Ubuntu?
 

I have a laptop that my g/f's father wants to use to surf the web and thats just about all. The windows ME system is pretty messed up and wont work with the Linksys wireless router they already have. I mentioned that I might be able to make it work with linux. I have researched and think i want to use Ubuntu
Will it work with that router and can I create a disk using my computer and then run it on his. Also what is the best way to remove the windows OS off of it?

The router isn't a problem, it's the wireless card in the laptop. You need to find out which model it is and check for compatibility on Ubuntu's website. Chances are though that it will be supported since it's old enough that you are still using ME. Either way, you'll almost certainly have to set it up using ndiswrapper as Ubuntu will almost certainly not support it "out of the box".

Ok to address the issue of the router they have already bought one of the USB wifi access things that linksys sells. will ubuntu support that?

I'm confused. The laptop doesn't have a wireless card built in so they are using a wifi device that plugs into the USB port? Is that correct?

Is it the WUSB12? I've never tried using one of the USB jobs under Linux with ndiswrapper so you might want to post on the Ubuntu boards and ask for their help. http://ubuntuforums.org/

well the wireless card no longer works and they bought one of these
It should be plug and play and it isnt working at all. The basic issue is with windows I think. They are gunna pitch the laptop so I thought it would be an interesting project and I have always been intrigued by Ubuntu

It's not plug and play with Ubuntu but it looks like ndiswrapper might support it: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/Ndiswrapper#USB%20Wireless%20Adapter

Ok thanks, So can I create a CD on my computer and then boot it up on the other one after I have wiped windows?

All you need to do is download Ubuntu and save it to you're HDD. Then using whatever cd burning software you have you'll burn the ISO to a cd. Insert the cd and reboot Windows. Upon reboot it will start Ubuntu in live mode which does not install to the HDD but runs just from the cd. Once it has booted it will have a shortcut on the desktop to install Ubuntu. Just follow the on screen instruction then.

I would think you s/b able to use that adapter w/Ubuntu. Have you installed the OS yet? There s/b an option during the install process to completely overwrite any existing OS (sounds like this is what you want).

More importantly than the wireless adapter, does the laptop meet the system requirements for the version of Ubuntu you want to install? If it's old enough to have shipped with ME, that could be an issue.

Last time I installed Ubuntu it still ran as live and then you had to start the installation from the desktop shortcut. Things may have changed, though.

So i need to go ahead and install it on my PC and then just burn it to a pc?

You don't install it on your pc. You download the installation files and burn THAT to a cd. Insert that cd into the laptop and reboot. I suggest you do some research on installations procedures so you don't have any unexpected problems.

I plan to Mark. I was just clearing up some things before i got to deep into this thing. I prolly wont do this anytime this week due to lack of time.

Ubuntu 8.x has drivers for the WUSB54GC built-in. Just fire up NetworkManager in Gnome or KNetworkManager in Kubuntu to configure wireless.

Yes burn the Ubuntu image to a CD, their website guides you in this process, and then reboot your laptop with the CD loaded. It will all run from the CD and you can verify if the wireless card works.

this doesnt look like its gunna be that hard. Its gunna take about 8hrs to download it even on my pretty fast connection.

8 hours to download <700MB is not "pretty fast" :p

That's good news. Now, if I could only get Ubuntu to support my iMac display running within Parallels. ;)

equality72521,
Here is a working xorg.conf file for a Parallels based Linux.