Who is using old laptops, thanks to linux?

[bester69]

Im still with my 2008's Extensa5230.. 10 years and still in pretty good conditions. I had to upgrade to 4Gb RAM and install Debian on it to be able to use it properly. It just suffers from some randomly screen colors flickering, but it happens once or twice in a week, and i resolve it by binding screen with xrandr command so not big deal.

Using a multifunction printer from 2009 (Canon Mixma MP160). I buy cheap ink cartridges in Amazon, and use a Virtualbox-XP if need some accurate job, else i use the linux firmware with it.

My laptop can play streaming 720p movies easily and a litle bit fix 1080p movies.. I use it, a lot for wathing movies with kodi and connecting VGA port into TV.


Who said laptops nowadays only last a maximum of 5 years??. Mine is dating 10 years ans still going on..

[Lysander]

I have a 2009 Samsung netbook which I use with Slackware running LXDE. It utilises a rather slovenly - by today's standards - 1.6Ghz single core processor and a measly 2GB of RAM [upgraded from 1GB].

To make things a little faster I use lightweight applications like Qupzilla for a browser and qmplay2 for YouTube. It runs very well. Booting - with svsv - takes less than a minute, which is pretty good. I've run Debian Stable on it before which is a little faster but I think, if possible, it's good to learn about more than one distro.

[pylkko]

The oldest laptop I have is a Fujitsu amilo from 2003 and it has a single core celeron. I think it is nearly usable; there are but a few things it can't do. Stuff like 3d graphics, full screen video (possible but stutters a bit). I have had several different kinds of linux setups on it, mostly with openbox / LXDE some lightweight browser.

I also have an Extensa from 2008, 4 GB RAM 64-bit 2 Ghz dual core the disk was changed to an ssd at some point. The integrated video from intel is really bad compared to what they have today, but it can do rudimentary 3D and run full screen videos from youtube etc. I tweaked the processor scheduler a bit. It's much better than the above, it can basically do anything. I don't run virtual machines on it because there is no hardware acceleration / enough RAM. But other than that it can do anything.

[bester69]

I have a 2009 Samsung netbook which I use with Slackware running LXDE. It utilises a rather slovenly - by today's standards - 1.6Ghz single core processor and a measly 2GB of RAM [upgraded from 1GB].

To make things a little faster I use lightweight applications like Qupzilla for a browser and qmplay2 for YouTube. It runs very well. Booting - with svsv - takes less than a minute, which is pretty good. I've run Debian Stable on it before which is a little faster but I think, if possible, it's good to learn about more than one distro.

I also upgrade to 2Gb, but then i realised it wasnt still enought memory for todays browsers. I usually needs 10 to 20 tabs opened and be able to work with normally . You can get/buy 4Gb (x2 2GRam) for around 30€, I would recommend you to do it, im very glad i did it.

[pylkko]

2 GB might be the max on a 2009 netbook though...

[bester69]

2 GB might be the max on a 2009 netbook though...

I didint know, i thouht it was the same as laptops

The oldest laptop I have is a Fujitsu amilo from 2003 and it has a single core celeron. I think it is nearly usable; there are but a few things it can't do. Stuff like 3d graphics, full screen video (possible but stutters a bit). I have had several different kinds of linux setups on it, mostly with openbox / LXDE some lightweight browser.

I also have an Extensa from 2008, 4 GB RAM 64-bit 2 Ghz dual core the disk was changed to an ssd at some point. The integrated video from intel is really bad compared to what they have today, but it can do rudimentary 3D and run full screen videos from youtube etc. I tweaked the processor scheduler a bit. It's much better than the above, it can basically do anything. I don't run virtual machines on it because there is no hardware acceleration / enough RAM. But other than that it can do anything.

pylkko
2003's, omg, that must be really funny to watch , oyu must be using and old distro , I guess it came with 500Mb...

You can run 32bits virtual machones without hardware acceleration, Ive a virtualbox XP32bits machine in disk, and it works like a native XP. I use it for 1200 dpi scannings, as linux firmware only is able with 600dpi in CanonMP160.

[Innovate]

k43ta asus. The laptop itself naturally support only W7 it does worked with W10
But s times go passed by the laptop gpu driver support on W10 worn off easily latest build won't support my laptop anymore
But that won't happen on linux kernel & gpu driver package.

I don't have to run linux out of MS hatre the time will flow
& the wind shall blow it's own way & weave my tales here.
I'll keep with gnu/linux os until the hardware broke by times on it's own.

[pylkko]

2 GB might be the max on a 2009 netbook though...

I didint know, i thouht it was the same as laptops

It depends on the motherboard/processor, but in my experience netbooks often had only one slot to save space. I also have an original HP mini from 2009 and it has one 1 GB stick that you can upgrade to a 2 GB one, but that's it.

2003's, omg, that must be really funny to watch , oyu must be using and old distro , I guess it came with 500Mb...

No, running latest Bunsenlabs currently. But I have booted Stretch on it. came with 2 X 256 MB, yes.

You can run 32bits virtual machones without hardware acceleration, Ive a virtualbox XP32bits machine in disk, and it works like a native XP. I use it for 1200 dpi scannings, as linux firmware only is able with 600dpi in CanonMP160.

I know you can, but I don't want to.

One of the hard things about these old processors is that many of them are 32-bit only, and unfortunately it is nowadays harder and harder to run them on any OS as 32-bit is being dropped and is less maintained with fewer package options in any case.

[yeti]

Sometimes I still use Thinkpad T23@1133M, T30@2G and T60@1.6G and an Ideapad S10@1.6G and all they still run at least at Debian8 or -9 or Devuan1 or -2.

Sure they are not used for watching HD movies or compiling new kernels every 15 minutes. ;-)

My default workhorse is a T510.

Sometimes I just need basics and a kind of network terminal (typically mosh), sometimes an oldie with real parallel and serial port is nicer for a task than friggeling around with 1001 USB adapters.

(-: This was written on the T23 still running Debian8+XFCE. :-)

[Lysander]

2 GB might be the max on a 2009 netbook though...

You are quite correct, 2GB is the max for this machine.

One of the hard things about these old processors is that many of them are 32-bit only, and unfortunately it is nowadays harder and harder to run them on any OS as 32-bit is being dropped and is less maintained with fewer package options in any case.

Fortunately, the Linux world being what it is, I'm sure that 32bit will be supported in one specialist distro or another for a long time to come, in spite of some of the bigger distros dropping it. I imagine, for instance, that Slackware will hang onto it for a while.

[Wheelerof4te]

I was using Linux (Xubuntu and Debian XFCE) on my old PC. Now I'm using it on my newish laptop from 2015.
Imagine finally being able to use that slick GNOME

[arzgi]

I'm currently wiriting form Samsung NC10 subnotebook from 2008. Processor is 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270, 32 bit. Upgraded memory to max, 2 GB. Debian 9.4 and xfce, a little slow, but usable for netsurfing. Firefox is ok, if not too many or heavy tabs.

Still a step up from the Sharp Zaurus I used many years, but then idea was to get linux to pocket, and Zaurus did it.

And when more computing power is needed, I'll boot pc, but quite seldom nowadays.

[Lysander]

I'm currently wiriting form Samsung NC10 subnotebook from 2008. Processor is 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270, 32 bit. Upgraded memory to max, 2 GB. Debian 9.4 and xfce, a little slow, but usable for netsurfing. Firefox is ok, if not too many or heavy tabs.

You and I are running extremely similar hardware. I am using the N110: the NC10's sister computer. It's almost exactly the same as yours. I use it for web browsing, YouTube, and the odd bit of academic research. I use qpdfview for annotating PDFs and Abiword instead of LibreOffice Writer - both are low resource.

For surfing the web, you may want to try Qupzilla instead of Firefox. It's much lighter and renders most webpages well, unless they're quite heavy [and I don't tend to stay on such sites anyway - I care about content rather than design].

[Funkygoby]

I use a thinkpad X200s. I believe it's from ~2008 era.
With a 750GB hybrid hard drive and 4GB ram, it's just fine.
Heavy JS'ed sites are ... heavy but I guess unless you use a WebDevMachine i7pro_ultimate with 32GB ram, your experience is the same. So not really complaining here.

More than GNU/Linux, any FOSS Operating System is a solution for old hardware.
I use an old xperia active (from 2011, bulletproof smartphone) with an old CyanogenMod rom. People are always asking "Is that a new phone? What model is that?".
Same with the thinkpad.

Everything old is new again.

[arochester]

The x200(s) according to official sources takes 4Gb of RAM max.

According to unofficial sources it works with 8Gb of RAM.

(Writen from an X200s with 8Gb)

[Funkygoby]

It was the case for the X61 too. 8GB max.
For me 4GB is really more than enough. 2GB was ok until I started using VMs.
I will need a new Motherboard/CPU/GPU before I need 8GB ram

[arzgi]

You and I are running extremely similar hardware. I am using the N110: the NC10's sister computer. It's almost exactly the same as yours. I use it for web browsing, YouTube, and the odd bit of academic research. I use qpdfview for annotating PDFs and Abiword instead of LibreOffice Writer - both are low resource.

For surfing the web, you may want to try Qupzilla instead of Firefox. It's much lighter and renders most webpages well, unless they're quite heavy [and I don't tend to stay on such sites anyway - I care about content rather than design].

Thanks for the hint! Net search for 'light browser linux' gives tons of options. Midori was my favorite long time, but now it renders wrong too many pages I often use. Qupzilla seems promising.

I can verify also that libreoffice is a bit too much for this 'beast', so Gnumeric and Abiword installed. For PDFs I use Atril.

Quite often I design things using cad, low resources and small screen are not best combination, so quite soon I'll boot the pc, debian 9.4 and xfce also there, naturally.

[Lysander]

You and I are running extremely similar hardware. I am using the N110: the NC10's sister computer. It's almost exactly the same as yours. I use it for web browsing, YouTube, and the odd bit of academic research. I use qpdfview for annotating PDFs and Abiword instead of LibreOffice Writer - both are low resource.

For surfing the web, you may want to try Qupzilla instead of Firefox. It's much lighter and renders most webpages well, unless they're quite heavy [and I don't tend to stay on such sites anyway - I care about content rather than design].

Thanks for the hint! Net search for 'light browser linux' gives tons of options. Midori was my favorite long time, but now it renders wrong too many pages I often use. Qupzilla seems promising.

I can verify also that libreoffice is a bit too much for this 'beast', so Gnumeric and Abiword installed. For PDFs I use Atril.

Quite often I design things using cad, low resources and small screen are not best combination, so quite soon I'll boot the pc, debian 9.4 and xfce also there, naturally.

Gnumeric is a good idea, thanks for that, I didn't think of it.

You may want to try qmplay2 to watch Youtube videos on your NC10. This is a dedicated client which dispenses with the need to watch videos in your browser. This is not in the main repos but Steve added it to his:

https://software.opensuse.org/download. ... ge=qmplay2

Original thread:

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=127574

[Hallvor]

I own an ASUS Eee PC R101D - 10.1" - Atom N455 - 1 GB RAM - 320 GB HDD, running Debian Stretch and Trinity Desktop Environment. It was first installed with Debian Wheezy (testing) and LXDE a little more than five years ago.

[oswaldkelso]

My older stuff I actually use

Dell Inspiron 6400 core2 T5600 1833MHz 1GB ram 2006 running Hyperbola (TBD = openbox, tint2, fittstool)
Lenovo X60T L2500 1833MHz 2GB ram 2006 running EXE Gnu/Linux Trinity and linux-libre
Samsung NC10 1.6 2GB ram 2008 running Dragora, windowlab as the default desktop
Dell Inspiron 530 Intel Core2 Duo E6550 3GB 2007 ram. Saved from the scrap heap about 5 years ago. My main machine running Dragora (TBD = openbox, tint2, fittstool)

I have a lot of other light WMs installed with the ones I sometimes boot in to when I'm bored being:
echinus, euclid-wm, evilwm, frankenwm, fvwm, goowmwm, icewm, notion, nwm, pwm, ratpoison, snapwm, wind, windowlab, and wmaker. Very little lag in any of them. Even the nc10 starts libre office fine, about 9 seconds cold and 3 subsequently. The only time I notice any sort of lag is browsing. Basically shitty js sites. A vast performance improvement is gained by running Ublock origin, and cookie exterminator. I use Seamonkey as my big browser.

edit: Distros n dates