Which Linux distie on Celeron N2830 2.16GHz with 4GB RAM?

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548 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#2752249 30-Jul-2021 10:04

Again, I really wouldn't recommend it. I'm reading up on it now and it seems that system updates have to be done manually and you have to manually configure the system based on your installed hardware.

Seriously, you're setting yourself up for a world of pain. Only try chromeOS if you're coming in for the purpose of tinkering and learning.

As for your CPU, there's nothing specific about ChromeOS which makes it 'fit' your CPU better than anything else. Xubuntu will run great and will be much easier to get up and running, because it's designed to be run on normal PCs.

danepak

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#2752250 30-Jul-2021 10:06

Thanks, I’ll follow your advise.

Andib

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#2752252 30-Jul-2021 10:09

Another option if you want to stick with a *ubuntu distro would be lubuntu, A distro specifically for low system requirements, it doesn't have as much of the visual appeal that you get with ubuntu & kubuntu as it's design to be as light weight as possible to run well on low end hardware.

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danepak

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#2752253 30-Jul-2021 10:10

Andib:
Another option if you want to stick with a *ubuntu distro would be lubuntu, A distro specifically for low system requirements, it doesn't have as much of the visual appeal that you get with ubuntu & kubuntu as it's design to be as light weight as possible to run well on low end hardware.

Based on the specs of my machine, would Ubuntu or Mint be OK?

Andib

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#2752255 30-Jul-2021 10:14

danepak:
Based on the specs of my machine, would Ubuntu or Mint be OK?

Either will run fine. I assume a machine of that era will have a traditional hard drive so your CPU won't be the performance bottleneck.
Of the two I would suggest Ubuntu purely due to it being the most new linux user friendly distro. You will typically find an answer to any new user questions on the front page of Google.

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ripdog

548 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#2752259 30-Jul-2021 10:16

Just to let you know, either of those will be fine. The main thing which makes a difference with performance of a desktop linux system is the 'desktop environment' which you are running. Ubuntu, xubuntu, lubuntu are all fundamentally the same system - just each comes with a different desktop environment installed by default.

This is different to windows where there is only one desktop environment and it's tightly integrated into the system. On linux, you can pick and choose what software provides your taskbar, window borders, 'start' menu, etc.

So you're perfectly able to just go ahead and install Ubuntu or Mint. If you're not happy with performance, just install lxde or xfce, and then log out and select a different environment before logging back in.

(Oh, and Mint is a modified Ubuntu with some extra niceities preinstalled. It's often recommended to beginners, though I haven't tried it myself.)

danepak

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#2752261 30-Jul-2021 10:18

Andib:
danepak:
Based on the specs of my machine, would Ubuntu or Mint be OK?

Either will run fine. I assume a machine of that era will have a traditional hard drive so your CPU won't be the performance bottleneck.
Of the two I would suggest Ubuntu purely due to it being the most new linux user friendly distro. You will typically find an answer to any new user questions on the front page of Google.

Thanks. But from what I understand, Mint is more like Windows, right?

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Andib

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#2752297 30-Jul-2021 11:42

danepak:

Thanks. But from what I understand, Mint is more like Windows, right?

In that it has a "Start Menu", Yes but that's about it. Both installers have a live mode so you can boot from a USB/CD try them without wiping your computer and pick which is the one you like the best.

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MikeB4

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#2752368 30-Jul-2021 11:56

ripdog:

Chrome OS is not designed to be installed on a normal PC. While it's possible, I wouldn't recommend the process to a newbie. It takes a bit of tinkering and has hardware requirements.

Give Xubuntu a go, you'll find it much easier. And yes, dual booting is possible (having both windows and linux installed).

Neverware's Cloud Ready Chromium OS is very simple to install. Neverware is now owned by Google.

https://www.neverware.com/

gzt

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#2752437 30-Jul-2021 14:42

MikeB4: Neverware's Cloud Ready Chromium OS is very simple to install. Neverware is now owned by Google.

Nice. Didn't know that. Adding link to the consumer version:

https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text

farcus

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#2752502 30-Jul-2021 15:42

just my two cents worth . . . .

if you are unhappy with the performance of Win7 on this pc - then don't expect to be blown away with the performance of a fully fledged linux distro.
They are modern OS's that require modern hardware in most cases.

gzt

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#2752515 30-Jul-2021 16:21

danepak:
gzt: ChromeOS is built for CPU like that if you get bored with linux Linux and all you need is net.
My daughter is next year starting at intermediate and they recommend Chromebooks. Would ChromeOS be sufficient or is a real Chromebook still better?

I expect battery life is better with the real thing. I have a cheap HP N4020 Chromebook. Battery life is amazing.

gzt

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#2752525 30-Jul-2021 16:49

Echoing a previous poster - all these distros liveboot from USB. If you have speed and sticks it's easy enough to try a few.

danepak

1112 posts

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#2752562 30-Jul-2021 17:39

ripdog:

MikeB4:

Same source but Kubuntu has far greater overheads. Having only 4GB RAM Ubuntu would be a better choice as Gnome has lower system demands compared to KDE.

Not at all true these days. KDE is all native code and has put a lot of work into reducing system requirements. On the other hand, gnome uses javascript in their windowing system.

OP: If you're struggling with performance, I'd recommend XFCE. I think xubuntu has it pre-installed, but you can simply install it with apt if you have a system already running.

XFCE is much lighter on the RAM than either KDE or Gnome.

Might be a dumb question, but what limitations are there with a distie which is lighter on the RAM etc?

robjg63

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#2752685 30-Jul-2021 22:11

Whatever you do, put an SSD in your laptop.
I assume it has an old Hard drive in it currently.
The SSDs make a massive difference to any device over the old spinning drives.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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