Can't run linux on Acer Laptop?

[Sup3rkirby]

After asking around and even going to acer(who 'doesn't support linux or linux drivers') i am left here. I have a fairly new Acer laptop.

dual core amd turion 64 processor with 2gb ram and an ati radeon x1250 graphics card(set at 896 mb of video memory) and a 160 gb hard drive.

Now, I have an acer pc and an old acer laptop. Both can run linux. the new acer pc also uses the amd 64 bit processor.

I have tried just running a live cd as well as running it on a virutal pc. I've tried it from an iso and from a cd/dvd. My computer(laptop) will crash and bring up the bsod(blue screen of death) and do a memory dump after about 30-60 seconds of incredibly slow run speed while sitting at a black screen. it never manages to actually load linux. i can get to the screen where i choose to run / install, boot from hard drive, etc. etc.

I've also tried a ton of distributions. Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Sabayon, DSL, Feather, etc. Nothing works, plain and simple. I am completely unsure why linux can't even run, not even as a live cd. I'm using the x86 cd/dvd versions, but these work fine on my other acer computers as well as my two pcs that use 64 bit amd processors(one is dual core just like my laptop).

The only real difference between my new acer pc and new acer laptop is the processor for pc is athlon and the laptop is turion. So does the turion not support linux? or just not the x86? If someone could suggest something and hopefully also suggest a small distro of linux that has different version(x86, x64, ppc, etc.) so I can try. I find the DSL distros hard to navigate through, using that directory format with all of the isos in one place. So there might be a 64 bit one in there...

[DarkenProject]

Well I know for sure that Ubuntu supports Turion laptops: I'm posting form my HP dv5215us right now, which is running Turion64 single-core. I'm using Ubuntu 7.10 (gutsy gibbon) x86. Everything went okay with me until wireless, which I got working with the ndiswrapper.

What is the specific model Acer you are using?

[HomerJ]

Most (if not all) linux distros will run on those processors. Most (maybe all) distributions offer an x86 version. They are usually optimized for i686 (pentium pro or newer, AMD equivalents as well).

Your processors are definitely x86-compatible and able to support i686 optimizations. In other words, it should work. They may or may not be x86-64 compatible (very likely that they are), but I still wouldn't try that unless you know. They are definitely not PowerPC (ppc), so don't even try those.

The BSOD is strange, linux doesn't do a BSOD. It does a kernel panic.

For a recommendation, I would go with the Gentoo Linux minimal CD. If it doesn't work, almost nothing will. It is command-line only, but you can use it to try to see if you can boot linux.

[Sup3rkirby]

I'll definitely give that a try.

And the BSOD isn't from a linux boot, just when I use any virtual computer software and try to boot linux under a virtual PC. It lets me choose an option(run or install ubuntu(or whatever distro)), then it will make the virtual computer full screen. this is when I noticed things got incredibly slow. Even if I alt+ctrl+del the mouse movement is less than 1 fps(so incredibly slow...). So I can't ever really even close the virtual pc. then i end up with the BSOD and a memory dump...

[HomerJ]

So, are you running linux on an virtual machine? It shouldn't be a problem if you are, linux is pretty versatile. If you are, perhaps you could try downloading a pre-configured system for that machine.

[QueenHawkeye]

I have an acer laptop and I had issues trying to run ubuntu with it.
Are you using the latest verison of linux/ubuntu/whatever?

My laptop didn't like me running an older verison so I had to download and burn the newest one. Then I didn't have any problems. Except that if it goes to sleep mode, it somehow shuts itself off after I wake it up. :nuts:

[inkblot]

Did you try looking up your model on here?

The most common problems come from acpi. Usually on laptops, you have to add items to the boot options. Google's your friend.

Sorry if I'm stating anything that you've already tried.

[Sup3rkirby]

inkblot, thank you for that link. My model, the Acer Extensa 5420, isn't on that list... So this might just be helpful.

I will also try what QueenHawkeye said and download the latest version of Ubuntu(or another distro) and see if that does anything.
Edit:
hmmmmm.... ok, so the BSOD is being caused by a 'ATI Radeon Graphics Card Driver'.

I downloaded the newest version of Ubuntu(7.10) from Ubuntu's website. I got the x86 Desktop version(there isn't a 'laptop' version for anyone who had a thought). Same thing happened just like always. I chose to run or install Ubuntu. Then a few seconds later the window switches to full screen(always done this and only on my laptop, don't know why). I wait about 30-60 seconds and bam, BSOD.

I have updated direct X, my ATI graphics card and gotten windows updates as well. This is the same graphics card that is in my PC, but Linux runs fine on my PC...

[mygorillanet]

I know someone with an acer running on the same processor. He is using Mandriva Power Plus. Have you tried that distribution? He seems to just loooo-ve it.

good luck!