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submitted 3 days ago by merci3@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.ml

Single core, 32 bit CPU, can't even do video playback on VLC. But it kinda works for some offline work, like text editing, and even emulation through zsnes! It's crazy how Linux keeps old hardware like this running.

Thankfully though, this laptop CPU is upgradable, and so is the ram, so I'm planning on revitalizing and bringing this old Itautec to the 21st century 😄

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[-] piranhaconda@mander.xyz 7 points 3 days ago

My 2011 MacBook pro is still chugging along thanks to Linux.

I upgraded 4GB RAM to 16GB, upgraded the HDD to SSD, and replaced the CD drive with a second SSD. Sadly the screen is almost completely gone, occasionally intermittent, probably a cable gone bad, not sure, but the mini display port is working fine for an external monitor.

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[-] gjoel@programming.dev 7 points 3 days ago

I suspect my first Linux ran on an 80mhz AMD K6. I did however also run it on a retired dual core UltraSPARC some years later I had somehow gotten my hands on. It might have been faster, but at that time it sure felt slow. And it sounded like a train passing through when it was on. In retrospect installing Gentoo on it was an optimistic endeavour.

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[-] Mwa@thelemmy.club 2 points 2 days ago

the theme tricked me into thinking this is Cinnamon

[-] merci3@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

I got the icons and themes directly from a Mint install on another machine (cause I couldnt find these online) 😁

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[-] cy_narrator@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 3 days ago

Yes the laptop CPU and RAM may be upgradeable but have you considered the parts availability? Considering its a 32bit CPU

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[-] catloaf@lemm.ee 6 points 3 days ago

If Minix counts, I got it running on a 286 some years ago. I don't remember how much RAM it had, but it was very little.

[-] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Those Tualatin core CPUs were absolutely fantastic. They doubled them and made the Core2. I had one running for 10+ years. I don't know what it was about the bios but it was the fastest boot PC I ever built.

[-] rustydrd@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 days ago

Those are better specs than what I used throughout college (an Asus Eee PC running Debian with Xfce and Openbox). Not a powerful machine, but I absolutely loved that thing.

[-] EchoSnail@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

Ubuntu 12 on an Intel atom 270m with an nvidia chip set with 125mb ram lol

I run a rpi zero w first gen

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[-] misterbzr@lemm.ee 6 points 3 days ago

My daily driver at home has the same specs. Works fine.

[-] merci3@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

Do you daily drive htop or something? 😆

[-] misterbzr@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago

No just top. Only with swap on....😉

[-] Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

https://shop.hak5.org/products/shark-jack technically runs openwrt.

SoC: 580MHz MediaTek MT7628 mips CPU


Memory: 64 MB DDR2 RAM, 64 MB SPI Flash
[-] data1701d@startrek.website 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I booted Buildroot with kernel 5.17 on a Pentium II laptop off a CD I burned once - I needed to dump a drive once and that was the only hardware I had on hand that could dump 2.5” IDE drives and had a working CD drive so I could boot something other than the operating system installed on the drive:

[-] zquestz@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago

Older machines running Xfce brings me joy.

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[-] otacon239@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Ran Ubuntu 8 with Compiz and integrated graphics on a Pentium 4 with 512MB RAM. It was an awful machine, but Linux made it great to use. I still miss the peak of GTK2 + Emerald.

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[-] psyc@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/linux-to-end-support-for-1989s-hottest-chip-the-486-with-next-release/

Considering they just dropped i486 support this year I’d say you’re running this on a super computer by comparison

[-] Ptsf@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

Is this one of those old obscenely small obscenely underpowered net books?

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[-] scott@lemmy.org 4 points 3 days ago

I'm gonna try installing on a 1066MHz core2 duo wish me luck

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[-] suswrkr@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 3 days ago

amazing, well done! i run Debian on cheap used Thinkcentre PCs, run as k3s worker nodes just fine.

[-] not_amm@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 days ago

May I ask what are the specs and size of those Thinkcentres? I have one I'm using as a server and planning to upgrade the CPU because it has a dual core one, and someone offered me the same one I have, but it's pretty big. I'd prefer to use the tiny models when I can buy some :D

[-] suswrkr@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 3 days ago

Lenovo ThinkCentre M715q, Lenovo ThinkCentre M93p

separate cheap newer N100 cpu node for jellyfin, other encoding

Intel NUC NUC8i5BEHS for k3s control plane, little more expensive but reliable.

i usually replace Thinkcentre fans w noctua for power draw, performance, and noise. and remove wifi module, not needed, draws power, closed blob firmware, is a risk. pops out easy, no config changes needed in Debian.

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this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2025
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Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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