Any suggestions on this older computer (pics)

16 years ago

I obtained this gateway from a co-worker who was going to throw it away yesterday. It works fine and has w/98se installed on it.

It has a pentium 3 750Mhz and 192 MB ram and is a 32 bit system with a DVD rom drive in it also. So nothing fancy by any means to todays standards.

I'm wondering what can I do with this thing? Should I run an alternate OS like linux or Ubuntu which confuses me or is it powerful enough for w/xp? Or should I scrap it?

Also what is the other card next to the dial up modem? It looks like an older ethernet card but I don't know that much about them.

Thanks for reading and please post your thoughts.

Neal

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Comments (13)

zep516
16 years ago
That appears to be a tv tuner card if it's the bottom one in the last picture.

As far as uses for that computer, you could make it a hardware firewall by downloading an open source program like Smoothwall. It also would function just fine with Windows XP to use for an email/web surfing machine. It would be a fine file server as well. Linux would be a fine choice for that system as well, but probably not the newer Ubuntu varieties, only because of the low ram. Ubuntu needs about 256mb of ram to function well.
johnkr
16 years ago
It looks like a clean machine.

Windows XP will run on 64MB of RAM, but Microsoft recommends 128MB. You should be fine running XP with 192MB. Also, it probably takes older PC100 or PC133 SDRAM which is selling fairly cheap on Ebay these days. An upgrade might be economical.

I'd say it would be a decent PC for Web surfing and light apps.
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indy452
Original Author
16 years ago
"Ubuntu needs about 256mb of ram to function well."
I found that out. It wont install my Ubuntu7.10 distro I have. Thats probably why. I was told that ubuntu was good for older systems. I guess they lied because most older systems have 64 or 128mb. So much for ubuntu because I don't have any more memory sticks lying around and the local computer store has pc100 256MB for $90!! I won't be buying those anytime soon.

Wow, so I could get a new xp OS from walmart and an ethernet card and be on my way with an internet surfer?

If I were to buy another xp os which one would be best for this machine pro or home? I would give it to my fourteen year old for use with internet surfing, messenger etc, nothing too fancy.

Thanks, Neal
mikie_gw
16 years ago
Sounds like thats what I'd do.. then order 2 - 256mb sticks of ram off ebay for about $25 total delivered.
zep516
16 years ago
XP-Home would be fine for that machine. And mikies Ram Idea is the most cost effective way to increase the performance of the machine I would strongly consider that..
DA_Mccoy
16 years ago
I have no intention on raining on anyone's parade, but I have to share with you that this system is quite similar to the Win98 system I replaced last Spring. It was old and reliable, but limited. If you upgrade to XP, fine your choice. Then, if you are going to connect to the Internet you will be adding a firewall and anti-virus. Resources are going to be taxed. Multi-tasking is going to be limited. Independently of the Internet and depending on what task you are performing, the processing response could be questionable.

Remember when RAM requirements for an O/S are quoted that's just for the O/S. Any additional tasks will require more.

As a freebie this could be a fun little system, but I would advise as to be cautious in putting any real money into it.

DA
indy452
Original Author
16 years ago
DA, you bring up some good points to ponder. Thats why I am so dissapointed in the fact that I can't even run a linux distro in it even though I would not need virus and spyware programs but a firewall would be nice and I'm not sure zonelabs has a linux version.

I have no parade here, thats why I'm asking what could be done with this older machine since they are so limited in todays standards.
I really wanted to build a totally free system but it seems that it may not be possible.

So what do most people do with these things anyway? I've always just trashed them with no problems. It was just a crazy idea I had.

Thanks, Neal
mikie_gw
16 years ago
3.3. Memory Requirements
This section lists the memory required to install Fedora Core 4.

This list is for 32-bit x86 systems:

Minimum for text-mode: 64MB

Minimum for graphical: 192MB

Recommended for graphical: 256MB
petepuma
16 years ago
The bottom card is definitly ethernet, both cat5 and older BNC coax (looks like a 3com card...)

A machine like this will run XP albeit slowly. I'd use it to do basic tasks but it's best use might be as a doorstop.
cat_ky
16 years ago
Why not leave it with the windows 98SE on it. It will work fine for a 14 yr old to play a few games on, surf the internet and use messenger and email. I have a 350 here, that I have had for years, runs perfectly. I used it for a guinea pig machine to try out programs on for years, until finally the programs wouldnt work on 98 anymore. It is still plenty usuable, and I often go online, check my forums, email and talk on icq with it. I prefer that computer to the bigger XP, and the bigger yet Vista. My grandaughter has a 750 in her room, and she is able to use her flashdrive for college, and do most anything she needs to do. Good Luck and have some fun with it. :-)Cat
spunbondwarrior
16 years ago
There are Linux distributions specifically "designed" with older hardware in mind......AntiX might be just what you're looking for....

See the link.........

Then again maybe not...Go to distrowatch.com and click on all the "top 100" list items....AntiX runs like a scalded dog on fairly recent hardware with 2GB Ram.
Then again, almost everything runs really fast with 2GB RAM and nothing running except what's needed/wanted....And just my experience with the "base" system that underlies AntiX, (SimplyMepis7.0 for more "recent" hardware) it's absolutely unbeatable, and stable as a rock running 4 browsers with lots and lots of windows and tabs open and several programs running too....

And in my experience, no need for anything anti-virus or the like needed..... I never turn this thing off and never disconnect from the WWW, and I never have an issue

If you think you are going to run XP w/o issue on that much RAM, it ain't gonna happen, not with anything more than just the base OS running anyway at a pace that you'll measure in less than hours, you won't anyway....But with lots of RAM it will do just fine, just remember to start nothing and only load what you are running.

Regardless of what you choose to do or what you choose to run, more RAM is always a good thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: OS for
DA_Mccoy
16 years ago
Cat has a valid point as to leaving the system as it is and using it as an alternative.

Besides the aforementioned Win98 system I have another Win98 set up in an old kitchen base cabinet in the garage. I removed the shelf, hung it upside down on the wall, flipped the silverware drawer tracks over so I can use the drawer to hold the keyboard and mouse, and cut the door vertically in half then hinged it creating a bi-fold.

I use it often to listen to CD's while working. I also have used it to log on to the Internet to research auto and John Deere parts, get home repair tips, vehicle and garden tractor repair instructions and of course check the weather.

DA
indy452
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions folks, I'm still not sure what I'll do with it for certain now.

The linux thing is like reading a foreign language to me so I suppose without doing countless hours of research on linux and its special terms and language I will not even attempt to go there. (sorry spunbound but thanks anyway) Linux=problems I don't understand how to correct.

Maybe I'll just do the doorstop thing. I've kinda lost the spark for the project anyway. I don't want to put $ into some old obsolete puter anyway.

Neal

Any suggestions on this older computer (pics)

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