Old PC in basement.

Chat about anything related to Linux Mint
Forum rules
Do not post support questions here. Before you post read the forum rules. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
User avatar
katman
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2014 11:41 am
Location: South

Old PC in basement.

Post by katman »

Found old PC from the 1999 era, thought for the heck of it would try a few Linux Os's to see if it would work. Able to load Win 98 on OK, but cannot get any Linux systems to load. The Boot CD's I have Linux on are not seen by PC, but I can use any of them on any one of other 5 PC's.
Thinking it has something to do with CD/Dvd player but not sure.
Tried Linux lite 32bit, tried Puppy Slacko 6.3.0 32 bit, Got something to this effect " unable to load due to wrong kernel????
Tried puppy precise 5.7.1 and nothing. When I start machine I go into BIOS and tell it to load from CD/DVD and it tries but nothing happens for about 30 seconds and then I get Failure to boot. All I have tried are 32 bit versions.
Any suggestions
Thanks katman 104
Trying to learn.

Found out the motherboard is a PAG 2130. I am not tech savvy enough to tell whether it will support Linux.
Max bus speed 100MHZ
Socket 7,K6MMX, Pentium MMX, K6-2, Cyrix Mll, K6-lll, winchip2
Chipset type VIAMVP4
supported RAM max size 768MB
Can anyone that knows main board tell from any of this if it will support Linux?

Thanks in advance
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
whm1974
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 241
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2018 11:07 pm

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by whm1974 »

Could be video drivers or lack of. Remember back then there were a few more video chip manufacturers then there are now. It is very likely that the video card isn't supported at all by modern distros.
User avatar
jimallyn
Level 19
Level 19
Posts: 9075
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:34 pm
Location: Wenatchee, WA USA

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by jimallyn »

Maybe a PAE problem? antiX 32 bit has a non-PAE kernel, I believe.

https://antixlinux.com/download/
“If the government were coming for your TVs and cars, then you'd be upset. But, as it is, they're only coming for your sons.” - Daniel Berrigan
sleeper12
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 14396
Joined: Thu May 25, 2017 3:22 pm

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by sleeper12 »

Try Linux Mint Debian (LMDE). The MATE 32 bit works great for me on an old non-pae IBM Thinkpad laptop.
https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
sleeper12
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 14396
Joined: Thu May 25, 2017 3:22 pm

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by sleeper12 »

If a CD won't work for you, try a bootable flash drive. Unetbootin works well. Just remember to change your boot order in Bios putting flash first.
https://unetbootin.github.io/
User avatar
katman
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2014 11:41 am
Location: South

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by katman »

sleeper12 wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:33 pm Try Linux Mint Debian (LMDE). The MATE 32 bit works great for me on an old non-pae IBM Thinkpad laptop.
https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
Tried the Linux Main Debain 32bit and tried to load but got a bunch of errors. Would not load but, it also boots into Bios every time you turn it on and then you have to punch reset and then it will boot into windows.
Lucap
Level 6
Level 6
Posts: 1038
Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 1:40 am

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by Lucap »

Apart from the fun of getting an old PC working it's not practical from a economical point of view with the amount of electricity it will use compared to it's processing power.

A $30 Raspberry will run circles around it and play HD video.
chiefjim
Level 6
Level 6
Posts: 1157
Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:26 am
Location: South Texas, USA

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by chiefjim »

jimallyn wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:48 pm Maybe a PAE problem? antiX 32 bit has a non-PAE kernel, I believe.
sleeper12 wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:33 pm Try Linux Mint Debian (LMDE). The MATE 32 bit works great for me on an old non-pae IBM Thinkpad laptop.
This thread has been timely for my own project keeping a 13 year old Acer laptop from becoming a doorstop. Two prime requirements to be met were compatibility with my printers and ability to be remastered. The latter important because once I've got things sorted out I don't want to start from scratch a second time.

LMDE surprised me regarding the printers. One is a Brother laser connected by ethernet cable to the router. The other is a Brother MFC connected to my desktop via USB. Pleasantly shocked to find both found, configured and ready for use. Only regret is no functional method of remastering.

antiX being nearly the opposite. Printers initially discovered but somehow not found when test page prints were sent. Fortunately their forum had answers for others with the same problem. A remastering application called snapshot was found already built in.
User avatar
BG405
Level 8
Level 8
Posts: 2499
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:09 pm
Location: England

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by BG405 »

jimallyn wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:48 pm Maybe a PAE problem?
This (which I read can be overcome) but although you state maximum supported RAM as being 768MB, how much memory is actually present? If less than 512MB I doubt any Linux Mint (or Ubuntu-based) distro will boot and run properly; it'll probably just seem to hang even if the rest of the hardware is supported.
Dell Inspiron 1525 - LM17.3 CE 64-------------------Lenovo T440 - Manjaro KDE with Mint VMs
Toshiba NB250 - Manjaro KDE------------------------Acer Aspire One D255E - LM21.3 Xfce
Acer Aspire E11 ES1-111M - LM18.2 KDE 64 ----Two ROMS don't make a WRITE
sleeper12
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 14396
Joined: Thu May 25, 2017 3:22 pm

Re: Old PC in basement.

Post by sleeper12 »

katman wrote: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:56 pm
Tried the Linux Main Debain 32bit and tried to load but got a bunch of errors. Would not load but, it also boots into Bios every time you turn it on and then you have to punch reset and then it will boot into windows.
Cd? Set Bios as flash, cd, hd. Try a bootable flash. If no luck, try a lighter puppy linux: wary 5 or even 4.3.1. Old, but they
might boot on that old pc:

http://puppylinux.org/main/Long-Term-Su ... yPuppy.htm
http://iso.linuxquestions.org/puppy-lin ... nux-4.3.1/
Locked

Return to “Chat about Linux Mint”