got new old computer... need suggestions/tips

[MSG]

I just bought an old laptop from a friend.... Its a compaq presario 1250 im guessing its from like 1998/1997 or something. Im going to completely strip the (about 6 gig) hard drive and start from scratch. I have a mild-somewhat advanced understanding of computers, yet im looking for stuff like customizations you can or did do to ur computer. I've heard of partioning harddrives, and it seems interesting, except for the fact that this ones smaller than a 2 dvds... I don't think it will be compatible with xp, and im sure as heck it won't be able to skin and stuff, so im open to the idea of a different operating system, as long as its not too expensive. I won't be using internet on this comp so that utterly and completely rules out spyware/adaware. Estimated system specs: 6-7 gig hard drive About 333 mhz processor 64 mb ram One cd drive One floppy drive One sex drive One usb port I am not in posession of it now I get It in about 1.7 weeks *oh and amost forgot* this is only for typing notes at school not a regular use laptop.. </long post> Love, _oOOo_ (or poop for those of you who didn't see the yoda thread)

[fourth_esper]

Actually, Linux should run perfectly decent on that kind of machine, I'll look up a few distros, but that's the cheapest you can get, since Linux and most of the software for it is free. Although Linux has been known to not be the frendliest OS for laptops... You could probably get an old copy of windows for next to nothing off eBay or find one lying around your house... That thing probably could handle 98, although that's infamous for being one of the least stable OSes ever...maybe NT 4, if that thing can handle it... Oh, and upgrade the RAM...to at least 128 MB Well, that's just my opinion, any other ideas? Hope the laptop works out for you!!

[Kaniaz]

Don't bother with Linux. Really. Making things more complicated than it already isn't the route you want to be taking (even though Linux "ISN'T AS EVIL AS BILL GATS OMG!"). Especially if you're only going to use it to take notes. Upgrade the RAM defintely. You will _not_ be getting anything modern on 64MB. 256MB at least, for me. That is what I use for a healthy amount of programs and things going on in the background. That and it speeds things up quite a bit. Also get a bigger harddrive. ... This is probably going to cost more than is feasible for a freaking notebook. Try paper.

[docKnubis]

my suggestion sell it or smash it but keep that sex drive

[MSG]

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions guys! Originally posted by Kaniaz This is probably going to cost more than is feasible for a freaking notebook. Try paper. Well thats the thing i would use paper but i take terrible knotes and i type faster than i write... its this wierd 504 thing ever since i got diagnosed with ADHD they've been making accomodations. I needed a laptop before school and the alienware was a teensy bit more than my budget allowed, yet i didnt want a crappy laptop with the default stuff and like im getting bored with windows... thanks for the OS suggestions i never knew linux was free... shows how much i know and im definately donna upgrade the ram ill steal some old RAM sticks from that huge stack of semi-borken laptops that dwells where my computer lab used to be

[Joseph_Stalin]

Mixing and matching RAM...I get nervous about doing that for reasons even I cannot understand. Though it's probably because I don't want to lose, like, 2 percent performance or something ridiculous like that. But yeah, 256 megs is needed if you don't want to die of frustration--if by chance you have more than 3 programs opened. If you're lucky and see a cheep 512 though...it's really up to you. You sometimes see these things on the internet. Good luck.

[fourth_esper]

Surprisingly enough, Windows XP will run on that thing, although i would not reccomend it...the machine you have is a little older than I'd be comfortable running XP on (XP system requirements) And no matter what OS you get, there's a free word proccessor called AbiWord that's very nice if you don't want to throw much cash into a full office suite... Admittedly, it doesn't have all the features Word may have, but it's free, it'll run on your machine unlike OpenOffice, and it's certainly better than any of the stuff like MS Works or any cheap word proccessor that comes bundled with the OS.

[MSG]

Originally posted by fourth_esper Surprisingly enough, Windows XP will run on that thing, although i would not reccomend it...the machine you have is a little older than I'd be comfortable running XP on (XP system requirements) oh woah im surprised even though i still had hope my doubt overshadowed it since this thing is slower than the modern cell phone and yeah ill definately upgrade the ram... i thought 64 was adequate but now it seems like not... right now im using like 457 and only 56 processes (someone elses computer... dont know what they've got on there) thanks for the wp suggestion but ill probably just use wordperfect since i already pwn it i might end up just using Michael Shane's-DOS *gasp* or raping my college fund for a new one if its too much of a hassle i love how windows XP looks like a squinting dude with his tongue out

[Number47]

Linux !! Don't use Winblows..er.. windows Everything is free on linux Happy happy joy joy

[Kaniaz]

Yeah, don't use Windows, join the "we like linux 'cause it's free and better even though it's fucking retarded 90% of the time with all these stupid names like 'grep' where 'find' would of done just as well too" club. Let them convince you of its superiority where clearly it isn't today!

[MSG]

Originally posted by Kaniaz we like linux 'cause it's free lol linux sounds like a girls name at times i checked out the website, and reviews and such, and it seems like a good os, just not as stable as i would like to think.... i cant imagine trying to fix a computer in the middle of biology class im probably just gonna use windows xp with minimum features and litestep and DOS when i need to take knotes... though i know nothing about DOS

[Alric]

I can't believe your friend made you pay him for that.

[MSG]

Originally posted by Alric I can't believe your friend made you pay him for that. lol tell that to HIM hes on the boards as theyoshimaster (i think) EDITEDIT: http://www.dreamviews.com/forum/profile.ph...wprofile&u=4380

[Joseph_Stalin]

If he charged you about 25-50 bucks, that isn't that bad, considering. Any more and...

[MSG]

Originally posted by Joseph_Stalin If he charged you about 25-50 bucks, that isn't that bad, considering. Any more and... f, man more like 65 but he wanted 150 at first i was like NO i think 25 might be a little low since the AC adaptor costs around that alone...

[Joseph_Stalin]

I wouldn't get to hung up about it--you got a pretty decent deal. The stuff you find on Ebay might come up a little more or less, however, so you could have checked there. But otherwise, at least you know the thing works, right?

[MSG]

Originally posted by Joseph_Stalin I wouldn't get to hung up about it--you got a pretty decent deal. The stuff you find on Ebay might come up a little more or less, however, so you could have checked there. But otherwise, at least you know the thing works, right? Yeah it works and he's willing to accept a full refund for it if im unhappy... I did check ebay and found a somewhat eq computer for 50usd, which is what I based my 65 off of. The computer would up being sold for 132 OMG 500 POSTS (actually close to 800 but strong bad killed them)