[JinRoh]

Hi there. Actually I will pay it tomorrow but... here it goes:

250GB
6cell battery
No bluetooth.

That was my choice. 303€

So, before it arrives, and as it will be my first netbook, I would like to hear in advance suggestions, tweaks... from 1012 users (or any other).

For example, I'm planning to change Windows 7 Started by Home Premium, and I'm thinking whether to install Ubuntu as well (double boot) just in case windows is too heavy.

I would like to know (or know where to look for) services, suggestions, tweaks for it to run as smooth as possible (disable aero?)

My main tasks will be taking notes in class and surfing the web.

I would also like to buy some kind of sleeve as I think nothing comes with it. Which ones do you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Oh, and 32 or 64 bit? (Using 64 bit home premium on my M1530)

[rrfranczak3]

you fail to mention how much RAM, if its only 1gb, first thing I would do is pop in 2gb, I have 1gb on my 1010 and a Aero runs fine....with 2gb you wont have any problems, personally I dont think that you need 64bit for what you wanna do, some say that with only 2gb 64bit actually runs slower than 32bit....there are opinions on both sides of the argument....if you wanna be totally safe..run 32bit..I dont mess with ubuntu, but I do dual boot with XP and Win 7..although truthfully really never use XP too much anymore and probably will soon delete it all together and recover the space back for Win 7


PS. Welcome to the forum....

[Isthmus]

I have a 1012 and the first thing I did was upgrade it to 2GB (all 1012's and 1018's come with only 1GB from the factory - it's microsoft's condition for licensing 7 starter). I wanted t use the computer to run and test linux distros and didn't care for 7 starter. I found it to be too heavy on resources and too limited for what I wanted to do. I ended up deleting it all together and trying a number of different distributions. Ultimately I settled for the full version of Linux Mint 9, which is essentially a more polished and user-friendly version of Ubuntu 10.04 (distrowatch lists it either at 2 or 3 in downloads, just behind ubuntu itself). I fount it to be very stable and everything works right out of the box, except for wireless. If you have one of the older broadcom cards like I did, the system will detect it and automatically direct you to a driver install window (you'll need an Ethernet connection to do this). If you have one of the newer atheron wireless N cards, then it will work right out of the box.

I find linux mint to run, start-up and shut down noticeably faster than windows 7 starter, and it is a lot more flexible in terms of configuration. I did change a few things such as adding Chromium and modifying the stock settings for firefox. I also downloaded a few software packages that I preferred to some of the standard install.

I really like it and couldn't be happier. Consider creating a live USB of mint and running it on your 1018 to see how you like it before you install.

[Dunhamzzz]

The RAM upgrade is always a cheap/easy/effective upgrade on a netbook!

You should be fine with Aero tbh, my Mini 9 with older hardware runs it ok.

Mine should be delivered sometime next week, I'll try and do a little RAM upgrade myself, although I need to look into DDR3 Ram as nothing I have at the moment uses it!

[JinRoh]

Is the RAM upgrade worth? It seems it is not as easy as in a mainstream laptop, and I don't know if I would actually feel the difference.

Which RAM would you recommend? (2GB , brand, frecuency?)

What about the Sleeve? :P

Thanks for your answers

OT: Dumhamzzz, you are from Hampshire and you have a Heavy as an avatar, is that a coincidence? :P

[rrfranczak3]

memory:

200pin
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Corsair-CM...odule/13213271

204pin
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-CM3X2G...1&sr=8-1-fkmr0

the only thing I am not sure of is some of the memory I found is 200pin and some is 204pin...not sure what the 1018 has in it..I know that the 1012 is 200pin DDR2..but this is DDR3

the memory for a 1012 will not be the same for the 1018 as where the 1012 is DDR2 and the 1018 is DDR3...

as far as cases there are as many different cases & opinions as there are users on this site

[JinRoh]

Hmm, I still can't fnd a proper case / sleeve as all 10" doesn't seem to fit well :/ I guess there isn't an official by dell?

I will wait to a review before buying the RAM then.

EDIT: I just paid the netbook

[holmes4]

The 1018 will take DDR3 notebook memory, not DDR2.

[JinRoh]

Originally Posted by holmes4

The 1018 will take DDR3 notebook memory, not DDR2.

rrfranczak3 was talking about the pins, 200 or 204? We still don't know.

My 1018 has an estimated delivery date : 23 September.

Did yours arrive before it?

[holmes4]

DDR3 memory is 204 pins. DDR2 is 200 pins. I do not have a 1018 nor have I ordered one.