Fried spot was Re: Smaller model laptops in combination with Kubuntu - request for advise?

[Nigel Ridley]

Willy K. Hamra wrote:
> Nigel Ridley wrote:
>> Jim wrote:
>>> O. Sinclair wrote:
>>>> Bas Roufs wrote:
>>>>   
>>>>> Dear everybody
>>>>>
>>>>> A few weeks ago, a laptop from me has been stolen again. That's why I am 
>>>>> looking for a lighter/ smaller laptop model that is more easy to always 
>>>>> carry with me, but which can be combined with Kubuntu.
>>>>>
>>>>> At present, I am considering "ASUS Eeee PC", version 901 or version 
>>>>> 1000. Both new versions  seem to become available in September.  Main 
>>>>> technical specifications:
>>>>> 1,6 Ghz processor (both models), 1 GB RAM (version 901) or 2 GB RAM 
>>>>> (version 1000),  20 GB 'solid state disk' (version 901) or 40 GB 
>>>>> (version 1000).
>>>>> More technical details:
>>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_PC
>>>>>
>>>>> Both models are being sold along with the Linux distribution 'Xandros' 
>>>>> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xandros)
>>>>>
>>>>> Does anybody have any experience at all with some version of 'ASUS Eeee 
>>>>> PC'? If you, did you already install Kubuntu on it? If so, how?
>>>>>
>>>>> Are there any other smaller model laptops you could advise me in 
>>>>> combination with Kubuntu?
>>>>>     
>>>> This is as yet not released but apparently Dell will release a 
>>>> minilaptop "real soon now":
>>>> http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9915094-1.html?tag=blog.1
>>>>
>>>> and since Dell generally does a good job of supporting Ubuntu that could 
>>>> be an interesting way to go.
>>>>
>>>> Sinclair
>>>>
>>>>   
>>> I have a eeePC 702 8gb 1gb and Fedora 9 installed on it , Fedora had all 
>>> drivers for hardware, with the exception of
>>> the Atheos wierless chipset  ,I downloaded 
>>> madwifii-nr-r3366+ar5007.tar.gz and compiled and it work great including 
>>> WEP. The wireless chipset is a ar5007eg . livna.org has a madwifi driver 
>>> also.
>>> The eeePC is much faster with the SSD,  than the MSI or Everex that has 
>>> a standard harddrive. Everex Cloud is dog slow.
>>> I would recommend  the eeePC 901 or 1000 because of the 20gb SSD, that 
>>> would give you plenty of space to install any Linux distro.
>>> I bought a ext. CD/DVD rom to install other OS and put in a 2gb memory 
>>> for $41.00, speeded up noticeably .
>>>
>>>
>> How many writes can the 'hard disk' take, considering that it's flash memory? Linux does write a 
>> lot to 'hard disk'.
>>
>> Blessings,
>>
>> Nigel
>>
> I've heard that journalled file systems in particular write a lot to one
> place on the disk, the journal, which fries up that area, so avoid
> journalled file systems if you can.
> 
> 

Strange you should say that.....
I have 5 young children (8 - 15) and [had] oldish computers for them. After a few years of use I 
noticed that one in particular would start to make problems and even on a reboot would need to be 
coaxed into booting properly (sometimes needing a 'rescue mode' to start with).
Anyway, I then noticed that the others started dying and did the 'change_hard_drive' routine from 
a collection that I had from previous [Linux] computers. I have always use Reiserfs (a journaling 
file system) and trying to install Hardy Heron was impossible - it would always get to about the 
same point in the install (installing packages) and cause a nice 'red' screen and that was that. 
I even tried installing other distros but all with the same result.
I tried several of the hard disks that I had lying around, but all showed the same problem. In 
the end, just so that my daughter could get some work done, I installed Puppy Linux (really small 
footprint - and it didn't reach the 'burnt_out' area of the hard drive).

So, getting back to your statement about journaling file systems frying a specific area (because 
of the many writes) I am sure that you are correct.

What is the answer? Journaling file systems are great in what they do, in that they recover your 
data in case of a crash or sudden power outage, but frying the hard drive is a serious problem.

Blessings,

Nigel

-- 
PrayingForIsrael.net
http://www.prayingforisrael.net/