Laptops, Vista, and Linux

[Beshara]

Help!

So I have this lovely little laptop that runs Vista. Problem: I can't install service packs, drivers, or updates of any sort and we don't know why. Tried to fix it, even had professional computer-fixer people try to fix it - handily enough I'm married to one - and it still won't work. XP installs won't take even with driver slipstreaming. I'm done with it.

So I'm tempted to see if I can throw some sort of Linux OS on it - probably Ubuntu since I hear it's noob-friendly - and call it a day.

-Is Ubuntu a good option for a non-Windows OS?
-Will I be able to run games on it?
-Will it hog resources?
-Will I be able to run WoW on it? (Super-amazing performance isn't needed. I just want to be able to do dailies at the coffee shop, or something. I just can't bring my PC to airports with me, etc.)

Lapcompy's specs are -

Dell Inspiron 1520
Intel core2 Duo CPU T7300 (2 GHz)
2 gigs of RAM
NVidia GeForce 8400M GS is the graphics card.

[MrDuck]

Well that notebook should run wow on linux pretty fine. Ubuntu usually installs all the drivers needed and such, and there's a lot of guides and forum topics for troubleshooting just in case, specifically for ubuntu. Here's a bit advanced guide that covers most of what you would need:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WorldofWarcraft
However, usually you can just make sure wine is installed, install wow (or just copy from your other pc to save yourself some time,maybe you'll have to edit config.wtf in wtf folder) and get going, the guides out there start being useful when something doesn't go as supposed, but it usually will.

[Toushiro]

Installing Linux is very simple, Ubuntu has a nice easy to use GUI for installing, to me its kinda like Vista's. I've never used Linux on a computer with NVidia.
but if you got the time, Google up TinyXP rev. 09 and test that out, its a great modded XP meant for gamers (not legal so not gonna link it). TinyXP has a built in driver pack, if you have problems getting WAN working with it then correct a Ethernet cable and try downloading the driver.
(I also recommend making a second account when your done because it only has Admin and then use tweakUI for XP to remove the admin user from the logon screen)

[kolben]

If your laptop is under warranty and you have support for it, I'd really recommend you get that fixed and run some copy of Windows. XP Media Center Edition, or something.

Ubuntu is fine, Linux is... how can I say this. It will work, just don't expect anything spectacular and you won't be disappointed.

If you are feeling adventurous you might even try getting OSX on there.

[Warwench]

Ubuntu is a very good choice.

It will actually feel quite a bit faster than Vista, and use your resources nicer.

I have played WoW on Ubuntu, it's not essentially a point and click install, as you need to run it under Wine, but it does run, and runs well.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WorldofWarcraft

[Beshara]

Thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for Especially re: drivers. Wasn't sure how to get 'em on there after it installed.

I'm not expecting anything *AMAZING*...I just want it to boot up, not crash out of Firefox, not crash out of WoW, not crash out of OpenOffice....><

I'll check on the warrantee just in case, as well.

[Warwench]

i think you will be very pleasantly surprised at just how much nicer it is. If you dont have any *special* windows only programs you use, then Ubuntu makes an excellent replacement OS

Feel free to PM me with questions, i have a lot of experience with linux and ubuntu.