Old computer (HP), new install (MX 19.1)

[Skara_Brae]

Hello MX'ers,

I am now for 2 days running MX Linux 19.1 on a very old computer (and I do mean very old - just look at the date of the BIOS, below!)

It is also running Linux Mint 19 xfce, and it still (!) contains a Windows XP partition (the password of which I probably no longer remember).

Actually, MX Linux replaced an obsolete version of Bunsenlabs Linux (I encountered Head_On_A_Stick's name in this forum...), and while looking around for Linux distros for old(er) machines, I decided to try MX Linux.

Code: Select all

System:    Host: mx Kernel: 4.19.0-6-amd64 x86_64 Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 
           Distro: MX-19.1_x64 patito feo February 15  2020 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Compaq dc5100 SFF(EC959ET)
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 09E8h BIOS: Hewlett-Packard 
           v: 786C2 v01.07 date: 08/25/2005 
CPU:       Single Core: Intel Pentium 4 [b](630)[/b] type: MT speed: 2800 MHz min/max: 2800/3000 MHz 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 82915G/GV/910GL Integrated Graphics driver: i915 v: kernel 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: intel resolution: 1280x1024~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 915G v: 1.4 Mesa 18.3.6 
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom Limited NetXtreme BCM5751 Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express driver: tg3 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 931.51 GiB used: 6.20 GiB (0.7%) 
Info:      Processes: 182 Uptime: 3h 09m Memory: 3.05 GiB used: 1.29 GiB (42.2%) Shell: bash 
           inxi: 3.0.36

Memory:    RAM: total: 3.05 GiB used: 1.32 GiB (43.3%) 
           Device-1: XMM1 size: 2 GiB speed: 533 MT/s 
           Device-3: XMM3 size: 2 GiB speed: 533 MT/s

This HP machine is one of my, uhm... "several" computers that I have (soon to receive my "new" Ryzen 7 3700X CPU to upgrade my "main" computer with a Ryzen 5 1600).

I rarely use this machine, although "thanks" to Covid-19, I have been using it for light office work at home (in Linux Mint) for the past weeks - and that is really not going less slowly than with my couple-of-years-old Dell Latitude laptop from work with a 2-core/4-threads Intel i5 CPU in it, running that godawful Windows 10. Who again said that old computers are obsolete?? :)

A very big "KUDOS" to the developers of MX Linux.

MX Linux works well on this ancient machine.

[Huckleberry Finn]

Welcome :)

And don't worry, here's my HP's Bios: date: 01/18/2007, single core , 32bit ...

I used even the heaviest distros or DEs with no issues :) Ram was only 512MB and upgraded to 2048

I'd like to suggest the 4.9 antiX kernel in MX Package Installer => Popular Apps (first tab) (Lighter and more suitable for old hardware, also most stable, mature)

(Also it's possible to reset XP password simply if you like.. )

[Skara_Brae]

Welcome :)

Thank you, Huckleberry.

And don't worry, here's my HP's Bios: date: 01/18/2007, single core , 32bit ...

Whoa. My HP "dc5100" is feeling much better now.

I'd like to suggest the 4.9 antiX kernel in MX Package Installer => Popular Apps (first tab) (Lighter and more suitable for old hardware, also most stable, mature)

Thanks for this tip. I will try it out right now.

(Yes, I am seeing the kernel in the small list with kernels.)

I do have to admit that I notice that this is not a modern computer. I think this single-core/dual-thread Pentium 4 CPU at 3 GHz(!) is what still makes this machine this good.

(Also it's possible to reset XP password simply if you like.. )

What for?