Linux on Older Hardware: The Complete Revival Guide

Linux on Older Hardware: The Complete Revival Guide(fosslinux.com)

31 points by tapanjk 2 days ago | 6 comments

haunter 33 minutes ago |

And you can go even smaller with TinyCore Linux [0] or the xwoaf-rebuild [1]

1, https://web.archive.org/web/20240901115514/https://pupngo.dk...

Honestly it comes down to what do you mean by using Linux. In 2026, or well at least since the mid 2010s, the biggest hurdle will be the web browser. Do you need that? If yes then you are already in the higher system requirement pool. If not then pretty much anything goes, like the options I mentioned above. And even then you can use curl, wget, aria2 etc to access online content to some extent

muterad_murilax 3 minutes ago | |

> And you can go even smaller with TinyCore Linux or the xwoaf-rebuil

Sure, but in this time and age, do they really have to settle for such extreme 90s looks as defaults? I mean, Windows XP Media Center Edition can surely be considered as "lightweight" today and it featured the gorgeous Royale theme.

Alien1Being 32 minutes ago |

OS/2 might also be an option on some of this older hardware.

s3arch 1 hour ago |

>The honest assessment: If the machine cannot run a lightweight Linux desktop at a usable speed after you have applied the optimizations in this guide, it is time to recycle it responsibly. Most municipalities have e-waste collection programs. Do not throw it in the trash. The components contain recyclable metals and toxic materials that need proper handling.

This is the whole point.Linux helps in that judgement whether to keep or throw the box.

userbinator 48 minutes ago | |

Or sell it to the retrocomputing community for a decent amount of $$$.

dmzxnico 1 hour ago | |

Agree with you.

Linux itself is a good OS, even better when you have an old machine to "revive". But when even Linux can't run properly, time ditch it...

lstodd 44 minutes ago | | |

If you can't run linux you can always run netbsd. or any *bsd.

Besides the advice on ditching hardware on account of thermal problems is .. terrible. If you went so far as installing obscure linux distros, surely unscrewing a few screws and applying a vacuum and then some thermal paste isn't out of reach.