I wanna new puppy, but which one will work for me?

[koolkid64us]

I'm very interested in using Puppy Linux on my computer with the following specs:

Intel PII 450 MHz

Nvidia Riva 128 ZX Graphics Card

ESS Solo - 1 Sound Card

Netgear WG111 (v.1) USB Wireless Adapter (Prism_2 chipset)

16 G HD

256 MB Ram


These are some basic specs for my computer. Priority #1 is connecting to the internet through my wireless card. I would like to know which Puppy version will be compatible with that specific network card. I've used other Linux Distros in the past: Feather Linux, SimplyMepis 6.0, and Xubuntu 6.06. All I've gotten on the internet with Ndiswrapper. I want to try Puppy because he looks very promising and only a 50-80 MB D/L. I don't really care about being on the bleeding edge in the version department. I just want the version that will work with my network card, because the other priorities will fall into place for me. Which version should I get?


P.S. I want to be able to use Firefox (preferably 2.0).

[caesirian]

aint too much into the wireless thing, but i'd recomend you the last version (2.12), i have a lil bit more of ram than you (312) but 256 will be fine since i just have a pentiumII 350mhz and you have a lil bit more

til i know this last version has the same or more drivers or modules for wireless connection than older versions

if you give us more specific details about your wireless we could help more

and about Firefox... i have the version 2 and it works well.. you also could change some things in about:config to load the app and sites a lil bit more fast

willl you run puppy in your drive or ram? in ram it works faster since ram is faster than the hard drive, but i dont know how good works puppy 2.12 with only 256mb of ram, but i highly recomend puppy since its fast, friendly and small

i think you should burn the last version and try it with the live cd.. it will work totally in ram and you could test how well works in that way and try the wireless connection

[headfound]

even better would be to burn a multisession dvd, get it set up the way you want it (eg working), shut down and save back to the dvd. Next start up, install to hard drive. If anything goes wrong, you will have the original set up on disc ready to fix!

[Pizzasgood]

My old computer (now my brother's) has very similar specs. 450MHz, 256MB RAM, 64MB nVidia something or other, 80GB HD. It runs Puppy very nicely in a frugal install. Right now it has 109CE installed because I don't use it enough to update it. I haven't used 2.12 on it yet, but I booted an earlier 2.xx version okay.

I don't know much about wireless, but I do know that Puppy 2.12 has more drivers than other versions. I do know that ndiswrapper works (I used it for two belkin cards, one of which was USB, using the rt2500 and rt2500usb drivers).

I also have Firefox 2 running on that computer, and it works great. It runs fine in both 109CE and 2.12, which I have installed on my normal computer (I'm in it right now).


I'd suggest trying 2.12 first. It should work just fine. If not, try 2.02. If still no good, go to 109CE.

[Béèm]

In Puppy 212 you will find the biggest variety of support for Wireless devices, so you should try that one first. The rest of the specs seem ok.

I always run a LiveCD and save the personal data (pup_save.3fs) on a hdd partition. Next time you boot from the CD Puppy asks if you want to use the previously saved personal data. Very convenient.

Success.

[Lobster]

I agree with 2.12 plus Firefox as a dotpup
http://puppylinux.org/wikka/FireFox

the wiki database needs sorting (several refreshes should get that page for now)

and 1.09CE if 2.12 does not work for you.