[Linux-disciples] ubuntu/xp/vista

[Nirmal Trivedi]

I've got a laptop I could potentially buy for relatively cheap
(VGN-SZ430N/B  Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2 GHz Processor) with Hybrid
Graphics System that lets toggle between NVidia GeForce Go 7400 (up to
335 MB shared) and Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (224 MB
shared).

I want to run ubuntu on it, but since it's so new, I can't find much
good information on how well it'll run. Consensus among a few users
seems to be that the webcam and the fingerprint scanner don't work. I
don't mind about the scanner, but it'd be nice to have the webcam.

We tried running a Gutsy boot disk, which didn't run, but the
consensus there seems to be that a regular install is a better test to
check compatibility. The problem is that I can't guarantee that
installing Ubuntu on a partition won't risk the Windows Vista recovery
partition (which is needed in case my friend wants to resell it). I've
never installed Ubuntu on a partition and I'd hate to think that if
something goes wrong, I'd have to buy a computer that doesn't run
Ubuntu well. I also understand that Ubuntu will write to the MBR with
grub and re-installing Windows wouldn't necessarily work.

So, I'm wondering if I'm worrying for no reason and I should go for
the install with Gutsy, or even Feisty. Trouble is there are too many
unknowns for me, but the computer is really nice and a good deal...

Nirmal