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 😄
Yes the laptop CPU and RAM may be upgradeable but have you considered the parts availability? Considering its a 32bit CPU
Yeah, that’s what I’m researching right now… I hope I can at least make it useable enough for web browsing
I’ve got an Acer Aspire from 2008 running mint on an Intel Atom and 1 GB memory (might be 2, I forget). It is slow but very usable except for video and such.
Pretty close tho
I’m gonna try installing on a 1066MHz core2 duo wish me luck
That is 64 bit. Literally any modern distro should run on it.
It was 32 bit but turned out to be a 2.1GHz so it’s running Debian with lxqt now and going great 👍
Good luck trying to run neofetch😭🙏
2 gigs of ram ? You probably can have an emulation station up to PS1 with this hardware.
Oh, I tried… But the CPU/GPU is just TOO slow for that, SNES was the best I could do
I always forget how crappy Intel iGPUs are.
Are we competing again?
I’m proud to be setting up a rhel10 desktop, as it’ll be the first time I ran Linux as a desktop in 30 years of a Linux/Unix career.
To rephrase: I ran XFree86 on a 4mb i386 machine 30 years ago.
What do I win?
I didnt have the intention to compete, was just proud of seeing this 2007 laptop running a modern OS again!
Hell yeah! Love seeing old hardware like this still running a modern OS.
With Linux, if your hardware is a decade old, you’ve barely even reached middle-age.
Meanwhile Windows 11 won’t even allow an official install on hardware that’s 4-5 years old.
Long live Linux & FOSS ✊
Ubuntu 12 on an Intel atom 270m with an nvidia chip set with 125mb ram lol
It’s not that bad. I run Linux on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, which is much weaker than this. (It’s not a competition, though. Just saying.) And that’s also a pretty standard device. I’m kinda interested to see if anyone can go below 64M RAM with a modern installation.
Older machines running Xfce brings me joy.
Xfce on Debian is my preferred flavor these days - regardless of machine power.
I rushed to the comments when I saw a 1.6ghz CPU being called low end but I see OPs already been dealt with. I remember the first ever 1ghz CPU being an overclocked nitrogen cooled AMD Athlon. Me and my mates were all talking about it when it happened.
But why would a 1.6 ghz, single core CPU not be low end in 2025? Perfomance itself is very sluggish, and it has only been able to do very simple offline tasks for now. Yeah, yeah, many people used to run 512mb ram and 500mhz cpu setups… But that was in 2000 and whatever.
But why would a 1.6 ghz, single core CPU not be low end in 2025? Perfomance itself is very sluggish, and it has only been able to do very simple offline tasks for now. Yeah, yeah, many people used to run 512mb ram and 500mhz cpu setups… But that was in 2000 and whatever.
The post title says “ever” rather than “2025”. It’s cool for 2025 and we may get some interesting others, but many here will have ran it on something slower at some point.
Yes, the title say lowest I ever ran That was the lowest for me, I really don’t get the confusion. And even then, a celeron m 380 was lower end even for it’s own time
amazing, well done! i run Debian on cheap used Thinkcentre PCs, run as k3s worker nodes just fine.
I also daily drive LMDE on a… Considerably old inspiron, but not even close to being as old as the one in my post tho 😄
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
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.
Thank you! That’s really helpful for the plans I have :)
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.
Mmmmm compiz. Wobbly windows, spinny cube virtual desktops, take me home!
KDE still has most of these features!
thats my current laptop
Edit: im exagerating but I really have 20-yr 32-bit Dell laptops running minimal debian linux. and my current laptop is 10+ yrs old Lenovo which I already replaced its screen, rams, keyboard, bluetooth, usb ports… and it’s still working flawlessly for daily tasks, video/music editing, coding and programming, internet browsing :D
Pfft, what no LXDE
even better LXQT
