Getting a Netbook

TWBryan · 07-12-2010, 05:38 PM

A friend visited me a few weeks ago.After I told him I could no longer read books on my pda's he said he would try to help. So,he's mailing me a netbook!

.
Supposed to be a Dell mini 10,I'm planning to use it like a kindle(or any ebook reading device),but happy that it has more capabilities than a (fill in the blank)ebook reader.
What I'm interested in is any advice or suggestions to get the most out of this unit. I have a wireless router,and printer so I am ok there. Appreciate any thoughts,suggestions,etc...

Thanks for reading

bLuEnOtE · 07-13-2010, 01:19 PM

I have one of the ASUS 900 netbooks.

It's great for traveling and anything portable, but not real good for everyday use.

I upgraded the hard drive and ram and am running Win7 on it.

TWBryan · 07-13-2010, 09:19 PM

I'm going to run XP on it,a little less overhead. I have considered replacing the issued drive(160gb) with something like 320gb. Sata drives are almost reasonably priced. I'm planning to use it as an ebook reader,possibly something to write with as well. I know the processor is a bit slower,but it should work for my purposes.

jayinhk · 07-14-2010, 01:35 PM

I have a Samsung NC-10. It's my coffee table and travel computer. I love it!

TWBryan · 07-14-2010, 02:13 PM

Maybe you can tell me then,how do you install an o/s without a cd drive?

bLuEnOtE · 07-14-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWBryan

Maybe you can tell me then,how do you install an o/s without a cd drive?

External USB cd/dvd drive...

TWBryan · 07-14-2010, 04:49 PM

BIOS has option to boot from that? That would certainly simplify things. Hope it comes with the drivers disc,or I'll have to comb through Dell to find what I need. I wonder now if the atom processor has enough juice to play dvds?

Gnosnibor · 07-19-2010, 04:57 AM

TWBRIAN,
I've got two "netbooks" One of which I'm using right now as my main rig: An asus aspire one and the other one is a Dell Mini 10. The Dell was gifted to me, with an 8gb drive. If you are running the dell version of ubuntu linux and have an external optical (cd/dvd) drive you *should* be able to go into bios, boot from a usb drive with no problems. (this is, of course, assuming that most aftermarket optical drives are USB based and the disk you are using is a mountable/live version) I haven't really messed with it much on my dell netbook, but from what I've used it for the Dell is a great little setup as long as you understand what it's designed for and what the limitations are.

TWBryan · 07-19-2010, 11:19 AM

Gnosnibor,I don't know much about linux,ubuntu or otherwise.I know the friend that is sending me the netbook has some form of linux on his laptop that looked pretty cool. The one I'm getting is a Dell mini 10,primarily I think reading books,listening to mp3s,and some writing will be it. I have thought of installing an old game I like on it. The Dell mini 10 does not have a fan in the system,cooling consists of an aluminum sheet heatsink secured below the keyboard. I think the first thing I should do is measure and make a 'cooling pad' for it. That and buy a mouse,I hate touchpads.

TWBryan · 07-23-2010, 04:48 PM

Have to make correction Netbook is not a Dell mini 10,it's an Asus eee pc 904HD. Same thing as the 1000H ,except has a 8.9 screen. Comes with a celeron 900 mhz cpu,1 gb of Ram ,and a 120 mb hard drive. As far as I'm concerned it's all good.

TWBryan · 08-03-2010, 03:41 PM

Ok,final revision it is an Asus EEE PC 900HD. Got it a week ago and have found it to be quite impressive,system runs very stable.I've got it set up to read any an all ebooks,plus added on open office and some other programs. I actually made images of the two cd's I use for playing mechwarrior 3 and put them on the hard drive and load them with daemon tools lite. It runs the games with no problems. I used it a couple days ago with Skype to have a video chat with a friend in Ohio,got to see his kids and everything. So far,this thing is fantastic,it has a 120 gb hard drive and a 900mhz celeron cpu ,and 1gb RAM. I thought I would want to upgrade the hard drive or RAM when I got it,but I no longer think it's necessary. I did order a mouse and case from Ebay and a Cbear dvd rom external drive from Amazon. It's a wonderful machine that has done everything I've asked of it so far.

07-12-2010, 05:38 PM	#1
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Getting a Netbook A friend visited me a few weeks ago.After I told him I could no longer read books on my pda's he said he would try to help. So,he's mailing me a netbook!. Supposed to be a Dell mini 10,I'm planning to use it like a kindle(or any ebook reading device),but happy that it has more capabilities than a (fill in the blank)ebook reader. What I'm interested in is any advice or suggestions to get the most out of this unit. I have a wireless router,and printer so I am ok there. Appreciate any thoughts,suggestions,etc... Thanks for reading __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

07-13-2010, 01:19 PM	#2
bLuEnOtE Straight Arrow Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Land of Happy Cows Posts: 7,591	Re: Getting a Netbook I have one of the ASUS 900 netbooks. It's great for traveling and anything portable, but not real good for everyday use. I upgraded the hard drive and ram and am running Win7 on it. __________________ Mike. "Ignorance breeds monsters to fill up the vacancies of the soul that are unoccupied by the verities of knowledge." Horace Mann

07-13-2010, 09:19 PM	#3
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Re: Getting a Netbook I'm going to run XP on it,a little less overhead. I have considered replacing the issued drive(160gb) with something like 320gb. Sata drives are almost reasonably priced. I'm planning to use it as an ebook reader,possibly something to write with as well. I know the processor is a bit slower,but it should work for my purposes. __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

07-14-2010, 01:35 PM	#4
jayinhk Probably quoted in a sig line by now Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 150	Re: Getting a Netbook I have a Samsung NC-10. It's my coffee table and travel computer. I love it!

07-14-2010, 02:13 PM	#5
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Re: Getting a Netbook Maybe you can tell me then,how do you install an o/s without a cd drive? __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

07-14-2010, 04:49 PM	#7
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Re: Getting a Netbook BIOS has option to boot from that? That would certainly simplify things. Hope it comes with the drivers disc,or I'll have to comb through Dell to find what I need. I wonder now if the atom processor has enough juice to play dvds? __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

07-19-2010, 04:57 AM	#8
Gnosnibor Smart! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The land of onions and wine. Posts: 42	Re: Getting a Netbook TWBRIAN, I've got two "netbooks" One of which I'm using right now as my main rig: An asus aspire one and the other one is a Dell Mini 10. The Dell was gifted to me, with an 8gb drive. If you are running the dell version of ubuntu linux and have an external optical (cd/dvd) drive you should be able to go into bios, boot from a usb drive with no problems. (this is, of course, assuming that most aftermarket optical drives are USB based and the disk you are using is a mountable/live version) I haven't really messed with it much on my dell netbook, but from what I've used it for the Dell is a great little setup as long as you understand what it's designed for and what the limitations are. __________________ "Our houses are protected by the Good Lord and a gun, you might meet 'em both if you show up here unwelcome, son."

07-19-2010, 11:19 AM	#9
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Re: Getting a Netbook Gnosnibor,I don't know much about linux,ubuntu or otherwise.I know the friend that is sending me the netbook has some form of linux on his laptop that looked pretty cool. The one I'm getting is a Dell mini 10,primarily I think reading books,listening to mp3s,and some writing will be it. I have thought of installing an old game I like on it. The Dell mini 10 does not have a fan in the system,cooling consists of an aluminum sheet heatsink secured below the keyboard. I think the first thing I should do is measure and make a 'cooling pad' for it. That and buy a mouse,I hate touchpads. __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

07-23-2010, 04:48 PM	#10
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Re: Getting a Netbook Have to make correction Netbook is not a Dell mini 10,it's an Asus eee pc 904HD. Same thing as the 1000H ,except has a 8.9 screen. Comes with a celeron 900 mhz cpu,1 gb of Ram ,and a 120 mb hard drive. As far as I'm concerned it's all good. __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

08-03-2010, 03:41 PM	#11
TWBryan somebody please buy me a custom tittle Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 2,194	Re: Getting a Netbook Ok,final revision it is an Asus EEE PC 900HD. Got it a week ago and have found it to be quite impressive,system runs very stable.I've got it set up to read any an all ebooks,plus added on open office and some other programs. I actually made images of the two cd's I use for playing mechwarrior 3 and put them on the hard drive and load them with daemon tools lite. It runs the games with no problems. I used it a couple days ago with Skype to have a video chat with a friend in Ohio,got to see his kids and everything. So far,this thing is fantastic,it has a 120 gb hard drive and a 900mhz celeron cpu ,and 1gb RAM. I thought I would want to upgrade the hard drive or RAM when I got it,but I no longer think it's necessary. I did order a mouse and case from Ebay and a Cbear dvd rom external drive from Amazon. It's a wonderful machine that has done everything I've asked of it so far. __________________ TWBryan "Live forever apes." I'm the only one in the landing party wearing a red shirt. If when hell is full, the dead will walk the earth,where am I going for a vacation? Ye Alleged Racist Bstd (CLB O’ TRU BSTDS)

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