Linux Mint VS Fedora Linux VS Windows XP (Which one do I get?)

[MrMcTiller]

Not without the proprietary driver. I mean, it might but I doubt it.

So, how do I install that?

 

[TVL]

What a mess. OpenSuse Leap uses proprietary drivers on install if you chose to (maybe even automatically, I can't remember or bother to google it). Linux gives me Tourette's when you get problems like these, if you have hardware that is well supported it's smooth sailing whatever you chose, but if you don't; welcome to hell. Maybe you feel it's too much trouble downloading a new distro and installing that though... But I think it will be the easiest way to solve you problem.

 

[matpower]

>2016
Well ok.

Regardless, OP got it. Also, he's probably using the legacy open source ATI driver.

Yes, 2016 is as old as time in Linux's landscape (and tech in general). A lot has changed and it seems like you are completely out of the loop, no offense.

Not without the proprietary driver. I mean, it might but I doubt it.

His hardware is so old that the only proprietary driver for that is the now-dead fglrx, he would need to downgrade X and manually get the drivers, it is not worth it for a number of reasons, not even Debian supports that setup anymore. Please stop recommending proprietary GPU drivers for anything that's not NVIDIA, specially for a newbie.

OK, now that I am using Solus, it doesn't have the graphical errors. So, do you think Gmod will run?

Gmod should run, you have the required OpenGL version (2.1), don't expect great performance though.
Here's the feature matrix for your GPU, check the R300 column.

What a mess. OpenSuse Leap uses proprietary drivers on install if you chose to (maybe even automatically, I can't remember or bother to google it). Linux gives me Tourette's when you get problems like these, if you have hardware that is well supported it's smooth sailing whatever you chose, but if you don't; welcome to hell. Maybe you feel it's too much trouble downloading a new distro and installing that though... But I think it will be the easiest way to solve you problem.

His hardware is supported and he's using the most recent software available. There's no reason to distrohop in this scenario and again, it is bad advice for a newbie, one should focus in solving the issue instead of recommending their favorite distro, otherwise I would be shilling for Fedora or Debian because they are my favorite distros.

 

[Yepi69]

Windows 10 + Linux Mint, a perfect dual booting system made in heaven.

 

[raphamotta]

I'm enjoying Deepin Linux

 

[Joom]

@matpower, I never recommended them. I even said that the open source drivers should suffice for his needs. However, I don't see him having a good time with Gmod while using them.

 

[matpower]

@matpower, I never recommended them. I even said that the open source drivers should suffice for his needs. However, I don't see him having a good time with Gmod while using them.

It sounds like a recommendation or at least, endorsement. You had already linked an old article that recommended proprietary AMD drivers and then you mentioned them again, when a quick search on ArchWiki or some Linux Gaming community would show that fglrx has been discontinued since 2014/2015 and how AMD has been heavily investing in open source drivers. As matter of fact, even their newest AMDGPU-PRO for GCN1+ is strictly recommended for workstations, not for gaming.
Sure, his hardware is old and might run a bit better with fglrx, but 1) it is not worth the hassle 2) fglrx was shit and it gave AMD bad rep until they cleaned up their act 3) in my experience with a r600, the performance difference was nonexistent, and that was circa 2016, it should be even better now.

 

[Captain_N]

Use windows 7 as the host OS, then install vmware and use all 3 OS on the same pc. Thats profit

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Might I ask why you're only considering these OS's? Is it old hardware? If so I wouldn't expect Minecraft to run well or do any real gaming except emulation, and I'll be surprised if Solus runs well. Knowing PC specs would help us recommend stuff.

Linux is great for a lot of things, but gaming isn't one of them.

 

[Joom]

It sounds like a recommendation or at least, endorsement. You had already linked an old article that recommended proprietary AMD drivers and then you mentioned them again, when a quick search on ArchWiki or some Linux Gaming community would show that fglrx has been discontinued since 2014/2015 and how AMD has been heavily investing in open source drivers. As matter of fact, even their newest AMDGPU-PRO for GCN1+ is strictly recommended for workstations, not for gaming.
Sure, his hardware is old and might run a bit better with fglrx, but 1) it is not worth the hassle 2) fglrx was shit and it gave AMD bad rep until they cleaned up their act 3) in my experience with a r600, the performance difference was nonexistent, and that was circa 2016, it should be even better now.

I linked it for the Intel section because OP had no idea what he had, and I assumed that he possibly just had Intel on board graphics because of this. I'm more than well aware of what shit fglrx was. It's one of the major reasons why I dumped Linux (coincidentally) in 2016 for macOS.

 

[TVL]

His hardware is supported and he's using the most recent software available. There's no reason to distrohop in this scenario and again, it is bad advice for a newbie, one should focus in solving the issue instead of recommending their favorite distro, otherwise I would be shilling for Fedora or Debian because they are my favorite distros.

It would solve the issue though and everything would have worked right from the getgo. But I guess it's very easy to update and fix in Mint, and maybe by now it's solved by the OP? I don't care what distro he is using, I can't even imagine how a person who does thinks.

 

[matpower]

It would solve the issue though and everything would have worked right from the getgo. But I guess it's very easy to update and fix in Mint, and maybe by now it's solved by the OP? I don't care what distro he is using, I can't even imagine how a person who does thinks.

He is running Solus apparently. And like I said, any distro with proprietary AMD drivers for his hardware is as dead as it can get. Unless it is NVIDIA, use the open source ones + Mesa.

 

[MrMcTiller]

All I want to know is if Gmod will run. I don't care if it runs slow, I can always lower the graphics settings. I find that Solus has most of the things I want. And, I just want to know which drivers I should have VS which drivers I have now IF THERE ARE OTHER DRIVERS. If not, then I will leave it alone.

 

[The Catboy]

All I want to know is if Gmod will run. I don't care if it runs slow, I can always lower the graphics settings. I find that Solus has most of the things I want. And, I just want to know which drivers I should have VS which drivers I have now IF THERE ARE OTHER DRIVERS. If not, then I will leave it alone.

Does steam install and does it play older games like Half-Life? My old laptop can play older games, but the video card doesn't support the OpenGL required to play Half-Life 2 and all games running on that engine. For me it spits up an error about the video card not being supported and there's really not much I can do.
If it shows an error about openGL, then there's really not much we can do to help. There are workarounds, but the often result in graphical glitches that render the game(s) unplayable. This is also not an issue that can be fixed through software, just hardware upgrades.

 

[MrMcTiller]

Does steam install and does it play older games like Half-Life? My old laptop can play older games, but the video card doesn't support the OpenGL required to play Half-Life 2 and all games running on that engine. For me it spits up an error about the video card not being supported and there's really not much I can do.
If it shows an error about openGL, then there's really not much we can do to help. There are workarounds, but the often result in graphical glitches that render the game(s) unplayable. This is also not an issue that can be fixed through software, just hardware upgrade.

I have a Half-Life CD, and when I was using XenialPup 7.5, I used Wine to run the game. It ran fine, but for some reason when I tried to start a new game... it said that I didn't have the CD inserted.

 

[The Catboy]

I have a Half-Life CD, and when I was using XenialPup 7.5, I used Wine to run the game. It ran fine, but for some reason when I tried to start a new game... it said that I didn't have the CD inserted.

I won't suggest using the CD and installing/running it through Steam. The CD version should be using Direct X (unless the released an updated version) the steam version for Linux will be using openGL.
I could be wrong though, I just know my old CD copy of Half-Life ran through Direct X

 

[MrMcTiller]

Does steam install and does it play older games like Half-Life? My old laptop can play older games, but the video card doesn't support the OpenGL required to play Half-Life 2 and all games running on that engine. For me it spits up an error about the video card not being supported and there's really not much I can do.
If it shows an error about openGL, then there's really not much we can do to help. There are workarounds, but the often result in graphical glitches that render the game(s) unplayable. This is also not an issue that can be fixed through software, just hardware upgrades.

And, I haven't tried to install Steam yet, because I am still using a Live Boot USB. My friend is going to let me borrow a USB so that I can use his USB as the Live and install to my USB.

 

[The Catboy]

And, I haven't tried to install Steam yet, because I am still using a Live Boot USB. My friend is going to let me borrow a USB so that I can use his USB as the Live and install to my USB.

Alright, once you have everything installed test Half-Life through Steam, then test out any game running the Half-Life 2 Engine. This should give some better results to determine if it's just a driver issue or a hardware issue.

 

[MrMcTiller]

I won't suggest using the CD and installing/running it through Steam. The CD version should be using Direct X (unless the released an updated version) the steam version for Linux will be using openGL.
I could be wrong though, I just know my old CD copy of Half-Life ran through Direct X

So, I don't have money and I actually want to play Half-Life. Is there a way for me to get it for free because I have a CD of it?

 

[The Catboy]

So, I don't have money and I actually want to play Half-Life. Is there a way for me to get it for free because I have a CD of it?

I actually don't know because I bought mine (along with every other Half-Life game, mod, etc.) for like 20$ during one of the Summer sales. I didn't have key for my CD copy because it was pirated copy I got from my brother and it came with a keygen on the disk itself.