Installing Linux Mint for some computers to be donated

[TechBoyJK]

I have like 15 P4 2.4ghz systems with 1GB RAm and 18GB+ hard drives.

A local church wants to setup a small lab for surfing the web, etc. They're going to get some basic 17" lcd's, and I'm going to donate most of the computers I have.

Thing is, they don't have licenses for MS Windows, and they said they might be able to get some down the line. But I want to get them started. I'm planning on just installing Linux Mint so they at least have a clean desktop, easy to use interface, and a big icon for FIREFOX.

I started installing Linux Mint on some of the workstations, and all is well except for a couple of issues.

1. Some of the machines aren't supporting sound. Basically, the onboard audio is not supported, and the hardware does not show up in the Linux install. I'd like to have sound on all of the machines. Does anybody have recommendations for some cheap sound cards that I could get that are supported by Linux? I'm not wanting to spend more than $10 per sound card.

2. Sleep mode. I've noticed that many of the machines won't come out of sleep mode. After about an hour of idle time, the machines "go to sleep", but I can't do anything to wake then up. I've been googling this and haven't found much. Any ideas? I'm going to just, if anything, turn sleep mode off completely, but I'm curious what the problem is.

Thanks!

 

[lxskllr]

Are you SURE sound isn't supported? What chipset do they use? Personally I wouldn't get too hung up on sleep. Older computers didn't do it that great on any O/S, and Linux seems to be pickier to me in that regard. I'd just turn the computers on in the morning, and off in the evening. The monitors should power down nicely.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Well, I figured I would just turn off the sleep option so they didn't go down in the first place, but I was just curious if there was a reason or a common reason why they were going down for sleep, but I couldn't do anything to wake them up.

On those in which sound wasn't supported, I didn't really look further into the chipset, just that Linux Mint didn't have the driver for the sound card, therefore, no sound. On many of the machines, the sound card was supported, driver found, and it works just fine. I checked the sound drivers on those that don't work and it doesn't show that a sound card is installed.

 

[Crusty]

It's because everybody has a slightly different and slightly broken ACPI implementation, or at least used to. It's been getting better lately, but there are still problems.

 

[Binky]

Don't forget that M$ provides software at reduced volume rates to "eligible nonprofits." I'm sure somebody around here has an idea of the price structure for those 15 machines.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/licensing-options/for-industries.aspx#tab=4

 

[lxskllr]

If it were me, I wouldn't push Windows too hard for their purposes. Virus reduction alone is a good reason for running Linux, and you'll probably have fewer people who "know what they're doing" breaking the systems. That's all assuming you can get the Linux boxes working acceptably for the intended purposes.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Yea, they just want them primarily for surfing the web. Just to have some workstations sitting there that church members can swing in and use whenever. I figured a non windows OS with a big ICON that says "INTERNET" would suffice. And it's a piece of cake to reinstall. If they ever have problems, just put in the Mint CD, follow the instructions, next next next next, and bam, you have a clean install.

 

[Binky]

For the sound issues, maybe something like this would work:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22475

Pros: Cheap as it gets
Cons: Can be easily stolen (buy a few extras)

 

[Paperlantern]

I would honestly agree with lxskllr on this one. Keep Mint. Its virtually indestructible to the average user that "knows what they are doing in windows". Virtually no file is editable or deletable even if they went into the directory tree unless they knew enough to "open as root" form the file menu. Additionally, as was mentioned, the resistance to viruses that mint has, especially for a workstation where primary use will be surfing the web, is priceless. If they absolutely need windows, maybe change one or two for something they might absolutely have to have that linux doesn't support (maybe use those couple that wouldnt load the sound for this), but for the most part, stick with Mint.

 

[TechBoyJK]

I would honestly agree with lxskllr on this one. Keep Mint. Its virtually indestructible to the average user that "knows what they are doing in windows". Virtually no file is editable or deletable even if they went into the directory tree unless they knew enough to "open as root" form the file menu. Additionally, as was mentioned, the resistance to viruses that mint has, especially for a workstation where primary use will be surfing the web, is priceless. If they absolutely need windows, maybe change one or two for something they might absolutely have to have that linux doesn't support (maybe use those couple that wouldnt load the sound for this), but for the most part, stick with Mint.

This is what I am going to do. It's really easy to install, so I could make a quick writeup on how to get it setup if they would ever need to reinstall it. Next Next Next Next create a user next next next

Also, the Install CD offers a Live Mint so that if anything, they just boot to the CD and surf the web off the live cd.

 

[lxskllr]

I assume Mint works the same way as Ubuntu, but you might want to block distribution upgrades in Update Manager. They could end up with a major upgrade that breaks something.

 

[Satyrist]

I assume Mint works the same way as Ubuntu, but you might want to block distribution upgrades in Update Manager. They could end up with a major upgrade that breaks something.

Or, at least stick with a LTS release...One probably ought to be out within 5-6 weeks or so, but I would realize that time might be an issue here.

 

[lxskllr]

Or, at least stick with a LTS release...One probably ought to be out within 5-6 weeks or so, but I would realize that time might be an issue here.

Does Mint Have an LTS release also? I never played with it much. To me, it looked like Ubuntu for all intents and purposes, with a couple GUI changes I didn't care for. Do their main updates come through Ubuntu?

 

[Satyrist]

Does Mint Have an LTS release also? I never played with it much. To me, it looked like Ubuntu for all intents and purposes, with a couple GUI changes I didn't care for. Do their main updates come through Ubuntu?

Mint 5 was based off of Ubuntu 8.04...

Mint 10 is supposed to be LTS as well.

 

[Paperlantern]

Mint 5 was based off of Ubuntu 8.04...

Mint 10 is supposed to be LTS as well.

Wow 9 isnt even out yet, i had no idea there was already a plan for LTS on 10. Thats good though, and would make sense since the last LTS is due to expire in a year. 10 should be out by then.

 

[Satyrist]

Oh, then it might be 9 instead....I get so confused with the version naming these days.