Posted on 01/10/2021 9:25:44 AM PST by djf
Ok, I'm getting fed up with the internet and Windows. Windows not-so-much, but under WinXP, the versions of Firefox and Chrome I can run are pretty ancient and I either get hit by tons of ads or it gives me a time error and won't even let me in. So I have an older CD which is Knoppix 5.1 and I am trying to configure it to talk to my modem. If you have had experience with this and have hints/tips, please let me know! TIA!
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.
The machine I’m using now is an older (circa 2005) Compaq SR1900NX with a 3.3 GHZ processor, I have a couple ~120 GB hard drives in it, it is a 32 bit machine. It is ethernet plugged into my modem (xfinity) but because of WinXP limitations, FTP download fails for anything bigger than 2 gig.
I have Chromium installed. I just loaded the two extensions that make this forum much easier to use. I guess I’ll just have to use Chromium when I want to visit FR. A bit of a pain but it works without using the Anti-American Firefox browser.
https://cynwoody.appspot.com/installing-in-chrome.html
https://cynwoody.appspot.com/fr_posting_form_enhancer.html
This is exactly what I do and use all open source software. Works great and I don’t feed the big tech monsters.
I would recommend getting a box with 16gb of RAM.
That should be able to run a newer version of Linux than the knoppix you have. Looks like it came with 512mb RAM from the factory so that would need to be increased to run any newer OS.
https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00683794
Maximum is 1gb 2x for a total of 2gb which still isn’t great. You’ll want a lightweight Linux. Just do a web search for lightweight linux 32 bit. There aren’t many that will run on a 32 bit system these days. XP isn’t even safe to surf with anymore. Major target for malware and as you say, it won’t run up to date browsers.
Not sure about connecting to xfinity. You’ll have to take that up with them. Is there xfinity software of some sort installed on the machine? Do you or did you ever have to log into xfinity via a browser?
3.3GHz is pretty good but you really ought to think about finding a 64 bit machine. 32 bit is just getting obsolete.
Are you 100% sure that your processor is only 32 bit? It may very well be that your OS only reports itself as that way and isn’t fully using the chip.
I think it’s more than probable that it’s 64 bit. Is this your computer: ?
https://www.newegg.com/compaq-presario-sr1900nx-student-home-office/p/N82E16883107100
It says 64 bit. The fact that this has an integrated ATI chip means that your linux experience is very likely to be a pleasant one. AMD puts a lot of manpower into its graphics drivers and they are open source so they are a positive out of the box “just works” setup.
Since you are using ethernet to plug into your broadband, your experience when using a modern Ubuntu, Mint, and I usually use Fedora or Manjaro, but the point is your experience is it should “just work” as soon as you get to your first boot. That is what you should expect, that’s what I expect when I do a new install or upgrade. Your only concern should be learning the applications, not tinkering with what’s under the hood.
These days Linux is easier I think for the average person than Windows.
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 )
Well, I believe he has a much older PC.. so Cinnamon or Mate may be too demanding. I recommend XFCE.
If either Cinnamon or Mate work, it would be much better though.
"It is Google Chrome before Google gets their sticky data theft and privacy invasion fingers into it."
The last release of Linux Mint to support 32-bit systems is 19.3 “Tricia”. Releases since that are 64-bit only. The current release is 20.1 “Ulyssa”. So, Mint support for 32-bits is going away.
On the other hand, MX Linux’s latest release currently supports 32-bit systems and they plan to do so for a long time.
Yeah, I posted a link to him for the last 32 bit ;)
I;m still upset with Mint for doing away with KDE.. but they are doing what is best for their brand. Have been using Manjaro, but don’t like it... so I am planning on switching to Cinnamon :p
It is great for most people, but I prefer the control we have with KDE :(
You got the very best of Linux there. I have been using the Mint Cinnamon 18.3 for almost four years now and haven’t even needed to update anything since I loaded it. and it feels and functions almost exactly like win 7.
Tried others and this is the one to stick with.
Are you using a dialup modem?
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