Older Computers & Linux

Older Computers

• RAM 256M, 512M, 1G• Hard drive 30G, 40G, 80G• Processor 1.2 – 2.0 GHz

• CD/DVD Drive Need this• USB port Helpful• Boot Order CD -> USB -> Floppy -> HD

Comments on Win XP

• They can be really, really slow (Dowtran, DailUp)

• Auto-updates to Cloud are VERY slow• If you just have email, browser: speed is OK• CD/DVD drive may be slow or outdated (DL)• Router encryption may be outdated WEP vs. WPA

• Most can boot from CD, flash, even floppy• They are “tricky” to use with network printers

Risky Behavior

• Drive without insurance; without seat belts• No health insurance• No saving for retirement• Drive a small car • Skip vaccinations; don’t use cell phone (rad.); • Never get an X-rays• Smoke• Alcohol• Run Windows XP• East a Big Mac

What is Linux

• Operating System (Windows, OS X, Fortran)• Free (there are no free lunches)• Comes in many choices (distros, flavors)• Generally unsupported (forums on home page)• Quirky (system & people)• Regular updates• Driver support

What Choices Do I Have

• Popular: Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, Magia, Fedora, SuSE

• Newbies: Zorin, PCLinuxOS, LXLE, CentOS, Arch• Size: Puppy, Xubuntu, Tiny Core, Damn Small• Support: (any Enterprise version)• Specialty: Knoppix, Tails, Scientific, GParted

What Can I Do With Linux

• Browse: Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Midori, Epiphany

• Email: Thunderbird, Evolution, Claws• Office: Open Office, Libre Office, Abiword• Audio: Rhythmbox, Banshee, Audacity• Video: VLC

• Games, Communications, Maintenance, Backup

Where Will I Get Support

• Will have to ask for it• Forums• Tutorials• Not much in the way of clubs (Universities)

What About Drivers

• Much better• Older peripherals may have problems• Specialty peripherals may have problems

What Choices Do I Have To Make

• Distro• 32 or 64 bit• Desktop Gnome, KDE, Xfce, Unity• Boot location (wipe, 2nd HD, dual boot)

Where Do I Get Other Programs

• Each distro has it own repository• Can use other Open Source libraries

• Upgrades are “early & often”

What Can I Not Do With Linux

• Specialty programs (Genealogy, taxes )

But I Must Run A Win XP Program

• There are Windows emulators• They probably will work• They probably will be slower

• Wine, CrossOver (Mac), GameTree (games)

Can I Test Drive Linux

• Yes, boot with a Live CD What’s This?• DO NOT have to be connected to Internet• The Linux program will run only from the CD• Linux will load into RAM• Linux will run a little slow while reading from CD• Linux will install or save NOTHING to your HD• When you shut down, you leave no footprints

What’s With Dual Booting

• Any PC can boot to multiple OSs• The problem is to have a separate partition• Windows OS should go on first• You can dual boot with 2 or more Linux distros

What’s With Virtualization

• Run 1 or more OS in a “virtual computer”• Can use a high powered PC• When you shut down, everything goes away

• Load Win XP in a virtual box, run legacy programs at full speed, save data to flash drive, no virus or malware can get to Win XP

What Is The Exact Procedure min

• Select a distro 5• Download/Buy a copy of the distro (iso) 10• Burn to a CD or DVD 5• Boot PC from CD or DVD 4• Trial run the distro from a Live CD version 3 - 6• Load distro into appropriate partition 5 - 15

Linux on XP Articles

• Lubuntu/Xubuntu are best choices• VirtualBox User Manual• 7 Best Linux Distros for 2014• What to do about Windows XP Leo N.

Computer Specifications

Toshiba Acer H.P. Desktop

RAM 496 M 2 G 4 G 2 GProcessor 1.20 2.00 2.40 2.16Win Exper. -- 3.1 4.2 3.5Bits 32 32 64 32Op. Sys XP Vista Win 7 Win 7Boot time 2 min 2 min 2 min 2 min

What I Did To Prepare

• Created a bunch of Linux Live CDs• Tested them on a $5 desktop about half worked

• Tested them on Vista laptop – 2 G about ¾ worked

• Tested them on XP laptop – 486 M Puppy, Damn Small

• Tested them on Win 7 desktop-2 G messed up computer

• Took pictures of start screen• Tested boot CDs, flash drives, 1 80M CDs