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Author Topic: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop  (Read 7566 times)

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pattybrew

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    I have a WindowsXP SP3 that has I have risen after sitting for several years. It would not boot so I fixed that and was told not to mess with it because it was so old. Machine is a Dell Dimension 4700, with Pentium 4 Processor and I think it has 3GB of memory installed. The IE and Microsoft items are hardly legible, way too pale. I have tried several things tweaks to fix this. It does load and run great. Unfortunately I had to install the IOBit Advanced System Care to help me get it up and running. I have been reading about the Linux by a few of you  who seem to greatly favor it. I need an OS that is very easy to setup without my having to spend hours trying to understand what I should do next. Would I be better off doing a clean reinstall of XP or can I get a better/smaller OS. All I do is Webkinz and search. I am really weary of dealing with Window. I got a laptop that has Windows 10 that I am very unhappy with, too slow. Just threw this in FYI. I will be trading it in for a Mac Notebook Pro with 8GB to do my work on using this XP for play, etc. I am open to all suggestions except th trash it. It is too good for that.

    camerongray



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    Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
    « Reply #1 on: August 04, 2016, 05:20:28 PM »
    While I use Linux full time, it's certainly not a magical solution to a slow PC, the PC is extremely old and even with a lightweight Linux OS it will still be slow.  The OS is only part of the problem, even if you somehow install a magical fast distro, your web browser will still struggle to run well on the weak PC.

    There are easy to learn and well supported distros out there (Ubuntu is pretty good as it's so widespread meaning there's tonnes of support online) but no matter what you go for it will take some getting used to.

    If I'm totally honest, if you have a brand new MacBook Pro I can't think of any reason to keep using that Dell, you may be attached to it but it's really out of date and several times less powerful than the mac will be.  The mac will be so fast, I imagine the Dell will feel even slower once you get used to the mac.  If you want more of a desktop experience there is nothing to stop you connecting the MacBook to your monitor, keyboard and mouse and essentially using it like a desktop.  By all means don't trash it and keep it around for tinkering with, but it seems silly to use it when you have a significantly better machine.

    patio

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    Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
    « Reply #2 on: August 04, 2016, 05:36:30 PM »
    My mistake...i thought you already installed...
    " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

    pattybrew

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      Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
      « Reply #3 on: August 05, 2016, 09:44:51 AM »
      Camerongray thank you. I don't have the notebook pro yet. I have had several years exp using a wonderful iMac 2008. Started with Snow leopard and latest  install of new harddrive updated with El Capitan. After the install and new harddrive I brought it home and it would not come on. Took back to tech and he got it to boot. Got it home and had to wait most of day after getting it setup for it to boot/come on. I could not move it to keep it running and forgot that I plugged it into wall outlet rather than Surge Protector. We had rain with no lightening or storming but power went out for 3 hours and Mac no longer turns on. I have plugged it in for a couple days at a time ant the top and left side get warm but that is it. It has been a wonderful machine. Do you think it is fixable?

      pattybrew

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        Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
        « Reply #4 on: August 05, 2016, 10:00:21 AM »
        Another problem is that this machine has only 30% free space and I believe all memory is just about used. That is why I am trying to get memory reduced in hope that it will function better until I can get a better machine that is not Windows.
        Would it run better if I just wiped the OS and did a clean reinstall of the old Windows XP?  If I did this I would have to get all the Security updates and install them again which took me a very long time when I was forced to use this machine again. yuk yuk
        « Last Edit: August 05, 2016, 10:30:24 AM by pattybrew »

        soybean



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        Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
        « Reply #5 on: August 05, 2016, 11:05:18 AM »
        You could try one of 10 of the most popular lightweight Linux distros.  I have not used any of them, so I can not comment on ease or difficulty of learning to use them.

        BC_Programmer


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        Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
        « Reply #6 on: August 05, 2016, 12:34:37 PM »
        Another problem is that this machine has only 30% free space and I believe all memory is just about used.
        Hard Disk Space and Memory are two different things.

        Quote
        Would it run better if I just wiped the OS and did a clean reinstall of the old Windows XP?

        Almost certainly. It would be faster than trying to diagnose and resolve all the myriad issues that you've only vaguely mentioned " The IE and Microsoft items are hardly legible, way too pale." for example.

        I have Pentium 3 and Pentium 4 Systems with 2GB of RAM and can browse the Internet fairly reliably with Firefox on both.
        I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

        pattybrew

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          Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
          « Reply #7 on: August 06, 2016, 12:43:26 AM »
          How would I do that? Uninstall the whole thing without reboot, then insert the CD for reinstall?

          pattybrew

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            Re: Linux lovers what is the best Linux OS that is as fast as a MAC desktop
            « Reply #8 on: August 06, 2016, 12:51:01 AM »
            Hard Disk Space and Memory are two different things.

            Almost certainly. It would be faster than trying to diagnose and resolve all the myriad issues that you've only vaguely mentioned " The IE and Microsoft items are hardly legible, way too pale." for example.

            I have Pentium 3 and Pentium 4 Systems with 2GB of RAM and can browse the Internet fairly reliably with Firefox on both.
            How would I do that? Uninstall the whole thing without reboot, then insert the CD for reinstall?
            I realize that HDD space and memory are two different things but thanks for the reminder. Before machine died years ago I did a lot of photo editing and it is full of pictures from my camera which took up most of the memory. I think I have them all on cd's now. That is something I will address before wiping the OS clean.

            I found a great step by step how to repair XP here:
            http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxprepair1.htm#showall

            and here is the one on clean install:
            http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxpclean1.htm
            « Last Edit: August 06, 2016, 01:46:43 AM by pattybrew »