a)No wi-fi connection
b)Driver Manager gives message “Drivers cannot be installed. Please connect to … (or USB stick).”
USB stick is installed but there is no response on pressing “OK”

Using an ethernet connection (a hassle but available) was able to load nVidia driver.

opening driver window now causes seizure of system, tried various Cntrl + Alt + … combinations with no success. To date only reset found is by turning off machine.

c) The hibernate function in Win Vista has been disabled, I use this 95% of the time

d) cannot access the web via Mint but can via Windows.

e) just tried {settings}{Network} programme seized -

f) after 10 mins in seized state, PC shuts down

Some hardware infos needed !

(Not sure if previous response has posted)

Machine HP Compaq Presario CQ70
HD Samsung HM250JI ATA 250 GB with 3 partitions; Win main, Win restore, Linux (very noisy bearings will be replaced by 1TB Seagate FireCuda when Linux is running trouble free)
3mb RAM
Intel Pentium dual core T3200 2GHz
Display nVidia with driver 187.66
WiFi adaptor Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g

Normally runs on mains supply all the time but used battery power when downloading the nVidia driver. Mint reported degraded battery and shut down after 10 mins, Windows does not report any battery problem.

You should try another distro suited for older computer hardware.

1 members found this post helpful.

Thanks for the advice.

I found this site
https://fossbytes.com/best-lightweight-linux-distros/

From which I have selected Linux Lite mainly due to the need to continue with a 32 bit OS

You can also check https://distrowatch.com/

I wouldn't be in such a hurry to think a 32bit OS will help on any dual core CPU. Presario CQ70 seems to have an early Optimus configuration, which depends on a special gfx configuration/setup process. Older versions of Mint driver manager didn't support Optimus, and 19's might not either. Please post output fromusing code tags ([#] above input window) if you can, otherwise or in additionWith a gfxcard 10+ years old, I would try using the newer technology default "modesetting" DDX driver instead of nouveau DDX (xserver-xorg-video-nouveau) in any non-Optimus configuration before attempting to install non-FOSS NVidia driver. Because with Optimus you also have Intel gfx, the same applies, use the newer technology modesetting DDX driver instead of the old technology DDX xserver-xorg-video-intel (which is in maintenance mode, no official release since 4 years ago). X should automatically use the modesetting driver for either/both gfx, by you purging xserver-xorg-video-nouveau, xserver-xorg-video-intel, and following the NVidia driver uninstallation instructions exactly. Once this is achieved, then proceed with the FOSS Optimus instructions before adding proprietary driver via non-FOSS (NVidia) Optimus instructions.

All my 11 year old or newer GeForce hardware works satisfactorily using the modesetting driver. Mine have and need no non-FOSS drivers for any non-ancient GeForce.

I did a small search on distrowatch:

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?c...=Old+Computers

1 members found this post helpful.

In response to the very detailed response from Mrmazda;
Although I have used desktop computers for >35 years I have rarely needed to deal with the OS (be it DOS, Win or OSX) or machine functions so I have quite some learning curve to install Linux on an old machine!
Summary (each point to learn involved separate search on net using my Mac to access)
a) took advice from earlier post to select Mint.
b) removed unwanted programmes from Vista, made 2 backups on 250GB USB key & downloaded Mint (9 hours)onto same key
c) found out how to re-partition HD (never done that before);
d) found out how to dual boot;
e) found out how to create a bootable USB key (using Rufus);
f) found out how to boot from bootable USB, the DOS screen was somewhat bizarre as I had to choose "0.00";
g) had to find out which option to take when asked about 'unmounting partitions';

Loaded Mint, seemed to go quite well except for no WiFi and then the problems identified below.

h) noted from replies to post that I was possibly being optimistic trying to install the latest version of Mint on an old computer
i) found out how to remove Mint noting that I would probably end up with an unusable MBR (the case);
j) after some 15 attempts (over 24 hours) was able to rebuild the MBR - none of the "how to do its" provided the complete answer but finally managed to find a screen that displayed a CMD prompt, struggled with entering commands due to not finding a backslash on my keyboard when running in a DOS window (and performed a full DSKCHK)
k) tested Vista, seems to be back to my approx starting point

Now ready to try again !!

Reading through the reply about nVidia I am completely lost. Are the command lines viewed from Linux (too late) or Vista ?
The nVidia site states that there is a control panel that is completely customisable with the Optimus configuration, I have yet to find this panel and would not want to change anything without a clear guide as to to the consequences. I read quite a bit about DDX drivers but my eyes crossed, I have been left none the wiser as the terms used conjure up no idea of funtionality, "modesetting" for example.

The Display adaptor installed is NVIDIA geForce 9200M driver, date 3 oct 2009, version 8.16.11.8766

Whilst writing post windows was checking for driver updates, result;
The Display adaptor updated to NVIDIA geForce 9200M driver, 4 nov 2016, version 21.21.13.4201

+ have found nVidia Control Panel
driver version 342.01, CUDA cores 8, core clock 529mHz, mem interface 64 bit, video BIOS version 62.98.3C.00.36

Linux.

You shouldn't need to know details about DDX, only that it is shorthand for the foundational driver level in the X Window system. With NVidia GFX, there are three choices of potentially, if not fully, competent DDX drivers: Modesetting (FOSS), Nouveau (FOSS), and NVidia (proprietary).

Modesetting is both a (video mode control) process, and the name of a DDX driver that utilizes that process. The modesetting process is provided by the kernel, and usually referred to by the shorthand KMS. Before KMS was instituted in the kernel, X had to handle video mode control all by itself in "userland" (which has security issues) via the DDX drivers. The modesetting DDX driver, a technology born following the creation of KMS, attempts to optimally utilize KMS functionality, while the nouveau DDX is older technology that amounts to a rework of the original pre-KMS nouveau. A key difference in the two technologies is that the newer defies the definition of DDX in that it is not limited to one manufacturer's hardware - it works on AMD, Intel and NVidia GFX hardware. Thus, other layers in the X Window System will differ in ways that shouldn't be of concern except to programmers and techies. The sharing provides additional benefit in shrinking the pool of developers required to update it as new hardware is released.

In contrast to FOSS, the proprietary NVidia drivers have traditionally not utilized KMS. Whether this has changed I don't know, but any installation of a proprietary NVidia driver that results in a kernel cmdline that includes nomodeset or nouveau.modeset=0 means it is not utilizing KMS.

As long as you remain committed to using proprietary software, there's probably little further help I can provide.

reponse to Keruskerfuerst;

Thankyou for the reference to the database, very interesting and useful.

Had a quick look last night, will study in more detail today, the last 2 listed looked promising but my knowledge of French IT terms is restricted that can be problematic when some of the terms in English are also problematic !

The only commitment that I have is to prolong the useful life of my PC in the most efficacious way. The core requirements being to permit the use of Dropbox, Firefox, VirtualBox (to run a version of Windows that properly supports Paradox - XP or 7). It is my intention to have a single boot into Linux when I install my new HD.
In the meantime I am using the (now very noisy) old HD to test & experiment Linux whilst still running Vista in a dual boot mode.

As most of my computing has been on machines provided by my employers, all of whom have had fully staffed IT depts (serving up to >30000 users worldwide), I have not had to consider the modus operandi of the hardware.

Therefore, it has never crossed my mind (and possibly other Linux newbies) that there are alternatives to propriety hardware drivers.

From your response you imply that I could usefully replace the nVidia driver with an open source alternative. I am more than willing to do this so long as their is either similar performance using less resources (preferred) or better quality using no additional resources.

If there is an open source driver that will work in both a Win Vista & Linux environment then I am happy to go about making the change before I try to install & test the next version of Linux. Whist I now know the meaning of FOSS I'm still not clear about the difference between nouveau & modesttting.

Whether performance differences among proprietary and the two potentially competent FOSS DDX choices are observable or matter to you only you can determine by utilizing each in turn. You are the one with your hardware combination. You are the one with your personal sensitivities. You are the one who chooses which application software you will use.

I don't know that any such driver exists. Windows and Linux are very different systems. Neither do I know any reason to know such a driver would be a better driver, assuming such a driver existed.

Nouveau and modesetting employ technologies of different ages, nouveau the older, modesetting the newer. Nouveau is provided by an optional package. Modesetting is not optional since about 4 years ago, provided by the server package, without which there is no Xorg to run. The newer ostensibly attracts more developer resources, in part because it's newer, in part because its coupled to the server, in part because it's generic, attracting developers interested in GPUs made by AMD, Intel and possibly others besides NVidia. The modesetting is used by except when:

1-the hardware is too old or too new to be supported, or
2-the nouveau DDX driver is installed while the modesetting is not explicitly configured, or
3-a proprietary NVidia driver is competently installed, or
4-a formerly installed proprietary driver and its special configuration have been incompletely removed, or
5-prohibited by kernel cmdline option nomodeset or nouveau.modeset=0

Having loked at the Linux database & various review sites I decided to try Linux Lite (as I have 3GB of RAM & a dual core processor) as they are also offering to support 32 bit systems until 2021.
Installation was smooth up to the point of needing to connect to the internet. PC connected with Ethernet cable, modem recognises PC (modem connected to internet verified - the Mac on which I'm writing this post) but I get message "Your computer is not connected to the internet"
Any suggestions as I cannot update / install drivers ?

Tried to get round the problem using bluetooth to my Mac, devices paired but not connected, seems like a lack of driver problem again.

Have you checked to see you have a reasonable /etc/network interfaces file? Linux Lite is just another derivative of *buntu derived from Debian. Most Debians share the same installer and installation cmdline options. When I install I use the netinst CD with these cmdline options:This triggers the installer to ask me for the values for IP, gateway, netmask, etc. which it uses to make a working connection from which it does the actual installation from the internet. Linux Lite may not offer a netinst iso, but the same options should apply to ensure networking works before installation proceeds.