Author Topic: Getting The most out of an old computer  (Read 840 times)

Doogee

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« on: 20 December 2002, 10:44 »
Okay heres the go.

I have just got a P2MMX-266Mhz with 32meg of ram and 2 meg video card (with high colour).

I have installed Mandrake on it and im pretty happy, but things are slow, moving the mouse makes the computer grunt and stuff.

Which window manager should i use? i need speed here. (even a high speed window manager would be slow on this thing)

Yes im going to get more RAM but since i am totally hardware illiterate i dont have a clue how to tell what kinda ram ive got.

Any other tips on getting this thing to go a bit faster?

Thanks heaps


-Dan

voidmain

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #1 on: 20 December 2002, 11:08 »
WindowMaker, blackbox, XFce, fvwm/2/95.

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

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lazygamer

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #2 on: 20 December 2002, 15:34 »
Getting the most out of an old computer? Put DOS on it and use it as a dual boot 0ld$k00l beast! Then use the Linux part to download cool abandonware/oldwarez shit(in addition to word processing, programming, and websurfing). That is what I would do.  ;)
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Calum

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #3 on: 20 December 2002, 16:00 »
don't put DOS on it, and don't waste your time changing to red hat unless you fancy it, there's no need. All the advice you need follows:
 
quote:
Originally posted by void main:
WindowMaker, blackbox, XFce, fvwm/2/95.



I'd go for XFce or windowmaker myself, but each to their own.
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buzza24

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #4 on: 22 December 2002, 21:54 »
Hey Doogee,

The RAM you proberbly have is latest type of Ram, the same as in later computers. I think it is called SDRAM.

I hope that helps you,

Later,
Buzza2
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preacher

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #5 on: 22 December 2002, 12:53 »
quote:
Originally posted by Got Doogee?:
Okay heres the go.

I have just got a P2MMX-266Mhz with 32meg of ram and 2 meg video card (with high colour).

I have installed Mandrake on it and im pretty happy, but things are slow, moving the mouse makes the computer grunt and stuff.

Which window manager should i use? i need speed here. (even a high speed window manager would be slow on this thing)

Yes im going to get more RAM but since i am totally hardware illiterate i dont have a clue how to tell what kinda ram ive got.

Any other tips on getting this thing to go a bit faster?

Thanks heaps


-Dan




I just created the back up webserver for badconnections.net. Its a 200 mhz with 64mb RAM. It had a pretty sad 2 mb video card too. It only had a tiny 2.1 gb hard drive in it, and not installing kde resulted in saving quite a bit of space. As the main window manager I use Windowmaker. Also I decided on slackware rather than mandrake, since I noticed a very noticeable speed difference. My suggestion, switch to slackware. The speed difference is huge. Also try to find more RAM for your computer.
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Master of Reality

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #6 on: 22 December 2002, 17:25 »
do you have a faster machine with linux on it?
if you do then you could use it as an X server and run X from the fast computer to the slow computer. Thats what i'm doing right now and void main has written a tip on it at his website.

Or you could use BlackBox which is the fastest GUI i have ever experienced.
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choasforages

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #7 on: 23 December 2002, 15:52 »
p2-266? thats plenty quick enough to run gnome2, and if you think im being sarcastic, check out my thinkpad gnome2 wth some really cool stuff, then agian, it has 192megs of ram. i almost willing to bet that your machine takes pc100 rams, load it to the max for as little as you can, and you have a very nice box
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Calum

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #8 on: 23 December 2002, 18:09 »
<wistful-voice  -echoing in the wind at the edge of perception>xfce or windowmaker... xfce or windowmaker...</wistful-voice>
visit these websites and make yourself happy forever:
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Doogee

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #9 on: 23 December 2002, 18:12 »
lol im using icewm but using the command line the most     actually my bro is using it more than me. hes 10 and programming c and shit, be nice to him his name is chrisbo.

edit: its not basic its c, sorry.

[ December 23, 2002: Message edited by: Got Doogee? ]


Calum

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« Reply #10 on: 23 December 2002, 18:13 »
me-e-erry chrisbo!
visit these websites and make yourself happy forever:
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Faust

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #11 on: 23 December 2002, 18:23 »
quote:
Originally posted by Calum:
me-e-erry chrisbo!


You what! Its Christmas in London? GODDAMMIT! I have to wait another day till I get that nice big book on linux...
  :D
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Doogee

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #12 on: 23 December 2002, 18:23 »
sorry i didnt answer your messages last nite calum, i was sleeping or out or something, good to see your back on though.

Calum

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #13 on: 23 December 2002, 19:16 »
no bother doogee!
 
quote:
Originally posted by Faust:


You what! Its Christmas in London? GODDAMMIT! I have to wait another day till I get that nice big book on linux...
   :D  



no it's not! i just couldn't wait to take chrisbo's name in vain! it's actually 3:15 on the 23rd of December here  :(  i still have the rest of today and half of tomorrow to work through before i get my holidays! you australians are actually nine hours ahead, so you'll get christmas before us. And you'll get to have your christmas party on the lawn if it's not too hot! remember the mozzie coils, you'll need them (ho ho ho)
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Faust

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Getting The most out of an old computer
« Reply #14 on: 23 December 2002, 19:36 »
LOL... christmas in Australia is pretty stupid... today it was 45 degrees c outside and we have fake snow on the tree.  And will we have salad or something else to cool us down on such a hot day? Nope were going to have a really hot roast    :rolleyes:  

 
quote:
remember the mozzie coils, you'll need them
too hot for mozzies  

[ December 23, 2002: Message edited by: Faust ]

Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that
 -- http://www.gnu.org/fun/jokes/error-haiku.html