Linux as replacement for XP

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by Windows_Security, Oct 18, 2014.

  1. First,

    This is probably a non-issue for linux users, hope they add some usefull tips for me as newcomber (I am not using Linux myself, I need Microsoft to interact with my customers without hassles)

    First try: was on Zorin-OS https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/zorin-os-as-replacement-for-xp.369068/
    ELementary-OS did fail to start on that hardware. This was on a AMD dual core running 3.4 Ghz and I put in that PC in a second hand Seagate hybrid (to replace their old PATA disk) which I installed using only one screw and small piece of dick tape.

    Next challenge an old AMD laptop with 1.7 Ghze dual core, decided to use the tips of a few experienced wilders members so I:

    1. Installed Lubuntu

    2. First fine tuned nessecaru software via Synaptic (I needed Wine to install windows games)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJVexeYlJM

    3. Installed Ubuntu Software center for Lubuntu
    http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/11/five-handy-lubuntu-tips/ and
    http://learn.linksprite.com/pcduino/quick-start/install-lubuntu-software-center/

    4. Installed games
    a) installed dutch game Klaverjassen in Wine and the Windows solitair, spider like games so these releatives (retired people) did not have learn something different.

    5. Installed XP skin for Lubuntu
    http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/04/windows-xp-theme-lubuntu

    This runs lighter than Zorin-OS and resembles XP more closely as the Zorin-OS, so will keep this as XP replacement

    As an security add-on instal firejail :) to guard the browser, allready posted here
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 18, 2014
  2. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    Lubuntu should work well as an XP replacement on older hardware. You might also like Lite as an XP replacement with its XFCE desktop environment - if you eventually find you don't like Lubuntu. After installation it's a good idea to check Menu - System - Install Additional Software and at least install the Restricted Extras, as well as in your case Wine. I've been using this O/S for several months and I'm really satisfied with it.
     
  3. mattdocs12345

    mattdocs12345 Registered Member

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    Windows XP SP0 is faster than any fully functional linux.
     
  4. ianx

    ianx Registered Member

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    if you need fast OS you can try PupLinux or MacPup it's distro for perfromance because lite version OS :D
     
  5. aigle

    aigle Registered Member

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    Totally agree and the distros like puppy are ugly.
     
  6. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    That really doesn't say much because nobody is using Windows XP SP0.... :)
     
  7. mattdocs12345

    mattdocs12345 Registered Member

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    Well true. But then again puppy is super ugly. That's just about the only one that I was able to run smoothly on my 2002 laptop. XP SP0-SP2 run very smoothly. SP3 with some things disabled runs well as also. Linux distros became bloated for some reason when it comes to older hardware. Of course, yes, when it comes to security Linux beats XP. However when it comes to speed and usability on older hardware, you can't beat XP or 2000.
     
  8. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    Yeah, I'd take Win 2000 any day if I could, it was great. And true, some of the distros are pretty bloated nowadays.
     
  9. It is installed for people who learned to use a PC after they were retired. So I de-installed most "user" programs except picture, video, word-processor (used ABI-word), using chrome as browser and Thunderbird for mail.

    I did not install the swap partition. It is an AMD mobile dual core at 1.7 Ghz, running with 2GB Ram. Chrome launch time on Lubuntu is considerable faster as on XP SP3. I had to explain browser and mail client, woudl be nice when thunderbird could be skinned like outlook express and Chrome like IE9. Can't have it all.

    @wat0114 thx for the sugggesting Lubuntu.
     
  10. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    Saying XP SP0 is faster than 'any linux' is nonsense. Of course that's not true.
     
  11. Gullible Jones

    Gullible Jones Registered Member

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    @Hungry Man: it depends heavily on what hardware and which desktop stack. Current 3D compositing desktops have, in my experience, proven very troublesome on machines from before ~2008; usually you get bad performance, sometimes it won't even start.

    (It's also problematic on RDP, VNC, etc. connections where serious hardware acceleration is not available... and which are ubiquitous in the business world. Whoops.)

    XP doesn't do desktop compositing, and Windows 7 has much better driver support, so the upshot is that Windows will perform better than Ubuntu/Unity or such on a lot of these machines.

    However, I very much doubt that XP would outperform a non-compositing Linux desktop on a 1.7 GHz dual core laptop. XP's vertical scalability is frankly rubbish in my experience, and Linux is pretty quick on such hardware once the reliance on the GPU is removed.
     
  12. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    Linux is far more versatile though. You could build a Linux desktop that requires no compositing, compiled from source for the architecture, etc. You can disable far more - including kernel functions, saving MB's of RAM.

    On modern hardware there's less of a massive difference, or Linux is worse due to graphic drivers, but on XP on a really low end machine there's no comparison - Linux will blow it out of the water, because you get performance improvements from decades of development but you can easily use software that's built to run on embedded systems.
     
  13. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    Depends on your definition and knowledge of "fully functional", but I'd use Linux over XP SP0 any day if you want security, compatibility, and whatnot.
     
  14. Veeshush

    Veeshush Registered Member

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    I haven't had any issue running Debian on a socket 370, Pentium III rig. If you have the ram and a cpu over 1ghz, it'll run alright. Any issue with getting Linux going on older rigs is usually related to the old legacy video cards. Obviously with a laptop you can't upgrade the video card, so just stick to lightweight GUIs like XFCE or Gnome classic.
     
  15. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    I remember XP SP0 being lightning fast but then it bogged down considerably from SP2-3. Of course SP0 was Swiss cheese full of security holes.
     
  16. Gullible Jones

    Gullible Jones Registered Member

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    Thus the "fully functional" specification - it's pretty clear what's meant there is out-of-the-box functionality. And I don't think it's really fair to compare a stock Windows system to e.g. a Gentoo system, or anything else painstakingly compiled from source for a specific machine.

    From what I've seen I have to disagree. Support for truly obsolete hardware is pretty dodgy on Linux at the moment; modern applications are too RAM and CPU hungry; even current graphical toolkits have problems, due to extensive antialiasing and double-buffering, etc.

    That said I feel this is all kind of moot, as keeping Pentium II era stuff alive for desktop use is a waste of time and electricity. Better to use them as servers, firewalls, etc.
     
  17. Hungry Man

    Hungry Man Registered Member

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    I can definitely agree there.
     
  18. :D
    Thanks to @bellgamin I found Qupzilla, with Windows IE-like skin :thumb:

    Only an OutlookExpress skin for Thunderbirs on the wishlist now :D liked it so much I put it also in my own XP-mode
     
  19. Good post of Thomas where he explains how to get Thunderbird and Chrome profiles working with Firejail
     
  20. Ah well, next try is with Linux Mint on Cinnemon (18 ) and XP skin, because Zorin is still on V9 stable.

    I played with Kubuntu. Lubuntu, Ubuntu as well, but the "judges" (future users) liked linux Mint 18 with light blue the best. As a Windows user I have to say its layout feels easier to use than other Ubuntu based distro's I tried.

    On question: I can lock the taskbar, but can't find how to lock the applets (which mimic the Windows System Tray on the right of the taskbar).

    Thx

    Kees
     
  21. fblais

    fblais Registered Member

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    Which flavour of Mint are you using? MATE?
    If so, right click on the plugin and select the lock option.
    In the case of the indicator plugin, its handle is on its left side.
     
  22. Thanks, no it was Cinnemon 18, but I will have a look at Mate this evening.
     
  23. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    USA still the best. But barely.
    I like LXLE. Very light & full featured.
     
  24. fblais

    fblais Registered Member

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    If the taskbar is locked, aren't the plugins locked as well?
     
  25. I looked at Mate, liked it better than Cinnemon, thx
     
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