Probably stupid question, but

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 25 August 2013 07:40:17 Ali Linx (amjjawad) did opine:

> On Sun, Aug 25, 2013 at 6:48 AM, Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com> wrote:
> > While I think about it, whats the max memory a P4 can handle?
> 
> What is your CPU? P4 3.06GHz? P4 3.00 GHz?
> Is it 32bit or 64bit?
 
64 bit refuses to install, and 2.4Ghz seems to be the claimed cpu speed.
CPU id in the bios is F41 IIRC, so no clue if it has the F_DIV bug or not.

> On Terminal:
> 
> sudo lshw -C cpu

I'll have to do that from its own console, apparently it doesn't have sshd 
running.
> 
> > It has 512 megs in it  now and I have 2Gb of the same speed DDR 400
> > memory and its
> > very unstable, won't live long enough to get memtest started.
> 
> I do have two machines with 512MB RAM. One is Desktop P4 @3.06GHz with
> 512MB RAM and the other is ASUS F3F Laptop Intel Due Core with 512MB
> RAM. I have NO problems with these whatsoever. THE heavier system they
> have is Xubuntu 12.04. I do treat them so well and feed them LXDE
> systems only. I don't test anything else on them except Xubuntu.
> 
> Lubuntu can breathe new life into an old machine even with 512MB RAM.
> Now, 13.10 has zRAM enabled by default, it is even faster. However,
> 13.10 still not yet final, it is under test but you can install zRAM:
> 
> From Terminal:
> 
> sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install zram-config
> 
> 
> If you can not run the memory test, boot your machine with any LiveCD or
> LiveUSB (say Ubuntu or Xubuntu, etc) and run the memory test.
> 
> If you have only ONE system installed on that machine of yours, then
> GRUB menu most likely will be hidden. You can change the settings of:
> 
> http://askubuntu.com/questions/16042/how-to-get-to-the-grub-menu-at-boot
> -time-on-a-single-boot-system-not-dual-boot

I think I did that, I'm now getting a grub menu.
 
> > It was good memory that last time I checked it 2 years ago, been in a
> > static bag since.
> 
> If you manage to get the GRUB Menu, run the memory test over night and
> check the result next morning.

I let it run for 4 cycles yesterday, no errors.  On the OEM memory of 512M.
> 
> Let me know if you need any further information :)

Are you saying the Lubuntu is even better for low memory machines?  I am 
not at all fam with the LDXE environment.  If it can run digikam and gimp 
twould be a plus, but she has no printer to print pix with. So I expect 
firefox & tbird will be the main apps, once she gets a net connection, 
which will probably be slow since the home itself is about as rural as can 
be for Lewis County WV. 

This would be a learning box as she has never had a working windows machine 
ever, but I'd druther not discourage her because of what it can't do.

Thanks Ali.

Cheers, Gene
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