Laptop update - viable? Worth it?

[philehidiot]

Evenin'

I've been given a laptop by some neighbours who wanted it disposing of in a way that ensured their data was destroyed. I removed the HDD, opened it up, forgot that laptop HDD platters are a little more delicate than desktop ones and their data is now in little bits all over my garage.

But I now have a laptop which is... old. But it's really rather nice. Good keyboard, decent screen, etc. I looked at charities for people trying to home school but it's too old for them.

So the idea was to upgrade the RAM (DDR2...) to 4GB (8GB gets very expensive, even on ebay) and pop in an SSD. But the processor is an Athlon 64 (those were the days) K2 dual core TK-55 @1.8GHz.

I've upgraded laptops before with the old RAM+SSD trick but never this old. Does anyone have views as to whether It'd be worthwhile doing or, given the ancient CPU, is it for the bin? The plan would be to stick Linux Mint or something else light on there and use it for light web / youtube / office use.

I don't particularly want to shell out for RAM and SSD, for no good reason.

[BobF64]

Best idea might be to find a 32bit, because it needs less RAM to run, Live CD linux variant and boot that, see how the laptop performs.

[Saracen999]

It all depends what you want to use it for?

Or are you starting with "I've got "x" hardware, what can I do with it"? Because that, IMHO, is a different problem.

I have quite a bit of ancient hardware. Much of it is doing whatever I got it for 10 or more years ago, and if it would do that job then, we often forget it'll still do it now.

Were it me, that's how I'd decide whether to spend money on upgrades - if I do, will it do ..... what, exactly?

If it will, and do it properly, you gave your answer.

But there are some jobs old hardware just won't do. And then, that new project tends to start getting expensive.

[DanceswithUnix]

At that age, is the HDD even SATA?

Do keep in mind that the machine is on par with a Raspberry Pi these days, I wouldn't put too much money into it.

We have a core 2 duo box here running a Minecraft server, it might be able to do that.

[Saracen999]

While that's true, Dances, there's a part of me that doesn't like throwing out fully working old gear. Partly, it's environmental, I guess, but it's more that I'm a tight git and like to get maximum out of what I spent my hard-earned on. Unless, of course, I'm just ready for a new toy.

But seriously, I just like to get as much mileage as I can from old kit provided it's sensible and viable. It can be taken too far. Which reminds me, get that huge old CRT-based TV sitting over there functioning mainly as a dusttrap to the recycling centre/dump ASAP. I haven't used it for years and years.

[philehidiot]

I hate throwing away kit that works. I don't like keeping broken kit around but there's a part of me that knows if I throw it out, I'll wish I kept it when I find a repair a few years later. That has happened a few times now.

That being said, I threw away Linux manuals and still have my old DOS one... along with some old 5.25" floppy discs with a pirated text based golf game on it.


I'd only ever plan on doing basic web browsing and word processing stuff on this. And I used to be able to do that on a 486. Interlaced pr0n in greyscale, those were the days.... But basic web browsing these days means youtube and so on. I suspect useful hardware decoding wouldn't be much of a thing on that CPU.

It is actually SATA! Two SATA drive bays (both designed to be user accessible - those were the days) and two SODIMM slots.

At the moment my macbook is getting bodgey in how I'm keeping it running (my attempts at refurbishing the charger that broke had to be abandoned after I saw the state of the PCB and decided it was a) beyond saving and b) terrifying I'd been plugging that thing into my own mains sockets) and as a 2011 mac with regular use and a very hard life, it is on borrowed time. I will not replace it until I have to as it works just fine. So this laptop would be a replacement for that or possibly something to put in the garage for looking up stuff whilst I'm working on bike, etc.

32 bit Live Linux is a good shout. Test and see what happens, I like it.

[DanceswithUnix]

I have an old E350 based laptop which is probably about as powerful and does still come out occasionally. But even with 6GB of ram it is still getting less and less use. I just never found a sensibly priced machine with a similar (11.6in) screen size to replace it.

[wazzickle]

If you can't find a use for it, and you want to avoid throwing it away, is there anything else that can be done, in terms of the metal being melted down or something? I too hate throwing things into landfill and thus have bags and stacks of old, effectively useless tech that I was hoping I could do something with. Maybe some art, I guess.

[XA04]

Is it any use as a home server? DNS, NAS, something like that?

+1 on the Linux idea, there are some great lightweight distros that would make it an ideal web browser / youtube viewer for the right person.

[philehidiot]

If it doesn't work, I'll stick it on a clay pigeon launcher and shoot it down. Then pop the video on youtube and make at LEAST 69p.