! Thanks CLI)

Depends what you do with it. For me a high powered desktop with win 7 does everything, while a small laptop with Mint is used just for the basics.

The computer/OS is just a tool. Use what you feel most at home with not what other people feel at home with. XP is still OK.

answered Sep 06 '11 at 12:03

SignOff
(suspended)

edited Sep 06 '11 at 12:08

0	Try Chrome OS very nice for a netbook :P answered Sep 09 '11 at 02:11 d4ni3e 371●10●13●21

0	Xubuntu definitely. Its a great lightweight OS! :) answered Sep 09 '11 at 02:24 JordanV 4.1k●63●83●126

0	Well, if you were to only use it really for the Internet, I would say Joli OS. answered Sep 09 '11 at 11:23 HerpDerp 2.1k●15●21●48

0	Xubuntu, because it is a fast operating system that can be used for web browsing and email. answered Sep 10 '11 at 03:30 Ryan1996 91●2●3●8

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Asked: Sep 05 '11 at 17:52

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Last updated: Sep 10 '11 at 03:30

What to install on my old netbook

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