1996 Computer! (I know!)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Jawnskeel

In Runtime
Messages
137
Okay, 3.1 GB storage capacity. Has a cd drive, no USB ports, got a 100Mbps ethernet card for it. I don't know what type of video card it has, but it's PCI. Like 200 watt PSU or something, some type of AMD chip. I took it apart, may have fried something, but I don't know. I wanted to try to test out working with linux on it. Is it worth it? Does have a floppy drive...like...2 sticks of 64mb ram. It's old, my father got it back in the day from a computer builder/reseller. 2008-1996= 12 year old computer lol


I was just wondering if it was worth the time to put back together, possibly not in working condition. Could I actually get some type of linux on it and is it possible that the computer can actually be used for something....useful? :freak:

It has Windows 98 on it right now, don't even know what version.
 
Okay, 3.1 GB storage capacity. Has a cd drive, no USB ports, got a 100Mbps ethernet card for it. I don't know what type of video card it has, but it's PCI. Like 200 watt PSU or something, some type of AMD chip. I took it apart, may have fried something, but I don't know. I wanted to try to test out working with linux on it. Is it worth it? Does have a floppy drive...like...2 sticks of 64mb ram. It's old, my father got it back in the day from a computer builder/reseller. 2008-1996= 12 year old computer lol


I was just wondering if it was worth the time to put back together, possibly not in working condition. Could I actually get some type of linux on it and is it possible that the computer can actually be used for something....useful? :freak:

It has Windows 98 on it right now, don't even know what version.

Nah it wouldnt really be all that usefull, some people here will tell you to use it as a server, but just forget about it.
 
Its really up to you. If you have the time and interest why not. It can be fun experimenting with it. You could use it as a server with linux if you want. Personally i have a comp like that but older. A Pentium MMX 166 from 1992. I just popped in SmoothWall and now its working as a hardware firewall.
 
I like retro computing I still have a 386 knocking around the place with a old AT keyboard an serial mouse, but honestly despite my love of all things retro when it comes to computers unless you want to keep it going for legacy support or some retro gaming it's only worth while keeping it going for ****s an giggles.
 
It's getting harder an harder to find linux distros that support the older systems.
 
..Isn't windows 98 the OS that requires minimal resources? therefore linux wouldn't even fot on that computer, it would not run a server effciently, I feel that this is lost hope and recommend donating it to the computer junkyard.
 
..Isn't windows 98 the OS that requires minimal resources? therefore linux wouldn't even fot on that computer, it would not run a server effciently, I feel that this is lost hope and recommend donating it to the computer junkyard.

Umm no and no.

Windows 98 does require less resources than XP but that doesnt mean anything. The machine could still have the minimum requirements to install XP. It is just that 98 has not been updated with any patches in over a year.

Also there are very small distros of Linux. Like Puppy Linux which is smaller than Windows 95 was. Can run on much older hardware and still be good. Just look at the requirements:

Puppy has been tested on a few very old machines but the best results for the standard release of Puppy Linux to run at a reasonable pace have been achieved with the following:

CPU : Pentium 166MMX
RAM : 128 MB physical RAM for releases since version 1.0.2 or failing that a Linux swap file and/or swap partition is required for all included applications to run; 64 MB for releases previous to 1.0.2
Hard Drive : None
CDROM : 20x and up

A Pentium 166MMX. That is a PII CPU. Right around the time of Windows 98. Woudl be just fine for that machine. ;)
 
If its free, you have the time, and want to tinker, than pretty much anythings worth it. That computer is about as fast as my mom's computer that was mine about 3 years ago. Works fine for browsing the net, email, and low quality video, actually I was even playing Red Alert 2 and Star Wars Rebellion on it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom