A computer components & hardware forum. HardwareBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » HardwareBanter forum » General Hardware & Peripherals » Homebuilt PC's
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old June 28th 08, 01:38 PM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Robert Heller
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

At Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:26:01 +0100 Benjamin Gawert wrote:


* raylopez99:
I have not been able to get a straight answer to this, despite almost
a year of trying.


Maybe then this time you should take the time and at least check what
you really have? "...about 200 MHz clock, with about 500 MB RAM (or
maybe it's 225.." and "...It has a late 90s but
popular video card, forget the brand...." is worth nothing. There is no
PentiumII 200MHz, so either it is a Pentium 200 or a PentiumII with


Pentium Pros were available at 200mhz -- not labeled as PIIs, but were
686 processors and thus effectively PIIs in all but name. I'm guessing
that the OP has one of these (and the vintage is about right). I used a
200mhz Pentium Pro box at UMass until I was laid off in Nov of 2005 --
at the time I had the oldest and slowest desktop in the lab were I
worked -- a sort of point of pride -- I kept *refusing* newer boxes,
since I liked that old box -- it worked well and I was confortable with
it.

higher clock speed. If it's a Pentium then you won't have much fun
running Linux on it, too (except maybe for use as a router or file
server). Same about memory (exact size and type), the mainboard and also
the gfx card. You also want to check the gfx card because it won't give
you much fun if it's not supported by Linux.


Most *older* graphic cards are supported on some level. Graphics cards
that are supported are cheap -- almost any nVidia PCI or AGP card is
supported.


If you expect people to help you the least thing you can do is to
provide accurate details.

Benjamin


--
Robert Heller -- Get the Deepwoods Software FireFox Toolbar!
Deepwoods Software -- Linux Installation and Administration
http://www.deepsoft.com/ -- Web Hosting, with CGI and Database
-- Contract Programming: C/C++, Tcl/Tk

  #2  
Old June 29th 08, 10:10 AM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
raylopez99
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 49
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

On Jun 28, 5:38*am, Robert Heller wrote:

I used a
200mhz Pentium Pro box at UMass until I was laid off in Nov of 2005 --
at the time I had the oldest and slowest desktop in the lab were I
worked -- a sort of point of pride -- I kept *refusing* newer boxes,
since I liked that old box -- it worked well and I was confortable with
it.


Uh, ok. But maybe that's why you were fired? (using old equipment)
Probably not, but the thought comes to mind.

Do you have a vote on a min hardware distro?

It's surprising how un-helpful Linux advocates are. Their main point--
and indeed only point--is not to waste bandwidth answering trolls.
Back in the days when bandwidth was limited and the Internet was
government owned, that was a good point, but no more; however, Linux
users are stuck in the past, still fighting the battle that was
settled by litigation 10+ years ago, that MSFT charges vendors for
Windows regardless of what OS is actually loaded...that is so, what,
1995?

BTW If you don't believe I am sincere, at least answer the questions
raised for the benefit of people Googling this issue in the future.

RL
  #3  
Old June 29th 08, 10:28 AM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Andrew Halliwell
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

In comp.os.linux.advocacy raylopez99 wrote:
BTW If you don't believe I am sincere, at least answer the questions
raised for the benefit of people Googling this issue in the future.


Can't come up with your own ideas?
Note to readers. That's almost word for word what I put at the bottom of my
first reply to this waster.
"NB: this is not for the benefit of lopez, but for anyone googling in the
future"

If there's anything lopez lacks, it's sincerity.
All he cares about is fud, and he's been chucking a lot of that about in
this thread so far, hasn't he?
--
| | Windows95 (noun): 32 bit extensions and a |
| | graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit |
| Andrew Halliwell BSc | operating system originally coded for a 4 bit |
| in |microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that|
| Computer Science | can't stand 1 bit of competition. |
  #4  
Old June 29th 08, 11:01 AM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
raylopez99
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 49
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

On Jun 29, 2:28*am, Andrew Halliwell wrote:
In comp.os.linux.advocacy raylopez99 wrote:

BTW If you don't believe I am sincere, at least answer the questions
raised for the benefit of people Googling this issue in the future.


Can't come up with your own ideas?
Note to readers. That's almost word for word what I put at the bottom of my
first reply to this waster.
"NB: this is not for the benefit of lopez, but for anyone googling in the
future"


Android--you're STILL going to hell--stzzzzzz--that's the smell and
sound of human flesh burning. Not too late though...Jesus loves you.

But do you have any constructive comments about Linux for my
question? As I type this, based on other replies, I am downloading
Vector Linux-but since the download speed is apparently deliberately
crippled (to get more money out of users), a simple 600 MB download is
going to take 3 hours +.

Tell me seriously, hell-fire and brimstone boy, do you actually use
Linux? Does it ever crash on you? How often? Windows NT and 2000
are super stable--I've rarely gotten the BSOD except when first
configuring stuff on it. Once stable, it's stable. Is Linux the
same? Let's hear how "honest" you are, hell boy.

RL
  #5  
Old June 29th 08, 11:11 AM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Andrew Halliwell
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

In comp.os.linux.advocacy raylopez99 wrote:
But do you have any constructive comments about Linux for my
question?


I gave my ha'penny's worth days ago, which you of course chose to ignore.
(along with everynoe else who gave you advice)
--
| | Windows95 (noun): 32 bit extensions and a |
| | graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit |
| Andrew Halliwell BSc | operating system originally coded for a 4 bit |
| in |microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that|
| Computer Science | can't stand 1 bit of competition. |
  #6  
Old June 29th 08, 12:43 PM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Robert Heller
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

At Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:10:46 -0700 (PDT) raylopez99 wrote:


On Jun 28, 5:38=A0am, Robert Heller wrote:

I used a
200mhz Pentium Pro box at UMass until I was laid off in Nov of 2005 --
at the time I had the oldest and slowest desktop in the lab were I
worked -- a sort of point of pride -- I kept *refusing* newer boxes,
since I liked that old box -- it worked well and I was confortable with
it.


Uh, ok. But maybe that's why you were fired? (using old equipment)
Probably not, but the thought comes to mind.


I wasn't 'fired' -- I was laid off due to lack of funding.


Do you have a vote on a min hardware distro?


I already answered that: I have used CentOS (4) on some fairly old
hardware.


It's surprising how un-helpful Linux advocates are. Their main point--
and indeed only point--is not to waste bandwidth answering trolls.
Back in the days when bandwidth was limited and the Internet was
government owned, that was a good point, but no more; however, Linux
users are stuck in the past, still fighting the battle that was
settled by litigation 10+ years ago, that MSFT charges vendors for
Windows regardless of what OS is actually loaded...that is so, what,
1995?

BTW If you don't believe I am sincere, at least answer the questions
raised for the benefit of people Googling this issue in the future.

RL


--
Robert Heller -- Get the Deepwoods Software FireFox Toolbar!
Deepwoods Software -- Linux Installation and Administration
http://www.deepsoft.com/ -- Web Hosting, with CGI and Database
-- Contract Programming: C/C++, Tcl/Tk

  #7  
Old June 29th 08, 01:31 PM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Jean-David Beyer
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits onCDs?

Robert Heller wrote (in part):
At Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:10:46 -0700 (PDT) raylopez99 wrote:

Do you have a vote on a min hardware distro?


I already answered that: I have used CentOS (4) on some fairly old
hardware.

I run CentOS4 on my "old" machine, a dual 550 MHz Pentium III machine with
512 MBytes RAM that I got in early 2000. So it is a little over 8 years old.
CentOS4 runs perfectly well there.

The oldest machine I had (now gone) had about 166 MHz Pentiun with 64 Megs
RAM. It ran Red Hat Linux 7.3 OK, but it did not run RHL 9 very well because
it was thrashing the disk. I upped the RAM to 128 Megs and that stopped the
thrashing. I raised it to 256 Megs but that did not make much difference.
The main trouble with it was that the 166MHz processor was just too slow.

I am not sure if my "new" machine is still considered new as I built it
myself and started running it in March 2004. It runs RHEL5 just fine still;
I started it with RHEL3. It was almost state of the art then, but surely is
no longer. Dual 3.06 GHz Xeon processors, 8 GBytes RAM, 10,000 rpm Ultra/320
SCSI hard drives, ... . But these days, 4 year old machines are already
considered fairly old by some.

--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642.
/V\ PGP-Key: 9A2FC99A Registered Machine 241939.
/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
^^-^^ 08:20:01 up 3 days, 17:40, 4 users, load average: 4.10, 4.07, 4.11
  #8  
Old June 29th 08, 05:03 PM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Benjamin Gawert
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,020
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits onCDs?

* Robert Heller:

Pentium Pros were available at 200mhz -- not labeled as PIIs, but were
686 processors and thus effectively PIIs in all but name.


Definitely not. There are several non-minor differences between a
Pentium Pro and Pentium II.

I'm guessing
that the OP has one of these


It can be a Pentium Pro 200, it can be a Pentium 200, it can be a
Pentium 200 MMX, it can be a Pentium II 233+, who knows. Guessing is
just a waste of time.

Most *older* graphic cards are supported on some level.


Yes, as frame buffer device. Nothing someone really wants to work with.

Graphics cards
that are supported are cheap -- almost any nVidia PCI or AGP card is
supported.


Investing anything in a 200MHz computer is more or less just a waste as
a much faster P3 (500+Mhz) can be had for almost nothing today.

Benjamin
  #9  
Old June 29th 08, 07:40 PM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Peter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 175
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs?

In article ff22f705-15c3-4b71-b1b9-
, says...
On Jun 29, 2:28*am, Andrew Halliwell wrote:
In comp.os.linux.advocacy raylopez99 wrote:

BTW If you don't believe I am sincere, at least answer the questions
raised for the benefit of people Googling this issue in the future.


Can't come up with your own ideas?
Note to readers. That's almost word for word what I put at the bottom of my
first reply to this waster.
"NB: this is not for the benefit of lopez, but for anyone googling in the
future"


Android--you're STILL going to hell--stzzzzzz--that's the smell and
sound of human flesh burning. Not too late though...Jesus loves you.

But do you have any constructive comments about Linux for my
question? As I type this, based on other replies, I am downloading
Vector Linux-but since the download speed is apparently deliberately
crippled (to get more money out of users), a simple 600 MB download is
going to take 3 hours +.


3+ hours? That's not too long to wait. And how does that 'get more money
out of users'?

And 'deliberately crippled' as well, eh? I just tried and my d/l is
going to take less than an hour.

Btw, who's going to install it? You, or your friend, far away?
Perhaps, your friend should have been asking for help instead of you?

--
Pete Ives
Remove All_stRESS before sending me an email
  #10  
Old June 30th 08, 12:21 AM posted to comp.os.linux.misc,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,comp.os.linux.advocacy
Michael Black[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 164
Default What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits onCDs?



On Sun, 29 Jun 2008, Benjamin Gawert wrote:
Investing anything in a 200MHz computer is more or less just a waste as a
much faster P3 (500+Mhz) can be had for almost nothing today.

Well yes.

I bought a used 200MHz Pentium in mid-2001 to run Linux. The next
year, I found a nearly identical system lying on the sidewalk waiting
for the garbage truck. Almost five years ago I was given this hand me
down 1GHz computer, so basically I'm not paying attention to what's
being thrown out these days. But surely it's better than 200MHz.
A few weeks ago, I did finally find a computer with a 256meg DIMM
in it, so I'm finally up to 512megs, the maximum of this computer. In
retrospect, given that memory I should have taken a closer look to
see if it was better than this one. At this point it likely is time
to see better computers waiting for the garbage. Certainly, I'm seeing
1GHz or slightly better in local ads around the $40 mark.

Michael

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs? raylopez99 Homebuilt PC's 35 July 3rd 08 01:10 AM
What Linux distro to use for old Intel machine, that fits on CDs? Robert Heller Homebuilt PC's 0 June 28th 08 01:38 PM
ATI driver on Linux machine michelus34 Ati Videocards 5 October 9th 05 01:13 AM
good 64 bit linux distro and apps? a AMD x86-64 Processors 8 August 14th 05 08:47 PM
Installing suitable linux distro on Dell Inspiron 5100! Raqueeb Hassan Dell Computers 3 May 13th 04 04:26 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 HardwareBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.