Buy new, bare-bones computer and install Ubuntu. You’ll have to learn a bit of Lynuxbut that isn’t that hard. It will also be much safer than what you are using.
BTW the Ubuntu is free. So is open office. And here is probably driver for your modem.
Why Knoppix? The Reiser FS is nuts unless you’re a German. I dual booted Mint/Windhoes10 for my bride until she gets used to Mint and then we’re going to get rid of Windhoes completely.
Ditch your old Knoppix distro and get current Ubuntu.
Browser overload from videos and ads — and an XP computer crash — caused me to finally go to Win7.
I am still there, but in recent years my browsers [primarily Firefox ESR 52 and Comodo IceDragon 4.2] have been experiencing browser overload.
Thus, to retain Win7 usability, I have found a couple of more recent browsers for heavy video and graphics websites. I primarily use the latest Vivaldi based on Opera and Slimbrowser Pro based on Chromium. Many websites now require these newer browsers.
I did buy a Linux Mint Cinnamon 18.3 laptop that I use more and more. I found Win10 too irritating to bother with. I am retired so I no longer need heavy computing power like I did during my my work years. I dealt with data conversions and various databases having upwards of 50,000 items and files with nearly 1,000 pages of text and graphics.
Why would you not try a newer Linux distro?
I sent you a private reply. Good luck.
Best to get a newer pc.
Refurbished ones are fast and you can put windows 7 on it or Linux Mint
https://www.amazon.com/refurbished-Desktops-Computers-Tablets/s?k=refurbished&rh=n%3A565098
Windows 7 on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/b/Microsoft-Windows-7-Operating-System-Software/11226/bn_2780793
I use Windows 7 on my desktop pc. Much faster then the work pc I have with Windows 10.
Also get a copy of Office 2016 at ebay. The newest version of Office requires Windows 10. Office is Office so get the older one. I use my copy of Office 2016 on my pc and the companies Office 365 on the work pc. The 365 is just irritating. Everything you do is spied on.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=Microsoft+Office&_sacat=11226&LH_TitleDesc=0&rt=nc&For%2520Operating%2520Systems=Microsoft%2520Windows%25207&_dcat=11226
Or the Free Libre office. You can save as Microsoft file types like a Word .doc file.
https://www.libreoffice.org/discover/screenshots/
Moving to Linux makes sense in this age of big tech crackdowns against conservatives, I’m honestly surprised there aren’t more boycott threads about it around here on FR given how cozy Microsoft is with progressives and how much Microsoft money goes toward causes we wouldn’t ever dream of supporting.
First, when you say “modem” do you really mean a 56k dialup? I’m very surprised by this but it needs clarification.
What are the full hardware specifications of your computer?
Processor:
How much ram:
What video card: (This one is especially important)
What wifi chip: (manufacturer)
Was this custom built or is it a retail name brand?
Motherboard:
You are getting good advice from others about giving newer versions of Ubuntu or Linux Mint/Cinnamon a try instead of Knoppix, but you may not need a whole new computer.
PPP/chat is what you need to set up to dialup networking with Linux, IIRC. I’ve done it, but years ago. A lot of modern modems won’t work on Linux, though; they require proprietary drivers that only work on Windows.
Get your feet wet with Linux Mint or Zorin
Go here and all the new versions for free https://distrowatch.com/
If have an older 32 bit machine your distribution options are going to be limited. Most everything is now 64 bit. MX Linux is a decent 32 bit distro
What are your PC specs? What MHz processor speed? How much RAM? How big is your hard drive?
If it was designed in Win XP days, you’re going to be limited.
When you say modem, are you talking old dial up modem, DSL?
Most modern modems for DLS etc are actually modem/router combos so all you have to do is connect to the wifi. If it’s a standalone dsl modem, you might need to contact your ISP and it may or may not be Linux compatible. Maybe they’ll be able to set you up with a router/modem combo but then you need a wifi card if you don’t have one.
At any rate, we need more info. There are versions of linux that will run on a PC made in XP days but not many.
Knoppix is actually made to run from a CD; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knoppix
You should be able to find a new(used - new to you) PC on ebay with some form Linux already installed. A lot of people sell used PCs and put Linux on them so they don’t have to worry about Windows COA(certificate of authenticity) and activation.
You can get a newer PC on ebay for less than $100. New enough to have originally run Windows 7, 8 or even 10. Most are off lease and so they can’t put windows back on them because the company bought a bulk license and those can’t be transferred. That’s why they either won’t have an OS or will have Linux installed.
Here’s one; Dell Inspiron 660 Core i5-3330 3GHz 750GB HDD 8GB Ram Linux Mint - Originally had Win 8 on it. Should have a wifi card in it. Loaded with ports to plug in most anything. SD card reader, several USB ports including some USB 3.0, HDMI port.
Ought to scream with Linux Mint on it @ 3GHz. $89.99 plus shipping from Kansas. Seller has 100% positive feedback.
I’d buy it in a heart beat.
Ping to another linux user
Tech Ping
I sent you another private message.
Your main limitation is RAM. According to HP your computer came with a base of 512Mb RAM and may have shipped with more. Up to 2Gb RAM is the maximum you can have installed in your system. Of course, old RAM is widely available at low cost. Your computer can hold two sticks of 1Gb each. But no 64-bit system, Linux or otherwise, is going to work well with only 2GB RAM.
MX is currently the most popular freely available distribution. The 32-bit version of MX Linux requires only 1Gb RAM but works much better with 2Gb.
If you only have 512MB to 1Gb RAM then antiX is the way to go. MX Linux and antiX Linux are cooperative efforts. AntiX with 2Gb RAM runs even happier!
FWIW, I am currently running the 32-bit version of MX Linux on an old Dell Inspiron 1150 laptop with a mobile Pentium 4 processor and 2Gb RAM. It works very well. It originally only had 1Gb RAM and I was running antiX when it was in that configuration.
I also have the 32-bit version of MX Linux running on my old MSI thin client. It has an old intel Atom processor that is 64-bit rated but that Atom CPU wasn’t fully threaded like a true 64-bit CPU. It has 2Gb RAM. I tried Windows 7 and various 64-bit and 32-bit distributions of Linux. I found 32-bit MX works the best.
I have Linux Mint on my main laptop and my main desktop. They both are 64-bit systems with 8Gb RAM. They are both dual boot Linux/Windows 10 machines but I almost never use Windows any more. To me, Linux Mint is the proverbial Windows replacement.
I do not recommend Google Chrome for you. I have experience with that on a modern Acer Chromebook. It is stable and usable if you like the pad format but I find it proprietary and weird. The current version of Chrome does allow the user to install Linux apps by running a virtual Linux box. I’ve installed Libre Office, GIMP, and some other Linux “apps” on the Chromebook and they work just fine. But if the Chromebook was mine I’d just wipe it clean and replace it with Linux Mint. Regardless, Chrome will not run on your old computer. It has limited hardware support for new computers and virtually none for old computers like yours.
1. Get yourself an inexpensive Intel-based 64-bit-capable computer.
2. Run Ubuntu Linux.
Trust me (and everybody else who said it already).
Maybe upgrade to Mint XFCE. Very low resource use and it should install with the needed drivers. (LiveCD or USB, of course)
Depending on HOW old your PC is, I probably wouldn’t recommend Cinnamon or Mate (Mate may be possible).
(Haven’t messed with Knoppix in more that a decade :p )
Are you using a dialup modem?
You might have to get a USB modem that is designed to be detected by linux.