Netbook Cleanup

[beemerron]

I've got an asus netbook running xp. It's a constant struggle to keep the "c" drive clean. Once I got it up to 120mb free, then all of a sudden it went down to 19. I've got 4 gigs free outta 7.5gigs on "d" and a 16gig "e" ssddjfjsbn3bb thing that got plenty of room.
I try getting rid of shit i don't use, using "program remove" but always punk out when it warns me about it's removal screwing up other shit.
Basically, i use this thing for emails, Garmin and porn .

Should I take this thing to a "pro", explain my needs and desires (exclusive of the porn thing) and have them do their magic?

[SnowMule]

if all you're using it for is GPS/email/porn, dump windows and install ubuntu. Won't have to worry about viruses/etc either.

[beemerron]

How's the change over. I've read that I can repartition my hard drive w/ that o/s(?). Can I do this w/ a mimeograph machine?

[FlySniper]

Originally Posted by beemerron

How's the change over. I've read that I can repartition my hard drive w/ that o/s(?). Can I do this w/ a mimeograph machine?

The Ubuntu install is sooo easy you'll feel like a fool for worrying over it, seriously. Get the Netbook Remix version, intstall it to a jump drive and see how you like it It will be 10x slower than normal, but will give you a good feel for it without touching your Windows intstallation.

If you install directly from CD the whole process will be over in 15 minuets.
And, yes, you can dual boot, the setup will ask if you'd like to share the drive and keep both OS's... it adds more time because Linux picks up that mess of a file system (NTFS) and neatly scoots it over.

As for the Garmin.... I might be out of the loop... are they working with Linux now???


A mimeograph.... why not, Linux runs on so many things (DVD players, DVR's, cell phones... a large portion of the worlds super computers.... a dude even built a Linux controlled toaster...).

[shirojiro]

Go here:

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewforum.php?id=53

Read the stickies.

I'm replacing the slower SSD with a 32 GB Runcore SATA drive. I'll put the OS on that, and use the 4GB drive for extra storage.

Never tried Ubuntu, but I'm curious...

[Ducman69]

Bah on Ubuntu, its one of the better distros, but the average Windows user will not be happy with it, which is evidenced by the high return rate of Ubuntu netbooks to manufacturers (and reason some stopped offering the option altogether as the returns were costing more than the overpriced Windows licenses).

Download and run CCleaner (short for crap cleaner).
http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/?tag=mncol

(for registry cleanup, back it up to your desktop first when it prompts you to do so)

It also has remove programs option there thats the same as in control panel. Remove the shit you don't need, you can reinstall 99% of it off the internet if you decided you needed it, or just make a list and ask here first.

Remove the mexican donkey porn movies, or at least put them on the SDHC card. Seriously, check your documents folders for music/videos and move them.

Right click the recycle-bin and go to properties and set it to delete immediately.

Right click 'my computer' go to properties, advanced, performance settings, advanced, and set to no paging file.

Also go to system protection while there and disable that.

Go to control panel, power options, hibernate, uncheck enable hibernation.

Personally, I'd also recommend installing a Windows skin because XP looks old and shitty. Just google uxtheme.dll replacer, its real easy. Best skin is SlanXP V2 in my opinion. I'd also install RocketDock which is free. Can see em below.

I bought a little netbook for every member of the family, and made little color matching themes for em! Netbooks for the win!!!



Pink Power:


Black Panther:


White Supremac'ah:

[westnash]

Originally Posted by shirojiro

Go here:

http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewforum.php?id=53

Read the stickies.

I'm replacing the slower SSD with a 32 GB Runcore SATA drive. I'll put the OS on that, and use the 4GB drive for extra storage.

Never tried Ubuntu, but I'm curious...

Those SSD drives are just not ready for prime time yet it seems.

[Stegerman]

I have mini 9 that came with Ubuntu. Also, while I plan on upgrading the hard drive, now I only have a 4gb..

So I downloaded a product called nlite, used it to strip down XP pro taking out about 1.5gb worth of crap. I run Opera as my webbrowser (tiny footprint) and am very happy. YRMV

[nitsuj]

I think some folks have manged to get their netbooks to run Mac. That would also fix it.

[beemerron]

Ran the CCleaner and now sitting @ 251mb free, which works for me.

thanks for the input, folks.

[Rectaltronics]

Originally Posted by SnowMule

if all you're using it for is GPS/email/porn, dump windows and install ubuntu. Won't have to worry AS MUCH about viruses/etc either.

Fixt... ^

There are viruses and trojans for many platforms now and there are nearly as many holes being found on all of those platforms. The only difference has been the attention from the writers of malicious software, whom historically have been focused on Microsoft products. The focus is becoming wider now, as other platforms gain popularity and as the purpose of malware shifts from vandalism and bragging rights to profit and organized crime.

Do not be complacent, kids, whatever OS you choose.

[shirojiro]

You can also create junctions to move crap from C: to D:

The eee PC forum is full of helpful stuff.

The read/write speeds of the cheaper SSDs are really bad. I made the mistake of trying an early 64GB Supertalent SSD that has speeds of something like 40/15. Really slows the system down, even with pagefile off and 2GB RAM installed.

The 32GB SSD from Runcore is something like 120/40, so it should pick things up a bit, I hope.

I'm not very well versed in souping up PCs, but a lot of these tweaks have been worked out by uber-geeks elsewhere. I guess it's not too much unlike what we do here for bikes and kitting them out. Someone has to try and report on the results...

[Mercury264]

Originally Posted by nitsuj

I think some folks have manged to get their netbooks to run Mac. That would also fix it.

Fix what, the speed of the SSD

I love it when a jobbie responds to a thread that has nothing to do with Macs.

[subybaja]

I've got a 4gb EEE that's headed to Clist for that exact reason. 100 MEGABYTES free? Puleeze. I'm just not interested in dinking with ubuntu/nlite/whatever in order to still have a sub-standard system.

I'm gonna buy either a 160gb/10" netbook, or an older rugged notebook. If it's going to be underpowered, I at least want it tough.

The SSD EEE was a nice try, but not quite there.

[FXRocket]

Originally Posted by subybaja

I'm gonna buy either a 160gb/10" netbook, or an older rugged notebook. If it's going to be underpowered, I at least want it tough.

The SSD EEE was a nice try, but not quite there.

I just sold a CF-18...3 hours of battery and man that thing was heavy. SSD can rock if you spend about $250 on a decent card.