Need to find a new laptop to install Linux Mint on

WAYT

Skymist wrote: »

As I’ve said, I have Linux Mint Mate 18.1 up and running, and all is good...so far.


I’ve downloaded and installed the “Skype for Linux DEB” version, but have yet to test it! The built in microphone doesn’t appear to be functioning, in the sound preferences page….no lighting up when I talk! This is the only program that I REALLY need to work that might not, as I use it to keep in touch with my son who is in New Zealand, and he uses Macs. I’ve hunted around but can’t find another free VoiP program that we can both use! Also, my Thunderbird ..52.2.1...dosen’t notify me when new mail arrives...like it did on Windows….even though I have set the appropriate alerts in the sound preferences page, and keep resetting it up,‘cos it keeps switching off! And no, I can’t update it, as no updates are being offered, and there is no calendar either!


My final niggle with LM18.1 is that I can’t find a theme which gives the scrollbar arrows, which I would really like to have especially for Firefox! Any suggestions?


As for fixing the 5741, I’m going to ask one of my young neighbours if they know of anyone who fixes PC hardware, as the last time I tried local shops, the first, quite a few years back, wanted £60 to reinstall Windows XP! (that prompted me to learn how to do that!), and the second, £140 for a new backlight! And NO, poppellerant and epninety, I just don’t have the confidence to repair it, even though I’ve done plenty of home DIY….painting, decorating, laying carpets, some woodwork, and I went to Art school years ago… I still don’t feel capable of fixing this!!


TIA S

Why not install Windows 7 to the Aspire 5535? Then you can continue to use the programs to which you have become accustomed
It is simply a matter of updating the firmware.
I've put a package together for you. You'll need an empty USB Flash drive. The smaller the better.

Choose to download and save the updated firmware from this link
Plug the USB drive into the laptop and once it is recognised by the laptop, take note of the drive letter produced. Then run the newly downloaded application as Administrator by right clicking on the application and choosing Run As Administrator.

Make sure that the drive letter in the GUI corresponds with the letter produced when you plugged the USB Flash drive in originally and choose Write.

Once that has been completed, I'll run through the updating instructions.


Changing the inverter or checking the wiring on the 5535 is not as daunting as the disassembling of the 5741.

were

Trambor suggested used Lenovo T430, but do not forget the Dell E6410, E6420 and E6430, ones with an i5 are not bad, but an i7 is better, and go for around £110 to £190. Lnovos are possibly more robust, but the Dells tend to have a higher spec

I would rather buy and old business class laptop, than a new nasty plastic consumer one.

I have to admit I have installed Mint on about 4 different PCs, (they were Intel based) and sound always worked first time. but I have never checked to see if the mic, or camera work.

I would recommend looking on youtube and there are searchable by typing 'Mint to do'. These are vids on the Top 100 things to do after you installed Mint, or Top 7..., Top 8..., Top 10... too, just pick the bits you like from those vids.

Also Mint 18.2 has been released some weeks ago. Here is the vid on how to install skype on it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKTmXq_j8vc (I have not done this, not a skype user)

Skymist

Hi guys....sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. My lovely neighbour has cleaned my laptop, but then the cable wouldn't work, so he bought a new one, and now all is good with my 5741, which he has just returned to me!

And GunJack, I seem to have found myself an independent computer bod in my neighbour,...and he'd only take money for the new cable, and something to help with keeping the lappy cool (can't remember what he said that was....maybe some heatsink compound ), but wouldn't take anything for his time/labour. I gave him £20 and he seemed fine with that!

I have everything working well on the Linux Mint Mate 18.1,bar Skype, which for me is a necessity, to keep in touch with my son and granddaughters in NZ, so I'm delighted to have my Windows 7 back and functioning, if only for Skype! And I didn't need to run any "Linux commands", except when installing f.lux...which works, and Skype, which doesn't!

Thank you all for all your help, it was/is very much appreciated!

S

psychic_teabag

skype is currently being revamped - there is a beta available for linux, but 64-bit only (so doesn't work on my 32-bit linux). There may or may not be a 32-bit version when they come to do the full release. The old app still works for me in chat (typing) mode, and voice calls might work to other old clients.

You can use the web-based interface - for me, it only seems to work using chromium, not firefox, but at least it works. (Well, voice works, at least - haven't tried with video.)

HonourlessWeasel

Skymist wrote: »

My final niggle with LM18.1 is that I can’t find a theme which gives the scrollbar arrows, which I would really like to have especially for Firefox! Any suggestions?

That's just a Firefox thing. I have it on Ubuntu, annoys the hell out of me but there's nothing you can do about it. Use Chromium instead.

Skype for Linux is terrible, it just constantly tells me I'm offline when I'm not. You might find that http://web.skype.com works for you if you haven't tried it already? I've also logged into to outlook.com or maybe account.live.com to use Skype in the past when the application hasn't worked.

I have Ubuntu 16.04 LTS running on a 7+ year old Dell XPS, it has great support for my Wifi, microphone, speakers, webcam.

Skymist

psychic teabag, I'm not sure which bit the 5535 is...the system info on linux says:

Processor: AMD Turion X2 Dual Core Mobile RM - 72 x 2

Linux Mint: 64 bit

Kernal: 4.4.0_92

Memory: 2.7 GiB

It came with Vista installed. but at that time "bits" were not on my mind as the Windows system info. would have told me.So, I installed the 64bit version!

I installed the Skype for Linux Beta 5.4.0.1, presuming that the laptop was a 64bit one, and downloaded the Linux DEB download from https://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-linux/
So this version may not work on the 5535 that I have, if it's the wrong "bit" version; and yes, I also tried the web-based interface, which said that at present, the video-calling wasn't functioning! So, no use to me!

Thanks for the info. about the scroll bar arrows HonourlessWeasel .....that's a real b**mer.

Hopefully by the time my 5741 Windows 7 machine passes away, some-one will have either massively improved Skype for Linux users, or another bright spark will have developed an alternative video-calling enabled, free VoIP for Linux users. I live in hope!

S

HonourlessWeasel

You might want to look into Viber: https://www.viber.com/products/linux/

It appears that the calls to other Viber users are free.

psychic_teabag

Skymist wrote: »

psychic teabag, I'm not sure which bit the 5535 is...the system info on linux says:

Processor: AMD Turion X2 Dual Core Mobile RM - 72 x 2

Linux Mint: 64 bit

...

So, I installed the 64bit version!

Yeah, you have a 64-bit machine (and OS). The 64-bit Mint would not install on a 32-bit machine.

Skymist

Thanks for that HonourlessWeasel . My son has iEverything and MacEverything, so when I have to permanently move to Linux, this should serve us both....might even try it on my Win 7!

Many thanks psychic teabag....I'm not a techie at all, just self taught over the years with the help of Google ( well only DuckDuckGo now) and Youtube, and of course wonderful helpful sites like this one!

And to toshi, who sent me a PM, which I've tried to reply to 2 times now....thanks for your offer of help, but I live in Edinburgh! I fortunately found out that a new neighbour is into computers and he has cleaned and fixed it for me so it's functioning now.

S

50Twuncle

Don't want to throw a spanner in the works / add to the problem but what about Dual Booting - either Linux + Win 7 or even Linux + Win 10 ?