Unix in a low cost laptop (Part 2)

The last weekend I restarted my game with Solaris. I downloaded the las release (8/07) and attempted to install it.... with the same results like before. I'm very disapointed: my laptop is the most common system in the market -I think-, with the Intel 945 chipset.

Then, a few days ago, Ben Rockwood published in his blog that the openSolaris community published the new release of the Nevada OS (Solaris open source test build) with a new installer. Downloaded and a new test.... better but not working. Better? Why?... because the installer starts to configure '/dev' but after more than half hour it is still configuring the same (nothing). The machine seems to be not halted (the cursor is still moving) but no led is flashing (hard disk or dvd).

I think the openSolaris community is going to repair this problems soon and then I will be the most happy user of it. Unfortunately my system knowledge and I programming skills are not enought to do this job.. snif.

Well, at the end my Acer laptop is running the last release of Ubuntu (7.10 Gutsi). It isn't as beauty as Fedora but all people says is the best for home use. After change the appearance theme I'm going to test this Compiz window manager. Now is fast as Vista (not very much at all).

See you.

Unix in a low cost laptop (Part 1)

Hey,
following the last post, I tried to install Solaris in my laptop. It's an Acer Aspire 5633 (Intel T5500 Centrino Duo). This laptop comes with Vista Home Premium and to avoid problems with the original installation I had bought a new hard disk this morning. Installing it was easy and then..

First attempt was with Solaris 6/06 (Update 3). I know that it isn't the last version but I have the original DVD's from Sun. Failed... the installation hangs unable to find the hard disk. Seems that this version doesn't have the correct drivers for the chipset. Searching in the Sun forums found that this new chipset has different controllers for ATA devices (serial and Parallel separately).

Second attempt with Solaris Express 2/07. It detected the hard disk OK but hang preparing partitions.. ouff. After this fails I start downloading the latest release of Solaris (8/07). Maybe new drivers were prepared.


At the end I installed Fedora 7 64bits.... Impressive performance .. really fast to install and to work. Now I'm going to play with Fedora some days... I'll maintain you informed...