Fastest and lightest OS for netbook (Acer Aspire One)

[steppinthrax]

I have a a Acer Aspire One (daughter). Windows 7 runs horrible on it. I decided to put Ubuntu on it (also ran bad). I finally put elementary OS on it. It seems to run better but I'm having the following issues (most likely related to the low hardware).

-delayed typing
-laggy graphics
-general slow

This uses a 1.6Ghz processor (32-bit) with 2 gigs of ram. I was thinking maybe Android might run better?

 

[sm625]

Windows xp embedded with EWF mode.

 

[kommisar]

Your best bet is a 32bit linux running lxde. This combination will be the best balance between functionality and low ram usage. My suggestion - try debian live i386 lxde and see how it works. If it is sufficient then install to the hard drive. To try running from a usb stick, download the iso including the nonfree firmware (maybe necessary for the wireless card) from here:

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/u...bian-live-8.0.0-i386-lxde-desktop+nonfree.iso

Then follow these instructions to copy the iso to a usb stick:

https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch04s03.html.en

You will then have to set the bios/uefi to boot from the usb stick. You will have to turn off secure boot. Debian jessie is pretty good about booting under uefi, but you may have to enable legacy mode if it can't boot.


Running the live distro will give you an idea of how the system will run with that cpu and modest ram. 2Gb should be just enough for the lxde desktop environment and iceweasel to function. You probably wont be multitasking with this system though

 

[kommisar]

Your best bet is a 32bit linux running lxde. This combination will be the best balance between functionality and low ram usage. My suggestion - try debian live i386 lxde and see how it works. If it is sufficient then install to the hard drive. To try running from a usb stick, download the iso including the nonfree firmware (maybe necessary for the wireless card) from here:

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/u...bian-live-8.0.0-i386-lxde-desktop+nonfree.iso

Then follow these instructions to copy the iso to a usb stick:

https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/i386/ch04s03.html.en

You will then have to set the bios/uefi to boot from the usb stick. You will have to turn off secure boot. Debian jessie is pretty good about booting under uefi, but you may have to enable legacy mode if it can't boot.


Running the live distro will give you an idea of how the system will run with that cpu and modest ram. 2Gb should be just enough for the lxde desktop environment and iceweasel to function. You probably wont be multitasking with this system though.

 

[ninaholic37]

I have a a Acer Aspire One (daughter). Windows 7 runs horrible on it.

I never had this problem, at least after removing it's OEM junkware like McAfee, Norton, etc. and using Pale Moon Atom Version

 

[ArisVer]

Any XFCE variant will run well on that machine.

 

[sbpromania]

What about Lubuntu? I think that it's the best bet for you, considering your specs.

 

[Essence_of_War]

I have a a Acer Aspire One (daughter). Windows 7 runs horrible on it. I decided to put Ubuntu on it (also ran bad). I finally put elementary OS on it. It seems to run better but I'm having the following issues (most likely related to the low hardware).

-delayed typing
-laggy graphics
-general slow

This uses a 1.6Ghz processor (32-bit) with 2 gigs of ram. I was thinking maybe Android might run better?

Have you considered Puppy Linux? It runs really well on older hardware.

http://puppylinux.org/main/Download Latest Release.htm

Tahr Puppy tracks ubuntu 14.04 packages, Quirky puppy is fun if you like to live on the edge, and if you're a slackware fan, there is even Slacko Puppy that is compatible with slackware 14 binaries.

 

[lxskllr]

I have Xubuntu on a machine with similar specs, and it works fine. Pretty much any of the lighter GNU/Linux desktops will work, and it comes down to features you want. I like Xfce for feature/lightness balance. You won't get much lighter without getting significantly harder for a "regular" user. IOW, going much lighter will be much less like a Windows experience, and people that aren't "into" computers might have problems.

 

[mikeymikec]

I have a a Acer Aspire One (daughter). Windows 7 runs horrible on it. I decided to put Ubuntu on it (also ran bad). I finally put elementary OS on it. It seems to run better but I'm having the following issues (most likely related to the low hardware).

-delayed typing
-laggy graphics
-general slow

This uses a 1.6Ghz processor (32-bit) with 2 gigs of ram. I was thinking maybe Android might run better?

I upgraded an Acer Aspire One from 2 to 4GB RAM (it had Win7 64 installed), it made a fair bit of difference.

Check that you're using the 'balanced' power profile on it.

 

[OrionMaster]

Ms-dos 6.0

 

[vailr]

Quote:
steppinthrax
I have a a Acer Aspire One (daughter). Windows 7 runs horrible on it. I decided to put Ubuntu on it (also ran bad). I finally put elementary OS on it. It seems to run better but I'm having the following issues (most likely related to the low hardware).

-delayed typing
-laggy graphics
-general slow

This uses a 1.6Ghz processor (32-bit) with 2 gigs of ram. I was thinking maybe Android might run better?

I upgraded an Acer Aspire One from 2 to 4GB RAM (it had Win7 64 installed), it made a fair bit of difference.

Check that you're using the 'balanced' power profile on it.

Running a 64-bit O.S. on a 32-bit CPU?: that doesn't seem very likely to work.

 

[mikeymikec]

Running a 64-bit O.S. on a 32-bit CPU?: that doesn't seem very likely to work.

Not all Acer Aspire Ones have 32-bit only CPUs. The Acer Aspire One 722 has an AMD C-60 in apparently, which I know for two facts is a 64-bit capable CPU, the second of which being that I have another customer's laptop sitting at home right now running Win8.1 64-bit.

Having said that, the OP's machine might only have a 32-bit capable processor, the Acer Aspire One label has been around since something like 2008 or 9 I think, which might put it in early Intel Atom territory (which was definitely 32-bit only).

However, considering that the OP says this one is running Win7, it has to be newer than late 2009 (unless the OP upgraded it).

@ OP

The laggy text issue doesn't seem right even for that class of processor. Is this when you're doing say a Google search or even when you're typing into the plainest of plain text editor programs?

Can you provide the exact specs of this netbook? Have you tested the storage system for any hardware faults?

I encountered an early Aspire One with an Atom CPU in which had a storage system in that was so slow that I think an SD card would have given it a run for its money. I think technically it was an SSD but it worked more like an ancient flash drive running on USB 1 IIRC OpenOffice took something like an hour to install on it.

 

[steppinthrax]

You know what guys.

I tried installing some other flavors of Linux and they all ran slow as hell. I then finally decided to load up Windows XP SP3. It was very slow to install and gave me all kinds of issues.

I had a thought maybe I should try installing the OS that came with it. I installed Windows Vista Home (32). It's fast now!!!! I've already updated drivers and installed a few more apps (all running in bg) and it runs very reasonable.

So what's special about vista. I'm thinking Windows 7 will run well as well?

 

[sbpromania]

Windows Vista faster than Linux flavors, XP and 7? This is something I want to see with my eyes...

There's nothing special about Vista, it should run slower than the others, it's strange that it seems faster to you.

 

[JackMDS]

I guess that there is something in the saying..

"You can not get Blood out of stone".

 

[steppinthrax]

Windows Vista faster than Linux flavors, XP and 7? This is something I want to see with my eyes...

There's nothing special about Vista, it should run slower than the others, it's strange that it seems faster to you.

This is a intel atom processor. IDK. I think maybe vista has some coding that is more capable of handing the atom? I was reading an article somewhere talking about how Windows 8 runs faster on older hardware?

 

[ninaholic37]

Is your CPU an Atom N270? That one doesn't even have an iGPU and shares the CPU for graphics I think. I'm surprised that your netbook came with Vista Home and 2GB Ram, did you buy it used/refurbished? What programs do you normally use? Vista is not "light" and neither are most Microsoft programs in Vista so using it would go against the title of this thread. :awe:

 

[steppinthrax]

Is your CPU an Atom N270? That one doesn't even have an iGPU and shares the CPU for graphics I think. I'm surprised that your netbook came with Vista Home and 2GB Ram, did you buy it used/refurbished? What programs do you normally use? Vista is not "light" and neither are most Microsoft programs in Vista so using it would go against the title of this thread. :awe:

It's a z520 1.33. I believe it came with a single 2 gig stick. Someone updated the hard drive (250gig 5200 rpm).

 

[steppinthrax]

Windows Vista faster than Linux flavors, XP and 7? This is something I want to see with my eyes...

There's nothing special about Vista, it should run slower than the others, it's strange that it seems faster to you.

I tried elementary OS and even some of the small OS that run on a USB stick and they were slow and poky.

Let me describe to you the slowness in elementary.

"Upon bootup when I would move my mouse pointer towards the bottom where the icons were there would be a noticeable delay in the popups and the icons would not jump up in a smooth fashion but a jerky (3 frames) fashion"

In addition programs would just be generally slow.

I guess the only thing I'm thinking is I fubared the installation. I just did a plane jane 32-bit install on a usb stick and ran the thing. Maybe I need to configure it more????

What are the steps to that.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

There are a bunch of Atom CPUs out there with PowerVR GPUs. The only drivers that work are available for Windows Vista and Windows 7, 32-bit only.

 

[ninaholic37]

I found a model that matches OPs specs (AO751h-1211):

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5011539
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115577R

So an Aspire One does exist, with 2GB RAM and Vista Home Basic. Interesting.

 

[JackMDS]

I have 11" Intel Atom Tablet from few years ago.

Beside having a 64GB SSD it is in the class of your Aspire.

When benching, it scores similar to the old Pentium Mobile Laptops (like Dell D-600).

I had a Dell D-600 running Win 7 Starter functionally reasonable Speed.

The Intel Atom Tablet was running slow with Win 7 Home Premium, Currently it doing slightly better with Win 8.11.

That said functional Speed is in the eyes of the beholder and if the user feels uncomfortable get another computer. After all it is just an object of Plastic/Glass/silicon not a person.

 

[vailr]

I found a model that matches OPs specs (AO751h-1211):

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5011539
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115577R

So an Aspire One does exist, with 2GB RAM and Vista Home Basic. Interesting.

Except: the OP said his machine's CPU is 1.6 GHz; the TD machine is 1.33 GHz.
I'd suggest trying Win10 beta, since it's free to try out.

http://forums.anandtech.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[steppinthrax]

Except: the OP said his machine's CPU is 1.6 GHz; the TD machine is 1.33 GHz.
I'd suggest trying Win10 beta, since it's free to try out.

http://forums.anandtech.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

I misspoke. I thought initially it was 1.6. It's 1.33.

That advertisement is phenomenal because everything there matches this laptop on specs point to point.