My LG X110 netbook came with Windows XP, and I almost immediately installed beta-7000 Windows 7 on it. Today I read about Presto Linux from Xandros (the same people who provide the Linux for my other netbook, the original ASUS EEE 701.)
The Presto forums indicated that it probably would work with Windows 7, so I gave it a try -- especially since uninstalling it was apparently just like unistalling any other app through the Windows Control Panel.
I installed it, and it works. Here's how to do it:
1. Download the 0.5GB file from www.prestomypc.com/get_prestopc.php
2. Install.
3. Reboot the computer. You have the choice of booting Windows (the default) or Presto. Choose Presto, and then press Enter.
Apps and Customizing
Once in Presto, you can use familiar programs like FireFox 3, Skype (the older, less cluttered version), Acrobat Reader 8, and OpenOffice 3 (handles Office 2007's DOCX format).
Presto's Application Store has many apps for downloading and effortless installing. I immediately added Picasa 3 and VLC (for movies and music)
To start customizing Presto, read this tutorial on the Presto forums.
5x Faster than Windows 7
The point to the name, and the main marketing message, is that Presto boots faster than Windows. Here are the timings for my X110:
- Boot Windows 7 -- 180 seconds (3 minutes)
- Boot Presto -- 35 seconds, about 5x faster.
Presto is slower, however, than the Linux on my ASUS netbook, perhaps because it boots from an SSD (solid state disk): just 25 seconds.
(To think that Microsoft is removing the startup sound from Windows 7 to shave off 400 milliseconds from that 3-minute startup time.)
Presto is currently free as a beta, and will cost $20 once it ships in the middle of April.
Comments