What Linux for a Vista laptop

**1101** · 23-08-2018, 12:39 PM

Whats the easiest Linux flavour to install on a Vista era laptop . (Tosh Sat Pro)
Just to play around with, so something thats easiest to configure & most likely to have laptop wifi drivers etc built in
Also , something thats a reasonable sized download : no 3Gb ISO's :-)

HD OK to be wiped ,wont be dual booting . Its got an SSD at the mo so that should help speed wise

I tried Neverware Chromebook clone OS, but thats just too basic, just a browser .

**1101** · 23-08-2018, 12:41 PM

Its been many many years since Ive installed Linux, back then it was not the easiest . I assume the install is alot easier now ?

**B.M.** · 23-08-2018, 01:35 PM

I'd start with Mint - ver 18.0 - Sarah - with Cinnamon Desktop and upgrade from there if you want. I've ver 18.0 on my main computer and 18.2 on a laptop and both work fine.

However, there are a lot of people on this forum with a lot more experience than me, but so far I haven't found any reason to experiment, as everything just works, including a lot of Winwoes programmes.

**KarameaDave** · 23-08-2018, 01:51 PM

yes to Mint, but 18 is old, go for 19 this is a reasonably fast mirror
http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/linuxmint/stable/19/
either cinnamon or mate x64 but get v2

**1101** · 23-08-2018, 02:15 PM

I dont really want to download 1.8Gb (at work)

Might have to buy from Trademe. That used to be cheap .

**gary67** · 23-08-2018, 06:28 PM

What about Puppy small download and works well on some older hardware, I have run it on old XP machines before

**piroska** · 23-08-2018, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by B.M.

I'd start with Mint )

+1

**wainuitech** · 23-08-2018, 10:51 PM

Linux Lite-- Currently got it on a VM its allocated 1GB Memory and runs quite fast.

Works a LOT faster and better than Mint on lower Resources.

https://www.linuxliteos.com/

**wainuitech** · 23-08-2018, 11:03 PM

Add to above, just found out the Settings are a SH!T load easier to alter in Lite than Mint - that's a PITA !! Its more like Windows in its layout and operation.

**mzee** · 24-08-2018, 12:31 AM

I use Mint 18.3 most of the time, only use windows when I have to maintain websites etc. The Mint loader picks up any systems added in a multi-booting situation. I have it on the following computers, Dell Vostro 1015 bought in 2010, Dell Mini 12 2013, HP Stream 2016, Dell 17 5000 2018. Supports both MBR and GPT partition tables, also UEFI. If you wan't something really small, with a good selection of software try Fat Dog 64bit, developed from Puppy Linux.