Re: Very old hardware...
David Wright wrote:
> I was under the impression that i586 was a Debian invention for
> kernels that had been termed i486, in order to prevent the impression
> that they would run on 486 hardware (as they had done previously).
>
> I would expect a 700MHz Pentium III to run a 686 kernel.
> My 650MHz Pentium III (Coppermine) runs buster with the kernel in
> linux-image-4.19.0-9-686-pae_4.19.118-2+deb10u1_i386.deb
>
I am not sure - this is what I am saying with those links.
In wheezy
Nearly all x86-based (IA-32) processors still in use in personal computers
are supported, including all varieties of Intel's "Pentium" series.
https://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/i386/ch02s01.html.en
But this statement is missing later (especially the last part regarding
Pentium series)
How I know this - some years ago I had to start building kernel for Geode,
because it is i586. And reading around noticed the notification that older
models are not supported by default debian kernel.
This means that OP has to build kernel to run it. In such case I debootstrap
debian and install the custom kernel.
> My typical installation uses around 9GB, but that includes things like
> TeX and LibreOffice. No DE though. I don't think you'd be running
> anything like that, particularly with only 64MB memory (my video card
> has half that). The first thing I did when I acquired mine (in 2003)
> was to install 512MB of ECC and a bigger disk (30GB IIRC).
> Nowadays, it makes a satisfactory file server.
>
> Why do I keep mine? 1) Sentimentality, as it was the one on my work desk
> when I retired. 2) Being a tower, it has room for up to 4 PATA drives.
> The loaned Optiplex only holds one—after that, I'm down to an old PATA
> caddy. 3) There's no WEEE here, so I'm not sure exactly how one gets
> rid of it anyway.
>
> BTW neither of these Pentiums looks like a museum piece to me, but
> just so much junk, particulary if you upgrade it, or overwrite its
> "authentic" OS. Unless you find a use for it, I guess the coucil
> in your locality is obliged to dispose of it.
As people suggested it is not worth the power it consumes. For 35-50$ you
have a low power device with more computing power, but of course you decide
what to do with your hardware and electricity bills.
regards
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