If you are interested in the inner workings of your Linux distribution, it is possible, maybe even easy to edit your Grub configuration file. I am not that driven. So as I mentioned, while installing Ubuntu when it set up Grub, it placed the Windows loader back in the file. It was a lot simpler than getting out the Windows CD and going through the steps of rewriting Windows boot loader to the hard drive master boot record sector of my hard drive.

Eeebuntu is a distribution optimized for Netbooks. My particular Netbook is an Asus 1000HD. It is almost the same as a normal laptop but has a smaller physical size. Ubuntu and Eeebutnu sound pretty similar too. As they are parent and child there is not a lot of general differences between the two *buntu’s.

From Eeebuntu's wiki

What is different in Eeebuntu is the Linux Kernel is optimized for Netbooks. There is also correct screen size options, and a few other modifications. otherwise both *buntu’s are identical. Eeebuntu shares those thousands of programs that are contained in Ubuntu’s repositories. If none of those programs work, like any other Linux there are ways to add almost any program made for Linux, and perhaps a few that are not.

I switched to Eeebuntu because I had the option of downloading and installing a base system. A base install has most extra programs I do not use removed. I went to the Eeebuntu forum and found if I wanted to, someone posted a how to on removing even more programs and files that are not really needed. Saving space is not that important to me so I will let them stay.

One of the great things about Linux rather than Windows is with Linux you have complete control over what is on your computer, and what your computer does. Windows arrives, or is installed on your computer as a complete package. If you do not want a program that is part of the base package, you have no choice but to leave it on your hard drive and not use it. With Linux, if you do not want a certain program installed on your computer, you have the option of removing a program entirely or substituting another program in its place. That is the beauty of Linux.

Eeebuntu having a base edition install option does exactly that without me having to remove programs I do not want. I did select and install programs that I want to use. What this does in addition to having choices, and a smaller portion of my hard disk being used by my operating system is having less programs I do not use on my computer.

With Eeebuntu Base, any Netbook can become a light use business machine, social site based computer, web page design tool, game machine, or any of the uses people use their computer for.

Eeebuntu also has a standard version containing Open Office, and other commonly used programs. If neither of those choices fit your needs, there is also a Netbook remix edition which changes the look of your desktop, and how you interact with your computer.

Eeebuntu like Ubuntu itself is one of the most user friendly Linux distributions around. I would suggest you are comfortable partitioning your hard drive and doing manual hard drive partitioning for your install. If you let the install do the work, it may make changes to your hard drive you do not want.

If you have a Netbook and bounce around with Linux distributions trying to find one that works best, give Eeebuntu a go. It is as modern as the newest Ubuntu, as simple as can be to install, backed by the Ubuntu repositories and forums, plus the Eeebuntu forum , and Wiki.

The Eeebuntu Wiki has an install video and written step by step install instructions. The video is a good start and is more beginner support than some other operating systems may boast of having. Give Eeebuntu Linux a go on your Netbook and find out how much fun computing can really be when you use an OS dsigned for Netbooks!

It started out simply enough, I thought I would check out the new Linux listings at Distrowatch
and see what distributions are popular. There has not been a lot of movement in ratings of different distributions but there were some new releases. I broke out some blank cd’s and off I went.

I started out innocently enough thinking about a recent conversation I had at a local netboook show and tell. One of the people there also uses Linux and we talked about our choices. One distro we both had used in the past was PCLinuxOS and we both agreed PCLinuxOS is a solid distribution. I had moved on to Minime which became obsolete, and he has moved on to Tinyme for his netbook which he runs off a xd card and does not use his hard drive.

He mentioned a recent release of Minime was out. That was my starting point. I found the updated Minme torrent download, downloaded the iso and copied it to cd. Minime said it could not run as a live cd. Oh well, that was fun, not.

Mepis released a new beta iso, and I thought it may run well on my netbook. I downloaded the iso, copied it and started it up. It ran fine as a live cd, so I installed Mepis to my hard drive. mepis installed quickly, and ran okay except it would not shutdown properly. That should have been a hint to stop for the night.

I thought, well maybe Debian would now work with my netbook wireless. Repeat, to install. Debian made it to the wireless configuration but does not support my wireless card. In the past Debian made no changes to my hard drive, but this time that was not the case. Grub was gone and Windows was in jeopardy.

This is where the fun began as midnight came and went. As Zenwalk worked before, except for my wireless card, the new beta may have caught up. Repeat download install sequence. Being a beta, or more likely my Debian almost install and abort, Zenwalk loaded and ran, but Windows was still missing.

One o’clock in the morning was now in the past. I got on the net and looked for an easy was to fix the MBR so Windows could load. That was a wasted forty minutes except I read a method to use Ubuntu to rewrite the Windows loader. Three o’clock in the morning was now history. I had downloaded Ubuntu and repeated the install.

Ubuntu not only loaded painlessly, it found Windows and added it to Grub! The world or at least my netbook was safe once again. It was now almost 3:45 am. The Ubuntu file update notification showed up and I decided I may as well spend a few minutes updating Ubuntu. Wrong thought, thinking it would be a few minutes. The update was quick and painless, but not fast.

Mepis works on my Asus netbook. Debian’s install, and also tells so you before you start. Ubuntu saved the day for me. It may be Ubuntu loads and runs faster than previous releases. Ubuntu is well polished and stable.

In wrapping up, do not seriously think about toying with your computer’s operating system when it is late, or you are tired. Linux Beta’s are not really ready for prime time, or at least dual booting. They make it clear in their release announcement, and they mean it. Staying up later to fix earlier mistakes is not really a good solution.

Linux is a great OS, and the problems were all my doing. Towards the end, I thought perhaps I should download a server version which is pretty stripped down, and add programs I want. After seeing four in the morning, I decided enough was enough for one night.