Which OS?

[ad_rach]

Sorry-I know this is in the wrong place but no-one seems to read the notebooks section.
I have just been given an old laptop- an IBM Thinkpad 560x- P233MMX, 40MB RAM and I am wondering what OS would be best to use on it.I basically want to use it for word processing when I'm in the library (I'm a student).I have access to windows 95 and and 98SE to put on it (I have XP Pro too but i'm not that confident! ) but i was wondering whether anyone could recommend any version of Linux which would run faster than either of those.Please bear in mind that I have not used Linux before though so it would have to be an easy version to get used to, and would allow me to easily copy files from my XP Pro-based desktop, and preferably one which supports a wide range of PCMCIA devices, since the laptop has no USB ports.
Also, can anyone tell me what type of memory this laptop is likely to use so I could possibly add some more?EDO?
Many thanks in advance for any help.

no matter how hard you try, you can't polish a turd. :]

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Just wack on XP. Fast, compatable, and stable.

My dick is so big, that my dick has a dick. And my dicks' dick is bigger than yours.

 

[ad_rach]

Wouldn't the lack of RAM make XP too slow, if it would work at all?

no matter how hard you try, you can't polish a turd. :]

 

[ZER0]

first of all xp won't even install unless u have 64mb of ram. if u could get around 80mb of ram i'd put on windows 2000 if not use 98se. to find out about memory goto www.crucial.com

 

[ZER0]

xp won't run worth [-peep-] unless u had AT LEAST 128mb of ram.

 

[evulboo]

i installed win xp home edition on a m8s comp, she had a celeron 700 and 54mb ram, onboard g/c and s/c granted it wasnt the smoothest thing i seen but it worked well enough for music and word.

If u do things right.... People won't be sure you've done anything at all......

 

[gothitbycar]

If you turn all the frills off you can probably get away with 64mb of ram. Essentially you would have to turn it into 2000. Come to think of it, I don't think that laptops harddrive would be big enough for XP.

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[mind went blank]

 

[songoku]

With that slow of a computer, i would personally go with 2000, but you didnt mention that so the next step down would be 98se, but security will be in issue and future driver updates. You may also want to think about any of the "light" versions. By using the light version of an operating system you will lose some minor fuctionality (everything can be done different ways), but you will gain a large proformance increase. And the last time i checked the lite installers were free. (you do however need a copy of the os you are trying to install).

Supporting AMD with your breakable stuff.

 

[ad_rach]

Thanks for the input guys.I'm leaning towards 98SE but does anyone have any linux-based suggestions?-i'm up for trying something new.

no matter how hard you try, you can't polish a turd. :]<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by ad_rach on 07/06/04 08:34 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[endyen]

IBM is very proprietary with it's laptop memory. Take it to a shop, or have problems with ram compatability.