I want to install elementary on my laptop (Acer Aspire One D257-N578Qrr, 6x9 inches, don’t know the resolution of my unit exactly but I looked up the model and it’s supposed to be 1024x768) but the screen is too small to show the buttons I need to click on. The Install button is too low for my screen to show it—-after I choose the language I want, I only see the demo, erase and install, and custom install options but not the button at the bottom you need to click on to move you to the next step of the installation process. I don’t know of a way to scroll down or make the whole display smaller to fit my monitor. Help, please?
1 Answer
Looking at the specifications for your computer, I’m surprised the installer loads at all. Long story short, Elementary OS will not run on your netbook.
Here is a comparison of your hardware against the recommended setup:
| Recommended | Your PC | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU: | Recent Intel i3 or comparable dual-core 64-bit processor | Intel Atom® Processor N570 |
| RAM: | 4 GB | 2GB |
| Storage: | SSD with 15 GB of free space | 500GB 4200rpm SATA II HDD |
| Display: | 1024×768 minimum | 1024x600 |
Even if you had a larger display, the system does not have enough RAM to handle the interface. Even if you had the RAM, your system does not have the processing power to allow a semi-smooth operation of the interface. Even if you had a recent CPU, your hard disk simply cannot move data fast enough. You will experience boot times measured in the tens of minutes, and application load times that are just as long.
That said, all is not lost. If you would like to use a modern Linux distribution on your netbook, there are three options that I can recommend:
This is my favourite Debian-based desktop Linux distribution and will run on just about any 64-bit computer manufactured since 2007. If you want a UI similar to Elementary, you can choose the Pantheon theme and enjoy many of the same look and feel details that make Elementary popular. There is also a netbook-specific theme available, which will afford you even more screen space.
This is, by far, the lightest and fastest desktop Linux I’ve used in many, many years. It’s incredibly solid, up to date, and can run on just about any Intel/AMD based system manufactured since the late 1990s. They even have a 32-bit version available, based on the Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. There are stories on the Internet of people running Bodhi on Pentium III-based systems with as little as 512MB (yes, megabytes) of RAM.
This is an Ubuntu flavour that uses XFCE as its desktop environment, making it light-weight and fast on most hardware. Just like Bodhi, it can run on as little as 512MB RAM … though you’ll want more if you plan on using a web browser. There is a 32-bit version available, but it is not compatible with your CPU.
Hopefully one of these three options will give you a working computer 👍🏻
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Thanks. I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to use elementary for my laptop, but I’m grateful for your suggestions. Thanks again! Oct 7, 2021 at 5:33
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If this answer was helpful — even a little — feel free to click the checkmark next to the answer or click the "up" triangle. This may help other people who have the same question find an answer.– matigo ♦Oct 7, 2021 at 5:36
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Just did, but got a message saying I need 15 points to cast a vote. Oct 8, 2021 at 7:22
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.isofile did you make the bootable media with? There was an issue with an early release of eOS 6, but it’s been resolved with the newer ISO 🤔