Hi,

Sadly, with Micrsoft Xp support expiring next month, I have noticed a lot of threads lately requesting help with XP systems in need of a good Gnu/Linux. Members should realize that this hardware is considered 'Legacy'. Not all modern Gnu/Linux will satisfactorily meet the expectations or revival of Legacy/older hardware.

Thankful, new & old Gnu/Linux users have options to hopefully aid in extending the life of older hardware. Most times a user can boost things by increasing their memory size(footprint) to the maximum allowed on the old equipment.

One thing a user must realize is that the older Xp hardware can be at least decade old hardware. Most of the web is now dependent on java/flash to enhance your web experience. With new browser like 'Firefox' one will place heavy CPU & memory loads on older hardware. Add to this for a user who expects a Desktop Environment/Window Manager to perform at today's speed on older hardware. One should select a small DE or WM when using a slower single core CPU along with small memory footprints.

Note: Do not expect your Old Xp to be revived to the equivalent of a modern system. Even with Gnu/Linux there will be limitations on 'Legacy Hardware'. I have installed a modern Slackware Gnu/Linux on 'Legacy Hardware'. But I did know to use max memory along with a small Window Manager' to have a working system with limited operations. Also tweaking the installation to allow functionality.

For new and old users this list from Linux Distribution General section of Slackware®-Links may aid in selection;All the above links are from Slackware®-Links . More than just Slackware links!

Hope this helps.

Personally I'm of the opinion that in most cases it's not worth the bother of trying to install Linux on ancient hardware and it's better to replace it with newer hardware.
By this I don't mean that I have anything against playing with Linux on 15 year old machines for fun but that somebody who has an old 10 year old machine running XP would, budget allowing of course, be best served finding a cheap second-hand 5 year old machine and installing Linux on that.
I'm a little cautious about posting the above in threads raised by newbies though as it may seem unhelpful and I realise that for some people any hardware could be prohibitively expensive.
What do others think?

Hi,

I feel that using older hardware may be the only options for some members. Not everyone has the option to rebuild/re-purpose/replace their present hardware with even a 5 year old(newer) system.

LQ is a world community and not everyone can afford to replace their current hardware with newer units. At one point I would re-cycle XP based hardware for individuals who could not afford to purchase any hardware. I no longer do this, personal reasons.

Remember that not everyone in this world have the luxury of the newest hardware available, let alone purchase 5 year old hardware!

Like I said, I realise that for some members a newer machine may be prohibitively expensive but if it isn't then is it something worth pointing out?
Whilst somebody with very few resources is likely to be happy that their system works enough to go on the internet and edit the odd office document slowly others may be very disappointed to find Flash doesn't work and it takes and age to do anything.

I suspect if you took a poll of users of Linuxquestions you will find that a good number are running Linux on relatively old systems (>10yrs old).
I myself have an old 2GHz P4 with 512MB, and a 40GB HDD running Bodhi Linux right next to me as I type using a newer i5 with 6GB ram running Slackware 14.1.

Not to mention I also have an old Atom netbook also running Bodhi sitting next to my bed for those times when I cannot sleep.

Maybe we should take a poll to see how many users are running on old systems: <2yrs, 2-5yrs, 5-10yrs, 10-15yrs, 15-20, over 20yrs.

It would help if you post system specs, so that you can get an idea of what might work.

The EEE I'm typing this on isn't exactly new. However, it is slow and whilst it allowed me to edit my CV and search for jobs when I was without any other PC I would not recommend it to anyone who's not patient.
My point being that it is entirely possible to run Linux on older systems but it can generally mean using distros that are less easy to install and use and once you go past a certain age means that, for example, using Adobe Flash means compromising security and using an old vulnerable version. None of this is a good introduction to Linux and I am not convinced that for a new user wanting to change from XP it is good to recommend any of this. If somebody cannot use a newer machine then I absolutely think that all possible help should be given. Similarly if somebody wants to use an older machine as a challenge. However, if somebody has an old XP machine then, unfortunately, it may well just be that it is too old to use for the tasks they wish to use it for.
To use an analogy: I have a friend with three classic British cars from the 1970's but he quickly found he could not use any of them to commute as they were simply too unreliable (not to mention they're not fuel efficient) to use daily so he now uses a newer but still cheap and second-hand car to commute.

Hi,

The sky is falling... the sky is falling... the sky is falling....

No different than saying it is bad option to attempt to use older distribution on older hardware. Simple browser will allow a user to gain access to the web. It does not guarantee that user will have a great experience as compared to modern equipment. I get real tired of people who stand on their soap box and say that to implement something on older hardware is just asking for issues. If you do not have a car or other modes of transportation then you should learn to walk. No different than telling someone to use older Gnu/Linux to get their system functional.

Heck, if you want to be secure then use Lynx or links from the cli instead of wanting that fancy GUI. Most black hats or script kiddies do not want limited user computers but the masses who's computers can be used to do their real harm. Simple security will generally prevent someone from causing issues with your system. Good passwords and common sense will prevent problems for most. If someone can social engineer you then you do deserve to be harmed. Social engineering can be done to someone who uses XP. So providing a user with a list of usable Gnu/Linux on older hardware is harmful??? Think not!!

Again, Chicken Little's of the world, put up with your own BS and not spread 'FUD'.

I don't know what I typed to provoke such a post but since this is your thread I'll leave it.

I have converted some senior citizen life long XP users with

http://www.smartestcomputing.us.com/...2-puppy-linux/

I mod and help out at this Mac/Windows Forum and found for clueless XP users with limited XP gear.
This was the easiest out of the box system for someone who has never delved into Linux and if
they wish to move on later to something more beefier.

They can now that they have got their hands soiled and gained a little experience.
There are some happy campers in that forum who have moved on from Carolina 1.2 XFCE Puppy Linux
to AntiX.

But Carolina was like their Ubuntu initiation from Windows to Linux. Pendrives auto mount onto the desktop.
Partitions on internal drive auto show and can be mounted like in Windows.

Package manager has skype and other Windows like apps.

The key is too make it easy for the transition for a point and click user who does not give a crap about command line.
When they ask me about using AntiX like I do. I just point them without fear because now they have messed with Linux file structure
and are ready to understand https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFW...KlXW5uE9opXukQ

I teach them to use youtube since RTFM or man vlc just makes their eyes glaze over and they become lost.
That forum was me as the only Linux user and I was made a mod because of that.
Now I have a little gang of users that jump in when someone asks timidly about "what is linux. Is it crackware? I heard it has no hard ware support?"

My converts jump in. Talk about how everything works out of the box. It's simple. Sing my praises. Even though I am just a shady tree biker linux user. Attitude speaking to someone afeared of new things should be (IMHO) the arm around the shoulder when they freak out
and whisper, 'It's cool. I know how you feel. If we don't know the answer. My search kung foo may bail us out on your problem.
It takes time to switch from driving a car to a motorbike. So make some coffee and by the time you pour a cup. I should have a answer or one of my converts will."

For real picky,rude, anal users with atitude. I tell them to go to Best Buy and break out the credit card for Windows 8.1.
I only deal with sincere willing to learn seniors. In my spare time I come here and learn new tricks myself.

Anyhows, Long soapbox over rant over. That is what I am doing for migrating XP users who wish to keep their equipment.
Some as old from 70's to 80's. On fixed incomes. My youngest is a kid who still lives at home with is parents.
He is the hardest one to support being more expectant because he is more computer savvy.

Quote I like "Don't try to dazzle me with Jargon. I am just a little old lady/man and you take for granted
I speak geek. KISS is all I know in Geek speak"

Just my 2 cents on that:

I encourage everyone to check out the optimized Firefox variant Pale Moon...

On my single Core 1,2GHz with 1,2 MB RAM (shared with the GPU,that is) and slow internal harddrive, it made a huge difference in performance!
Also, by using the Add-On "Suspend Tab" the overall performance of pale Moon (and me thinks, of all of Linux) speeds up even more.
But be aware: by using "Suspend Tab" "older", suspended tabs need to be reloaded, and that sure takes time every time you click on a suspended tab...

But your whole Linux and your Pale Moon gets a speed boost... And in my book, when that's wanted and needed, I happily live with the pause and need for reloading suspended tabs.
(And again: be aware these tabs "load", but are just swapped from a local suspended "copy", what you see is the "old" tab, not a probably changed recent one (even when it seems like it gets loaded from the web), you need to manually reload the tab to see/get the actual recent version of that webpage...)

=========================

(I try not to be picky, rude or anal with computing (or anything RL, to be honest, to the best of my abilities, that is... since no one [Aside from Jesus or Buddha and some others </digress> ] is perfect.
In my book, such picky, rude and/or anal behaviour is rude (duh!), plain boring, trollish and very kindergarten style...

Back to the topic:
I don't like the general idea of the GUI of Wind. 8... (I know there are ways to get Wind. 8 to have the look and feel of XP or Wind 7...)



When running Linux, I use / love XFCe...



When running XP (only without networking due to security) or Wind.7 (also usually without networking, also due to security) I also use a tweak that enables Wind. to have several Desktops, just like most Linux GUI's use by default... :P

Modern powerful OS with the classical desktop (Wind: Up to 7) and the ability to run dozens of programs at a time... and all cluttered together on just one darn desktop is so... *shrug* what to say here and not getting rude?
Non Practical?

It's like, when you have a Linux *whatever* server that has no X (for better performance), locally locally logging in to edit/tweak/update stuff and only log in to one single console...

Sorry folks.... my bad, I did not intend to double post... (Having too many tabs open from the same forum can result in such .... errors... :P)

Anyhow, can I delete this post? Or can only admins/mods do so?

Be it as it may, just ignore this post, pwetty pwease!