# HTPC with Linux OS



## Apoc (Apr 7, 2011)

I want to rig a old ASUS E5300 desktop into a HTPC. I have 
every thing I need to do so, except for the OS. I don't 
want to run it with the current Vista 64bit. I want to try 
a Linux OS but I have never used one before and I don't know 
a thing about Linux. If I'm correct in my assumption of Linux 
there are five versions, *OpenSuse, Fedora, Debian, Gentoo and Ubuntu.* 
Witch one is best for a HTPC, or sould I just stick with the Vista.

Sorry about the n00b question but I am not very well versed in software, I'm a hardware guy.


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## AE7 (Apr 7, 2011)

Apoc said:


> I want to rig a old ASUS E5300 desktop into a HTPC. I have
> every thing I need to do so, except for the OS. I don't
> want to run it with the current Vista 64bit. I want to try
> a Linux OS but I have never used one before and I don't know
> ...



Check out Mythbuntu.

http://www.mythbuntu.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythbuntu


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## jamesd1981 (Apr 7, 2011)

linux ubuntu is the most commonly used version


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## voyagerfan99 (Apr 8, 2011)

I'd go with Ubuntu or Linux Mint.


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## Motoxrdude (Apr 8, 2011)

AE7 said:


> Check out Mythbuntu.
> 
> http://www.mythbuntu.org/
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythbuntu



By far the easiest option. It installs ubuntu with everything you need for a media server and box.


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## DMGrier (Apr 8, 2011)

I have gone from Ubuntu to mint to even the Google Chrome OS beta (I am still testing chrome), and I would say by far as hardware support, stable and a large community Ubuntu is the way to go. Mint would be my next call since it is built on the same packages as Ubuntu but I noticed it seemed to run a little bit slower on my machine but was a more attractive looking OS.


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## lucasbytegenius (Apr 8, 2011)

Mythbuntu all the way for your project 
And DMGrier that's due to the fact that the standard version of Mint runs KDE, which is attractive but a bit heavy. I personally prefer the LXDE version.


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## DMGrier (Apr 9, 2011)

lucasbytegenius said:


> Mythbuntu all the way for your project
> And DMGrier that's due to the fact that the standard version of Mint runs KDE, which is attractive but a bit heavy. I personally prefer the LXDE version.



Linux Mint 10 is gnome, there is a KDE version but I personally do not care for KDE. LXDE is nice, just tried Lubuntu 10.10 but it definitely needs some work before Conical will add them to the family.


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## lucasbytegenius (Apr 9, 2011)

DMGrier said:


> Linux Mint 10 is gnome, there is a KDE version but I personally do not care for KDE. LXDE is nice, just tried Lubuntu 10.10 but it definitely needs some work before Conical will add them to the family.



Hmm, must have been mistaken.  I tried Lubuntu as well, but that was after Mint LXDE, and I prefer Mint over Lubuntu for my LXDE projects, like USB drives.
Yeah, Lubuntu needs a lot of work.

btw, just to be a nazi, you spelled Canonical wrong


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2011)

Well thank you for the spelling lesson Adolf 

I might try mint LXDE now but I have been experimenting with a lot of different distros and so far non has been able to get me to replace Ubuntu on my primary machine.


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## lucasbytegenius (Apr 10, 2011)

DMGrier said:


> Well thank you for the spelling lesson Adolf
> 
> I might try mint LXDE now but I have been experimenting with a lot of different distros and so far non has been able to get me to replace Ubuntu on my primary machine.



Have you tried OpenSUSE 11.4? You can install multiple desktop environments during setup.


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## DMGrier (Apr 10, 2011)

How is openSuse? I have not tried that one, I think other then Ubuntu a favorite of mine was Fedora.


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## lucasbytegenius (Apr 10, 2011)

DMGrier said:


> How is openSuse? I have not tried that one, I think other then Ubuntu a favorite of mine was Fedora.



OpenSUSE is awesome, I suggest you get the 4.7 GB DVD image and try it out asap


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## Apoc (Apr 17, 2011)

Well I went ahead and bought Ubuntu and just installed it. It's perfect, I have yet to hear the old Intel e5300 CPU  slowly and loudly chug  it's way to open up a application the way Vista did on it. 

Thanks for the help everybody.


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## voyagerfan99 (Apr 17, 2011)

Apoc said:


> Well I went ahead and bought Ubuntu and just installed it. It's perfect, I have yet to hear the old Intel e5300 CPU  slowly and loudly chug  it's way to open up a application the way Vista did on it.
> 
> Thanks for the help everybody.



CPU's don't make noise; hard drives do.

And why did you buy it? Why didn't you just download it for free?


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## Apoc (Apr 17, 2011)

voyagerfan99 said:


> CPU's don't make noise; hard drives do.
> 
> And why did you buy it? Why didn't you just download it for free?



Three reasons

1. I bought it so it would be easier and faster to install on more then just one system if I liked it.

2. So I could hand it off to friends that want to try it.

3. The reason some people buy it is to support the further develepment of more free Linux OS's for other people.

The CPU thing was just a joke, a bad one.


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## DMGrier (Apr 17, 2011)

Apoc said:


> Three reasons
> 
> 1. I bought it so it would be easier and faster to install on more then just one system if I liked it.
> 
> ...



Thank you, sometimes I feel linux users forget that by buying it you are helping further the development of that os, it really is more like investing in them.


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