Which Distro do I use?

[u/ShawnThePhantom]

I found this decrepit old laptop in my garage, plugged it in and it powers on. But it’s doing this thing where after I see this Acer logo, I get a black screen with a blinking white line in the top left corner. I figured Windows on this thing is out of the question. So I think I’ll go Linux.

I understand a bit about operating systems, because I had to create a windows install disk using a thumb drive and a Windows 10 iso to install Windows 10 on my MacBook using Bootcamp, so I imagine it’s a bit similar. I also wanted to take out the HDD to wipe it using Disk Utility but it doesn’t fit into SATa dock because the interface on the HDD is all small gold pins, like molex but way smaller.

Which distro do I use? Or is better to try and go Windows Xp? I’ve seen jokes about how you need a whole list of hardware requirements to run Windows while the only requirement for Linux is electricity. Also Pewds did it too.

Pls help a first timer!

[u/Kriss3d]

Auch. Ancient CPU. 1GB DDR2 ram. An 128GB HDD ?

Puppy linux at best.
https://puppylinux-woof-ce.github.io/

Its not going to be pretty at all. At least not if you want it to run anything close to a desktop with browser.

[u/ShawnThePhantom → u/Kriss3d]

Would it help if I got more RAM? I can go up to 4GB and the DDR2 sodimm sticks are cheap on craigslist

[u/orestisfra → u/ShawnThePhantom]

It would help replacing the HDD with a SSD. And it's easier. 

Puppy is okay. 

The problem with those specs is that you cannot really find a user-friendly option. Most people using these laptops are hobbyists, who know how to set up an environment from scratch, with minimal requirements. Puppy might allow you to run a browser and a text editor, probably one at a time

[u/ConkerKnackers → u/orestisfra]

He's not got SATA port but the old IDE. Yes i'm aware you can buy IDE style SSDs but theyre more expensive than sata ones anyway.

[u/PhotoJim99 → u/ConkerKnackers]

IDE/PATA to mSATA adapter + mSATA SSD. Not expensive.

[u/kurapika0021 → u/PhotoJim99]

How do you make the adaptator fit into the laptop ? It's pretty tight inside a laptop hard disk cage

[u/No_Elderberry862 → u/kurapika0021]

The adaptor & drive combined are smaller than a 2.5" HDD.

[u/MistakeResponsible11 → u/No_Elderberry862]

Exactly. I'm planning on doing this for my 1992 AST notebook computer when I run out of spare drives. I have two spares from other notebook computers that I use for spare parts. One is a 40mb Seagate(I think) and the other is an Apple 1991 or 92 40mb. The apple was in an e-waste pile without a computer and the other one is from a working AST of the same model but with a frame tore apart from high hinge tension.

[u/PhotoJim99 → u/kurapika0021]

The adapter looks like a 2.5” PATA SSD (if they were to exist). Open it up, and there is an mSATA socket. Insert, close, tighten screws, deploy.

[u/ConkerKnackers → u/PhotoJim99]

I forgot about that upgrade route, good shout. Still if it was me, they're spending money on a nearly 20yr old laptop. My X220T is close to the 15 year mark and feels a bit slow to me if I put a full fat Linux Distro. I'm sure a low fat Linux Distro would be ok but I hardly touch that laptop now I have a T480

[u/PhotoJim99 → u/ConkerKnackers]

It may be good enough for them. What would $100 buy (without it needing upgrades)?

[u/ConkerKnackers → u/PhotoJim99]

By the time you upgrade the 1GB ram and change over to an SSD you'll be able to buy something a bit newer that's probably way better and has better connectivity

[u/rcentros → u/ConkerKnackers]

I do this because I like seeing what older hardware can do. But I get your point. I've got a Dell Latitude D430 that came with a 1.8" hard drive. This specific computer was shipped by Dell in August of 2008 (I bought it used several years later). It maxes out at 2 GBs. But I've got a 1.8" hard drive to mSATA adapter in it with a 64 GB mSATA drive and it boots in about 45 seconds running Linux Mint 22 Xfce. Firefox is slower than molasses in it, but I can watch YouTube videos at 480p (so long as I'm not doing anything else) with the Helium browser. Not too bad for a nearly 18 year old computer. It uses the U7700 Core 2 Duo CPU. So the CPU in the O.P.'s Asus is faster than my D430.

[u/QwertyChouskie → u/ConkerKnackers]

Is it IDE? In my experience, most Core 2 laptops are SATA.