What OS to put in a netbook?

Question

linux

The fashion for netbooks passes, but the devices themselves remain.
So there is such a machine, which faithfully served me for more than one year, with brakes and glitches of which I put up:
DNS 126561 - aka Quanta UW3
Processor Name: Intel Atom N550
Original Processor Frequency: 1500.0 MHz
Number of CPU Cores: 2
Number of Logical CPUs: 4
L1 Cache: Instruction: 2 x 32 KBytes, Data: 2 x 24 KBytes
L2 Cache: Integrated: 2 x 512 KBytes
Module Size: 2048 MBytes
Memory Type: DDR3 SDRAM
Module Type: SO-DIMM
Memory Speed: 533.3 MHz ( PC3-8500)
Video Chipset: Intel GMA 3150
Video Memory: 256 MBytes
300 GiB hard drive
Now it has Windows 7 and for some reason even x64. It slows down no worse than Windows XP slowed down on my first laptop - Compaq Armada 3500 (Pentium II 300Mhz, RAM 128 Mb, HDD 6Gb).
Video: DVD rips sometimes slow down (VLC, especially in MKV). Chrome just slows down when switching tabs. In general, the situation, I think, is clear.
Here, in fact, the question arose: should I put something simpler and easier?
What I want from this netbook:
- of course, the Internet: unstoppable Chrome or Chromium, Skype, Dropbox.
- less working Aptana Studio.
- video without brakes on a beautiful screen 1024x600 :). It is clear that the GMA3150 does not have any hardware decoding, but is there anything that can be done? Permission, more DVD-shnogo I do not ask.
- a simple, smart and roomy (see above about the screen) interface of the system itself.
- a ball (network folder) for windows machines on a home network.
- viewing (albeit not fast) raw (cr2) files (including in the file manager).
I don’t want to install something ancient (XP, for example) (solid problems with firewood and battery).
Therefore, from the options:
- W7 and W8 (I did not try to put the second one on it) - but, again, something will have to be tweaked to slow down less + what bit depth is better to set?
- numerous Linux's - it is clear that Ubuntu c Unity is clearly not rolled here. Due to circumstances, I don’t communicate with Linux often, but I used to dig with Arch and everything seemed to be fine, but their last changes with the elimination of even the installer somehow turned me away from him (maybe in vain).
Advise what to install after all, does it make sense to set x64, does it make much sense to add a 2GB bar?
Thank you all in advance.

Answer 1

Acer ZG5 (AOA150) (memory, disk upgrade) Install
Arch and customize for yourself.
- minimal installation without junk like DM
- zRam
- make a kernel with optimization
- i3wm + urxvt (terminus font) + dmenu solves
- mplayer for video (720 does not slow down, but more is not necessary. maybe it will sometimes lag on dynamic scenes)
- chromium for web (in general, everything is fast. video flash 720 goes worse than in mplayer)
- perks to taste (dnsmask, tmpfs, xbindkeys, redshift, etc., etc.)
- vim / sublime to taste
Everything flies and is very convenient (I personally find it convenient ). The only negative is the screen (1024x600). Resolution could have been higher.
PS earlier it had ubuntu 10.x with gnome+guake and no grades. it was not so convenient because of the gnome, but it was not so slow. yeah, it sucked...

Answer 2

I have an Asus EeePC 1005pe on a single core Atom N450 and 2 gigs of RAM. It's currently running Ubuntu 13.04. Works faster than native Win 7 Starter. Video in HD (720p) is played normally by most players. And mplayer, it seems, even plays some FullHD (1080p) files without brakes. The operating time remains at least the same as on Windows. Or maybe even work longer in power saving mode. In general, I have never regretted it. The only thing that spoils the impression a little is that sometimes Unity slows down. Now I'm thinking of trying Xubuntu, in theory xfce should be faster.

Answer 3

As a second OS, you can put KolibriOS habrahabr.ru/company/kolibrios/
Yes, while our OS cannot cover most of the features that are in large OSes, but we are developing.

Answer 4

I once put an arch on my eeePC701 (even before the arch rolled off). So far it works great. By the way, the unfortunate 4GB SSD shoved the “incomprehensible”: there are development tools, and latex, and a bunch of other stuff.
Now, however, this toy is used only as a radio receiver (since years of operation have shown that the netpuk is no good for anything else).

Answer 5

Alas, in order to put Linux on a netbook and not lose it in the battery, you need to dig into the kernel.
That is, if it is critical, then it is worth installing win7 x32, separating the user and the administrator and smoking forums, how to throw away everything unnecessary and how not to litter the system.
If not critical, then install Linux also 32 bits.
What to put: you can Mint, or you can use xfce as a window manager. As a player use mplayer + gui addon. If something slows down in the gui, you can start mplayer itself. This is how I watch the latest OnePiece series (labeled as HD) on my netbook.
There is no point in 64 bits in your case, but the memory will not be superfluous, especially with Chromium.

Answer 6

Feel free to install the latest Ubuntu, it’s on my nettop and it doesn’t blow in the mustache, even the pictures have enough power to trim

Answer 7

The answer, as always, depends on whether you need to get a result, or is it interesting (and maybe useful) to spend time?
If the first is Windows. But it's boring: set it - it works. :)
If the second is Linux. And you have something to spend several months on in the process of “finishing for yourself”
Alas, Linux (well, except for very marginal options) for seven years already cannot be called “light”, “undemanding to hardware” and “occupying little disk space” . No, I don’t argue, all this from him, in the end, can be achieved, but ... see paragraph 1 :)

Answer 8

I recommend ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubuntu
The only minor drawback is that AbiWord included in it is not able to open almost any document, so if you want to work with local office documents, you will have to install LibreOffice from the standard repository. Made by one team. To watch the video - smplayer and VLC are also installed from ready-made packages.

Answer 9

Linux Mint with Mate.

Answer 10

Not according to the conditions, so not according to the conditions, but my choice is definitely Windows XP. There are no problems with the drivers if the arms are straight.
Everything newer (video - Intel GMA 3600) already has it, at least with video drivers.
MSI Wind U90, U120 - ideal
Samsung N100, N106, N150 - normal flight

Answer 11

I advise you to install Windows 8, before updating the memory to the maximum (4Gb? 8Gb?)
This is if your main OS is Windows.
You can also install Linux, but I say right away that it is much more demanding on hardware and free time.

Answer 12

Cool question :)

Answer 13

Thank you all for the minuses :)
And for the plus - separately.
As a result, Arch is now standing - I still overcame conservatism and laziness, smoked manna and realized that everything is not so scary. In less than a day, I acquired a bunch of skills:
1. Found and rebuilt with unsupported flags (especially for x86_64) the kernel-netbook.
2. With the help of xneur, I acquired a glitch in the xfce terminal (the character “C” is randomly printed).
3. I install software from AUR as a root.
4. I especially like to install software that pulls the whole Gnome, KDE, Qt.
No, in fact, everything works predictably and stably. A few links in transliteration modes (if you have already installed the Russian locale, but haven't picked up the font yet) - and all the smoke (in the sense, manuals) of the world is at hand :). For without them, nowhere. And then at first the same kernel was not installed due to the presence of the official i686 version only. But by the evening, I brazenly slipped Aptana and md5 sources into its package, which the package itself could not download.
Of course, everything is not at all smooth, but it works quite fast. Video in my any since the days of W2k and XP mplayer (in 7 with Aero it works through a stump deck), of course, does not slow down. In Chrome, you can open more than 10 tabs.

Answer 14

On my netbook with Win XP, there is such a problem: after installation, everything seems to fly, several months pass, it will pull updates and ... Bobich died. The brakes start unrealistic.
Now I put a mint - the brakes are the same as those of XP after updates :)
Still looking for a suitable OS. Needed exclusively for Odnoklassniki and Skype (the laptop will go to the mother-in-law - if she is not okay) :)