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From: Mark Warner on 11 Jan 2010 18:39
Craig wrote:

> Don't worry too much about that relic. I just finished refurbishing an
> older p4 w/1GB and Ubuntu 9.10 for a relative. Discards + spare parts +
> Linux = very snappy computing experience. Including rummaging for parts
> in the storage, the thing was ready & up-to-date in less than an hour.

Did the same thing this weekend with a 1.8GHz/768MB "obsolete" box I was
gifted. Runs like a scared rabbit with MEPIS. Ten minutes to install
(hard disk was pre-partitioned), and an hour with me updating and
tweaking and just playing around. (Could have handed it over to a new
user after twenty minutes.) Playing with Linux installs is downright
/enjoyable/.

> On the other hand, "fixed" friend's Vista lappy. It's a Gateway Celeron
> M 520, shipped w/512 MB RAM ("Vista Ready"). Maxed out the RAM (2GB),
> dusted off the malware, applied updates going back 12 months, etc: Runs
> like a top. "Only" 3 hands-on hours plus innumerable "downloading
> urgent MS Update 053939023" hours... All told, it was on my desk for
> close to a full day just doing the update dance.

I'm scanning an infested Windows machine as we speak (Avira Rescue CD
rocks!). Remains to be seen whether I'll be able to clean it up or
whether a reinstall is in its future. In any case, it won't be quick or
easy. I told the owner not to expect it back for a day or two. And it
sure won't be /enjoyable/.

--
Mark Warner
MEPIS Linux
Registered Linux User #415318
....lose .inhibitions when replying
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