old computer

AirCooledHeaven

Baldur wrote: »

If you read the preceding posts, I was actually attempting to 'temper' other posters' gleeful suggestions of Ubuntu being a panacea for all ills.

Sorry Baldur, It wasn't my intention to diss your advice and I wasn't really replying specifically to your post. It's just that I notice that often Linux is recommended, as you say, as a panacea to a variety of ills; people posting their problems probably don't want to hear that they need to change their operating system to cure them.

However, if an OP asks "is there an alternative to my bloated, buggy, Microsoft operating system" then I would welcome the pro Linux posters

spud17

My PC is also around 9yo, it runs Mint (based on Ubuntu just fine), dual booting with XP.
From a purely subjective point, my Athlon XP2400 with 768mbRAM runs faster than some Vista laptops I've seen.
I've tried Ubuntu on other old machines and had a message about "unable to work with BIOS pre-2000".
So agree Ubuntu is not always the best option, other distros are available.

PeterPerfect

Linux is another learning curve, as well as any application software used. Has the poster checked the amount/setting for virtual memory as suggested? Or even added more memory if using XP?

i8change

Go on the Crucial website. It will tell you the limit for a memory upgrade.
It is very reasonable and mine arrived next morning.
I upgraded a 7 year old Dell, Pentium 4, from 256Mb to 1Gb and it is very quick now, like a new machine.

old_codger1

Baldur wrote: »

'Pretty damned quick' is likely to be a slight overstatement, as Ubuntu 8.10's minimum system requirement for installation is 256MB - http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/810

I'd personally look at one of the lighter distros, with a less demanding GUI than Gnome or KDE, if the PC is as old as suggested by the OP's post.

Well, I suppose it depends what you mean by 'PDQ', doesn't it

I meant it would be OK doing the sort of things the original poster said he did which I took to mean mainly web browsing, email and so on. At least, that's been my experience.

Nevertheless, as you say, xubuntu, tinyme, dsl or similar would perform better.

old_codger1

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

It's just that I notice that often Linux is recommended, as you say, as a panacea to a variety of ills; people posting their problems probably don't want to hear that they need to change their operating system to cure them.

Fair point

I only supported the other poster who suggested it because the OP mentioned they...

...only use it for basic stuff--no movies,music etc----

If that's all he's doing he doesn't need to...

... ditch it --as the bloke in the shop told me.

There are alternatives, including reducing the footprint of his existing windows setup and including, IMO, installing Linux. The point, surely, is that he can install linux as well as trying the other things. If he doesn't like it and can't get on with it it hasn't cost him anything.

Exo

surawy wrote: »

its intel pentium----has 60 GB hard disc--only using something like 17 GB.
It only has 256 mb RAM.
Have cleaned it up ---thanks ---is working better.

If you inform us of the operating system in use (as requested earlier), then we may be able to give further help on speeding things up.
I assume you are using Win9x (Win 95/98/ME) as XP will be slow with only 256MB ram installed.

basmic

Exact CPU and motherboard make and model/type would help us a lot here.

Usually the best way to speedup a computer is add more memory, a faster harddrive and new CPU (or consider overclocking the exisiting CPU).

surawy

Thanks for all your help--have cleaned it up and it works quicker!
Also according to the cr website it will take extra 512 mb ram.--will try that
thank you.