I want to install linux on a acer travelmate p645-s

Your sisters laptop is not going to be a gamer laptop it doesnt meet the specs to run any game from the last 20 years.  You might get away with running games from 1993 to 2003 like Doom, Doom 2, Half-Life,  Unreal 1 through 2004, Quake 1 and 2, and maybe Quake 3 but you will need to use a very light weight desktop like the ones I mentioned in my reply that you completely dismissed.
 
Those desktops would be the following:
Mate
XFCE
LXDE
and there are other more light weight ones
 
Yur laptops specs mentioned in the subject line of this topic
 
P645-S-504E (TravelMate P645 Series)

Processor
Intel Core i5-5200U 2 x 2.2 - 2.7 GHz, Broadwell
Graphics adapter Intel HD Graphics 5500, Core: 900 MHz, dual-channel, 10.18.10.3995
Memory 8 GB  DDR3-1600, dual-channel, one memory bank (filled), 4 GB soldered

To upload or share pictures use the following site 

https://www.imgbb.com

Edited by cryptodan, 09 January 2024 - 03:13 PM.

Your sisters laptop is not going to be a gamer laptop it doesnt meet the specs to run any game from the last 20 years.  You might get away with running games from 1993 to 2003 like Doom, Doom 2, Half-Life,  Unreal 1 through 2004, Quake 1 and 2, and maybe Quake 3 but you will need to use a very light weight desktop like the ones I mentioned in my reply that you completely dismissed.
 
Those desktops would be the following:
Mate
XFCE
LXDE
and there are other more light weight ones
 
Yur laptops specs mentioned in the subject line of this topic
 
P645-S-504E (TravelMate P645 Series)

Processor
Intel Core i5-5200U 2 x 2.2 - 2.7 GHz, Broadwell
Graphics adapter Intel HD Graphics 5500, Core: 900 MHz, dual-channel, 10.18.10.3995
Memory 8 GB  DDR3-1600, dual-channel, one memory bank (filled), 4 GB soldered

Mhmm mhmm already know that, and that is the type of games she's into.  She wants to get into linux.  

I think at the end of the day me and my sister are both sick of windows, but there are games we play on windows that we don't think we can play on linux like cod etc, like all our steam games and battle net games etc.

Will these linux stuff 

Mate
XFCE
LXDE

Actually install on her laptop, cause when I tried to install ubuntu it just kept looping and it did install without a problem too.  Just in the bios I cannot change UEFI settings cause there is no option for it even though it says in system into that its UEFI.....  

Edited by cryptodan, 09 January 2024 - 08:31 PM.

I know how to use Kali, and its not meant to be a daily driver or installed for daily use.  I should know look at my signature.

Edited by NickAu, 09 January 2024 - 08:34 PM.

The looping might be due to gnome causing tge graphics to crash. I woukd try Linyx Mint XG

Good Afternoon, I will look into this and the other one that Nick suggested too.

Poppy Linux might be a option here

Good Afternoon, I will look into this too.  Thank you.

Edited by NickAu, 09 January 2024 - 08:32 PM.

. . . there is no not settings in the bios that allows me to change what is says for clean install.

@ Beanslappers

Did you set a Supervisor Password?

As far as I know, with newer Acer BIOS, In order to make and save changes in the BIOS, you must set a Supervisor Password.

This will enable a "Supervisor" mode, that will allow you to make and save changes to the way the notebook boots up.

Without enabling Supervisor, you will not have access to those functions.

Check to see if you have this option with the notebook:

In the BIOS, go to "Security" -> "Set Supervisor Password"
Remember that you will need to enter the password to access the restricted parts of the BIOS every time, from here on.

Go to the BIOS "Main" to enable Supervisor privileges, by pressing "<ctrl>+<s>".

Enter the password, to view and make changes to the restricted areas of the BIOS.

Select the "SATA Mode" and change from "Intel Optane" to AHCI.

Also, disable Fast Boot.

Cheers!

Naught

EDIT:

PS: Sorry for being so tardy in replying.  It is 9:00am, on Wednesday morning, where I am, and that means it 3:00am on Thursday morning for you.  I appear to be communicating with the future. 

Edited by Naught McNoone, 10 January 2024 - 09:04 AM.

 

. . . there is no not settings in the bios that allows me to change what is says for clean install.

@ Beanslappers

 

Did you set a Supervisor Password?

 

As far as I know, with newer Acer BIOS, In order to make and save changes in the BIOS, you must set a Supervisor Password.

 

This will enable a "Supervisor" mode, that will allow you to make and save changes to the way the notebook boots up.

Without enabling Supervisor, you will not have access to those functions.

 

Check to see if you have this option with the notebook:

In the BIOS, go to "Security" -> "Set Supervisor Password"
Remember that you will need to enter the password to access the restricted parts of the BIOS every time, from here on.

Go to the BIOS "Main" to enable Supervisor privileges, by pressing "<ctrl>+<s>".

Enter the password, to view and make changes to the restricted areas of the BIOS.

Select the "SATA Mode" and change from "Intel Optane" to AHCI.

Also, disable Fast Boot.

 

Cheers!

 

Naught

 

EDIT:

 

PS: Sorry for being so tardy in replying.  It is 9:00am, on Wednesday morning, where I am, and that means it 3:00am on Thursday morning for you.  I appear to be communicating with the future. 

 

Good morning,

Yes all that is already done.

ATM I am waiting on my sister to pick a damn linux she wants lol.

In reply to your PS, that made me laugh and it's ok lol.

@ Beanslappers

It's good to have a sense of humour.  There is nothing wrong with a little craic, now and then.

I must warn you, that many of my posts have a little bit of dry wit in them.

Now, about the flavour of Linux your sister wants.

My personal choice is Xubuntu, simply because it uses the xfce desktop, and not the gnome one.

I like to keep it simple.  If I want any extra features, I will add them myself.

I have a few games that will run under wine, that are left over from my Windows daze.

They include Zuma and Plants vs Zombies, from Pop Cap, as well as Elder Scrolls III Morrowind.

I also run AutoCAD 2000 under wine as well.  However, it has a problem plotting to CUPS.  If I save my drawings in AutoCAD, I can open them in LibreCAD and print them fine.  I am trying to teach myself how to use LibreCAD, but I am so set in my ways, that I have trouble with it.

My suggestion would be to get a few USB sticks.  Four or Eight gig sticks will work, and load the versions she wants to test.  She can boot her notebook off the USB, and be able to look at the menus and software that they install.

There is the question of support.  The more popular a distribution is, the more likely it will have a good support base.  It appears to me that you are going to be her go to IT person, so you might want to steer her towards something you are comfortable with.

There are a lot of Linux distributions available.  They are generally geared to the tastes of the person or group that publishes them.  Linux Mint, Linux Mate, Xubuntu, and yes even Puppy Linux, are all good choices.

Good luck!  Stay calm, and don't panic!

Cheers!

Naught.

My suggestion would be to get a few USB sticks. Four or Eight gig sticks will work, and load the versions she wants to test. She can boot her notebook off the USB, and be able to look at the menus and software that they install.

@ Beanslappers

 

It's good to have a sense of humour.  There is nothing wrong with a little craic, now and then.

 

I must warn you, that many of my posts have a little bit of dry wit in them.

 

Now, about the flavour of Linux your sister wants.

 

My personal choice is Xubuntu, simply because it uses the xfce desktop, and not the gnome one.

 

I like to keep it simple.  If I want any extra features, I will add them myself.

 

I have a few games that will run under wine, that are left over from my Windows daze.

They include Zuma and Plants vs Zombies, from Pop Cap, as well as Elder Scrolls III Morrowind.

 

I also run AutoCAD 2000 under wine as well.  However, it has a problem plotting to CUPS.  If I save my drawings in AutoCAD, I can open them in LibreCAD and print them fine.  I am trying to teach myself how to use LibreCAD, but I am so set in my ways, that I have trouble with it.

 

My suggestion would be to get a few USB sticks.  Four or Eight gig sticks will work, and load the versions she wants to test.  She can boot her notebook off the USB, and be able to look at the menus and software that they install.

 

There is the question of support.  The more popular a distribution is, the more likely it will have a good support base.  It appears to me that you are going to be her go to IT person, so you might want to steer her towards something you are comfortable with.

 

There are a lot of Linux distributions available.  They are generally geared to the tastes of the person or group that publishes them.  Linux Mint, Linux Mate, Xubuntu, and yes even Puppy Linux, are all good choices.

 

Good luck!  Stay calm, and don't panic!

 

Cheers!

 

Naught.

Good morning,

I have let her have a play of my kali linux, like general browsing and shes a little used to xfce, so I think she would want something like that.  I am not p[utting Kali on hers cause she doesn't need it lol.  I am getting her to look at the ones that was suggested above, I told her I think Mint would be better then Puppy for her.  But I will pass your suggestion on to her as well.  

Still waiting on her to decide, which can take forever with her, but she's been mainly a windows girl, so I said to her we are not changing your PC yet, till you fully decide on that, and that she can practise with her laptop, and told her that linux is just better then windows in millions of ways.   Even our cousin has said this too and doesn't really like being on windows, but he has to be for work lol.

Hehe your funnies, I could get used to.   It's always good to have a laugh.

 

 

My suggestion would be to get a few USB sticks. Four or Eight gig sticks will work, and load the versions she wants to test. She can boot her notebook off the USB, and be able to look at the menus and software that they install.

No need with https://www.ventoy.net very useful.

 

Good morning,

I thought of this too, but I have only one 32gb USB free, the other came with my windows license for my gaming PC.  So I am keeping windows on that one and using the 32gb USB for everything else.

@ Beanslappers:-

With regard to m'colleague's suggestion for Puppy Linux:-

Despite being an avid Puppy 'nut', I wouldn't necessarily recommend her for someone that's relatively new to Linux. Although I've run Puppy exclusively for the last decade, I've come to the conclusion that, because Puppy is unique even by Linux standards, and does a lot of stuff in a decidedly non-standard way, it's far better for noobs to learn the 'mainstream' way of using Linux first. A little way down the line, fore-armed with this knowledge, it's then easier to try Puppy out later - rather than sooner - since you will then find it easier to 'adapt' that knowledge to work with Puppy.

IF they decide to learn the Puppy way of doing things first, and then wish to try a mainstream distro at a later date, they will more or less have to learn everything all over again. Puppy, although great for keeping older kit still functional & useful - and she absolutely flies on newer kit - does NOT prepare you for how just about every other distro does things. And to my way of thinking, that's not really fair on the new user. 

That's not me trying to make Puppy seem kinda 'exclusive'. I'm just being realistic here; she's not really for beginners that just want to fire-up their machine and get straight on with doing stuff.....she's definitely more for hobbyists, the sort of people who are quite happy to tear their distro down then re-build it again to suit themselves. I wouldn't change it for anything; after all these years, I have a system that lets me do absolutely everything I want or need to.....including developing a whole range of 'portable' applications along the way.....but it took a LOT of work to get it there. And having played around with these boxes of black magic since the early 80s - the start of the original 'home computer revolution', I've grown rather used to the DIY approach to computing.

But it's NOT for everyone.

--------------------------------------

Myself, I'm definitely not a gamer. I'm primarily into graphic design and video-editing. However, in large part thanks to a mate who played Doom & Quake incessantly on an original PS1 back in the late 90s, I've developed an appreciation for those who DO like to game.....though I couldn't see myself doing so to the exclusion of everything else. If I have an odd, 'bored' half-hour, I will from time to time fire-up summat to take the edge off that boredom, though I tend to stick to natively-ported games that will play under Linux without issue. Stuff like

AssaultCube

UrbanTerror

RedEclipse

Xonotic

.....etc, etc.

All first-person shooters, primarily. I'll sometimes go with stuff like original Doom playing via the GZDoom emulator, or things running under WINE like Return to Castle Wolfenstein or good old Half-Life2.

I could probably run any Linux distro I wanted to; the rig certainly has the grunt for it. A quad-core Pentium 'Gold' @ almost 4 GHz, 32GB DDR4, 5TB+ of fast storage plus a discrete Nvidia GPU would let me play a whole raft of Windows-only titles IF I wanted to, but.....I'm just not 'into' all that stuff. Call me 'boring' if ya like! 

My personal recommendation for newbies to Linux would be Linux Mint. It's incredibly popular, because it looks and acts very like Windows, has a huge user-base and is extremely well supported across the 'net. It will also make use of PlayOnLinux and Crossover, which 'our Pup' has, shall we say, 'issues' with. 

Puppy will, however, run Steam.....if you don't mind tweaking things a bit. It's not really for beginners, though, as evidenced by the number of folks asking about it on the Puppy Forums who then decide it's too much like hard work & consequently bugger off somewhere else! 

Mike. 

Edited by Mike_Walsh, 10 January 2024 - 09:59 PM.