Back from Computer Life Support

I guess that is the best way to put it, My Mom's old and outdated computer was a Compaq Presario c500 that when we purchased it had 500 MB of RAM and Windows Vista. An operating system that was less than liked by this individual. I did double her RAM a couple of years ago when I had to reformat her computer because it became unbearably slow.

Well computers get old, new technologies come out meaning more upgrades are needed and about anything you buy will eventually be outdated, it's just a matter of when.

We had an souped up Windows 7 Laptop here that I never use that I exchanged for her Computer. My thinking that since I like Linux and have used Ubuntu last summer when I was trying to figure out the problems with my old desktop computer. In thought I would install it on the old C500 and see how it worked.

It ran fine, the only problem I was having was that the wireless is it's own individual button and it I was unable to turn the thing on. I found a number of people who believed they all had the solution, but none of them did and I had to have it hardwired for the past week to use it because it lacked the appropriate firmware.

Last night in a teminal window I typed the following code:

Code:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall b43-fwcutter firmware-b43-installer

Code:

sudo modprobe b43

Code:

rfkill unblock all

and all seemed to be fine and the wireless worked. 

I now have a working wireless Ubuntu laptop to play around on. Feeling kind of accomplished today, I love playing with Linux, but not too keen on it being my primary operating system on my main computer. The main OS on a laptop I can now play with is another thing, now it's time to play with Linux and not have to worry about it being my primary OS.