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NS what should I do with my aging laptop? (Intelligent answers only, read this Nomensteven)

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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
OK so I have to deal with an old Dell laptop until i go to college next year.  I'm going to reformat it soon cause its slow as hell then only install the programs I need, because I can use the comp at my mom's for shit like video conversion and DVD editing.

It has 640MB RAM, and a single core Intel processor (Celeron I think, I don't have it right now), and onboard graphics (cringe).

I want these programs on it:
iTunes (yes I know how to get gid of its stupid background processes)
Firefox
VLC Media Player
Microsoft Office (or open office)
Maybe photoshop (I have a disk for PS 6, its really old but good enough for me)

So what I need help deciding is what OS I should use, cause I really have no idea which is best for what I want to do.  I have these options:

windows xp pro
windows 2k pro
or if anyone knows of a good Linux distro for what I want, I could do that too

Any help from someone who KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT would be greatly appreciated.
Aug 8 2009 1:14AM
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@skiinmitch
Posts: 2781 - Karma: 78
windows x2
Aug 8 2009 1:17AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
I actually dual booted Ubuntu for a while and it ran slower than XP currently is, so I know that won't work for me.

Would win7 even run on a computer that old?
Aug 8 2009 1:18AM
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.KYLE.
Posts: 1891 - Karma: 59
I doubt it, 7 recommends a gig of ram.
Aug 8 2009 1:20AM
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hartig
Posts: 8192 - Karma: 10
hey nomen, we're pretty much the same person

.. in case you were wondering



also, i'd suggest xp, just because it'll be faster all around
Aug 8 2009 1:20AM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
There is a really awesome version of XP that you can find on TPB. Not sure of the legality, but it's much better than what you would pay for (free).
Aug 8 2009 1:22AM
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wintersway
Posts: 5115 - Karma: 128
xp pro, its what i had on my old laptop with just about the same stuff on it. it wasnt dead slow like youre saying though, so im guessing something was right there.
Aug 8 2009 1:22AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
also, is there anything I can do to make Flash video work better, or am I just doomed to copying stream addresses into VLC because my computer's so old.
Aug 8 2009 1:23AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
I might, but I only have a 20gig HD, so dual booting is hell on it.
Aug 8 2009 1:25AM
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caucasian_chad
Posts: 4078 - Karma: 3,625
Wow you're right.  I think the last post on this thread is the exact same computer I have, too.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/1657-windows-7-old-computers-3.html
Aug 8 2009 2:04AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
i dont think Windows 7 would be such a great idea, every new windows OS is unreliable in the beginning and its rather graphical demanding, so i'd recommend XP fosho....
Aug 8 2009 6:41AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
Do you have it or did you just hear it from ppl ?
Aug 8 2009 7:21AM
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Steeze-On-Toast
Posts: 679 - Karma: 92
i had the RC on a spare laptop, it ran pretty damn good, and 7 isnt as demanding as Vista, which was just overkill, that being the whole idea why 7 was developed
Aug 8 2009 7:26AM
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GratefulDead
Posts: 3554 - Karma: 84
i came in this thred bec i no that i very inteligent and i can prubbly anser ur quest.

acordian to my self i wuld thnk that you shuld rember persernoficateion becuious ur leptop is no ageing it dus not have that ebility.
Aug 8 2009 7:34AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
^^not necessarily true....


Ageing (British English) or aging (American and Canadian English) is the accumulation of changes in an organism or object over time.


Aug 8 2009 7:38AM
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GratefulDead
Posts: 3554 - Karma: 84
o i culd be rong
well then if it gets ulder then for yers old i wold call the police bec they no wut to do in emergenceec end
Aug 8 2009 7:41AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
I see you like turtles....
Aug 8 2009 7:42AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
nice, currently im still running vista, but after my exams i'll give 7 a try...


Aug 8 2009 2:47PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 26
why has no one said linux? i dont run it personally, but its pretty good and runs clean without a bunch of bullshit in the b ground.
Aug 8 2009 2:55PM
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