[smallclone]

Interesting thread. I'm toying with the idea of ripping up my laptop and using it as an HTPC. Never done anything like it before though.

It's a HP Pavilion (3 years old). So:
AMD Turion II Dual-Core Mobile Processor M520 2.3 GHz,
2GB RAM
Nvidia Graphics card.

Will these specs run a USB stick with XBMC or openelec on it? Can I also run Ubuntu?

The hard drive is fine so I presume I wouldn't need to buy another one.

Thanks

[GortWillSaveUs]

The great thing about running these OSes from the USB is that they don't touch the data on the existing hard drive.
In other words,..you can boot from the USB and give it a run for it's money.
Works,..Great! Doesn't,...no harm, no foul,...just shut down, remove USB stick and boot normally.

Ubuntu seems to be the most liberal Linux Oses,..as far as hardware goes.
I had an old HP laptop that wouldn't allow me to install Windows XP on it,..let alone anything newer,...even though it had XP installed prior to this.
I tried Red Hat,..no dice,..and 3 other Linux OSes,...no dice.
But Ubuntu worked like a charm.

[smallclone]

Can you run Ubuntu and Openelec on the same USB stick and then choose which OS to use on Bootup?

[cwide]

Can you run Ubuntu and Openelec on the same USB stick and then choose which OS to use on Bootup?

I doubt it... even if you could I wouldn't go that route.

I would just have 2 USB drives over trying to dual boot from one drive especially since your Openelec drive doesn't have to be anything special. Set BIOS to boot from USB and just change sticks when you want.

[GortWillSaveUs]

Can you run Ubuntu and Openelec on the same USB stick and then choose which OS to use on Bootup?

I doubt it... even if you could I wouldn't go that route.

I would just have 2 USB drives over trying to dual boot from one drive especially since your Openelec drive doesn't have to be anything special. Set BIOS to boot from USB and just change sticks when you want.

+++1
Not to mention that USB sticks are practically being given away.

[Netix]

So I could keep my window 7 instal intact and just run ubuntu from a usb stick ?

[GortWillSaveUs]

So I could keep my window 7 instal intact and just run ubuntu from a usb stick ?

Yes. It will load into memory,..and run from there.
Any changes made will be lost obviously when you power down.

Once Ubuntu is up,.....there will be a "button", that says something like,.."Install Ubuntu to Hard Drive".
You don't want to do that since you're just testing it out.
If you do select that,...it won't be the end of the world, since you would get to a screen that asks you to partition the drive(s).

[crackerjack1]

What about a Samsung Laptop with those specs :

Processor: 2.13GHz Intel Core i3-330M
Memory: 4GB DDR3
Hard drive: 500GB
Graphics: GeForce 310m
Model: NP-R580-JS03CA

That looks fine. If this is a laptop you already have,..then I'd say,..install XBMC and give it a go.

---

I installed XBMC and it is pretty awesome! Works perfectly in the XBMC role.

I don't understand why more people don't do the same thing.... a laptop (particularly 2nd hand IvyBridge) is a very strong xbmc box.
Stick an SSD inside it and it becomes an awesome work PC too.

Don't forget to do this:

Control Panel, System & Security, Power Options, left hand side "Choose what closing the lid does" -
'When I close Lid' - "Do Nothing"

Thanks! and thanks for also explainging where and how to disable the closing of the lid.
I have that setup,...but I know some people might not be aware of that option.

Hi just to let you know,
I am using a Samsung RV 520 laptop.
Installed with frodo 12.2 it runs everything right up to 1080p. With no trouble.

[smallclone]

Hi just to let you know,
I am using a Samsung RV 520 laptop.
Installed with frodo 12.2 it runs everything right up to 1080p. With no trouble.

Do you have the lid closed?

And do you run it straight off windows or off USB etc?

[cwide]

So I could keep my window 7 instal intact and just run ubuntu from a usb stick ?

Also nothing wrong with just running XBMC on top of windows.

[GortWillSaveUs]

So I could keep my window 7 instal intact and just run ubuntu from a usb stick ?

Also nothing wrong with just running XBMC on top of windows.

Exactly,....

[smallclone]

I spent 5 hours trying to install Openelec then XBMCBuntu on my laptop last night but no joy. Just blank screens and a weird login screen. (AMD Turion™ II Dual-Core Mobile Processor M520 2.3 GHz)

Put me right off the laptop route or indeed installing anything myself.

[Netix]

Just bought Cooler Master i'll keep you guys updated on the results !

[keefgras]

Just bought Cooler Master i'll keep you guys updated on the results !

I'm not a computer freak,I just know the basics.I was installing XBMC on a flash drive through XBMCBuntu. After loading everything such as XBMC Wizard ,Fusion Updates and Mashup it worked GREAT booting from my USB. But everytime I powered down I lost everything but basic XBMC. Until I tried OPENELEC.
You can download it here: ( http://openelec.tv/ ) Download it to your desktop, then extract it with ISO to USB.You can download it here: http://www.isotousb.com/
Or use any extractor you want. It works even better. It even finds your wireless router for you and connects.I don't have to worry about buffering when running from a Flashdrive on USB.

[GortWillSaveUs]

Just bumping this thread to see if anyone else has comments,..or experiences using their laptop as a media device. (was going to say XBMC,...darn,..I actually liked XBMC as a name,..guess you say soemthing enough times,..it sticks).

1 - Has anyone "scrounged" what was supposed to be a dead laptop,.only to have a great media device?
2 - What OS did you install on the supposed "dead" device?