Get to know your hardware and find out if it is compatible with Linux before you begin to install.

Make a list of your hardware. Check to see if it is compatible with Linux. Have this list on hand when you install. If you already have Windows installed on your computer, you can look at the Device Manager and gather information from there on much of this.

One free tool available for determining your hardware on a windows machine is Everest Home Edition

Hardware List:

• Computer. Knowing the make and model can be helpful if you cannot otherwise determine the hardware contained in your computer. You can often search on the Internet to find the information by searching on your computer make and model, especially at the website of your computer's manufacturer.

• Disk Drive. Is it IDE or SCSI? How big is it? Most computers these days have plenty of room.

• Memory and Processor. You need to have enough RAM for the distro you are installing. You can find the requirements for RAM and Processor at the website of your chosen distro. How much RAM do you have? What type of Processor and what speed is it?

• CD-ROM: What type is it? - ATAPI is the usual Does your CD-ROM also write !CDs?

• Sound Card: What make and model of card do you have? You may not have a card. Many computers now have a chipset that takes care of sound, video, or networking.

• Monitor: Make and model. If you have the Horizontal and Vertical refresh ranges in your monitor manual, write those down. Most makes and models are included in the listing when you configure X, but you may need these numbers.

• Video Card: Make & Model? Here again, this may be a chipset and not a card. How much Video Memory in Mb?

• Mouse: What kind is it? How many buttons? A wheel? Does it plug into a mouse port or into USB?

• Network Card: What is the make and model or chipset for this?

• Modem: Make and model?

• Printer: Make and model?

• After you have made your list of hardware, check to see if it is compatible with Linux. Check the Hardware Links page for more help,

Please add any hardware that you needed to know about to do your install and/or links to information on Linux hardware compatibility to this page or write to us to let us know so that we can add your information.

–by Anita