Linux on my old Compaq Presario

Long ago, I installed Windows XP onto my old Compaq Presario 12XL510A notebook computer. I shouldn't have - it was way more than the machine could handle. With my exposure to Linux on the Nokia n800, the Asus eee and an application at work, I decided to see if a low-impact Linux installation could bring the old machine back to useful life.

After researching my options, I decided to go for Xubuntu 7.1.

Here's where I downloaded it
Instructions on burning the CD image
How to make sure the image is valid
Software for performing the validation
Hash comparison code
GraphicalInstall instructions

Here are the particulars on the machine:

Compaq Presario
Model 12XL510A
PCMCIA: Texas Instruments PCI-1410 CardBus Controller
Two USBs
CD-ROM
1.44MB Floppy Drive
Intel Pentium III 797MHz
124MB RAM
12GB hard drive
Display: Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-i1, 1024x768x60HZ
Modem: generic softK56
Network adapter: RAS Async adapter

The machine was so overtaxed, it could hardly run the installer CD. So I deleted everything in My Documents, uninstalled a bunch of big memory-hogging programs, and then also uninstalled Windows XP. The machine reverted back to Windows ME.

Based on what I've read here, I think I'm just going to dump it completely and have this machine run exclusively on Linux.

Wish me luck.

Update: After repeated attempts, the normal CD installation would not work. So I'm switching to the Alternate CD instead.

Update: The Alternate Install CD is working just great. It even detected my Wireless Card in the PCMCIA slot, then asked for and accepted my wireless home network WEP key. Woo-hoo!