P4 3.06Ghz enough to run Win7?

[24601]

Uh.......

Don't use outdated browsers or OSes that don't get security updates (Talking about Windows versions before XP).

Especially if you're using it to surf the web.

Get 1gB ram into that thing and use custom windows 7 distro with most things turned off OR use a linux distro if you literally only need a web browser.

Security holes are bad.

 

[crashtech]

I've given up on trying to bring stuff like that that back to life, at least with modern OSes and software. It just ends up being an exercise in frustration, an ultimately pointless effort. I recently tried to use an old Barton system for something, and even with 2GB DDR, it was maxing the CPU out too much with a workload that would be a breeze for even a C2D.

 

[Sable]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=drdram

I know what RD RAM is you f***i** c**kp**c* , I was questioning the GB rather than MB.

Get back under your rock.

 

[Leyawiin]

I've given up on trying to bring stuff like that that back to life, at least with modern OSes and software. It just ends up being an exercise in frustration, an ultimately pointless effort. I recently tried to use an old Barton system for something, and even with 2GB DDR, it was maxing the CPU out too much with a workload that would be a breeze for even a C2D.

Did the exact same thing at the beginning of the summer - more for curiosity than anything else. Took a Athlon XP 2500+ with and old nForce2 motherboard, added 2GB of PC400 RAM,an old 7600 GS AGP card and installed Win 7 32 bit on it. Even with it OC'd to a 3200+ it still ran like crap and even struggled browsing graphically busy webpages and Youtube. Wiped it off, installed Win XP on it and used it for a few very old games that didn't like Win 7.

 

[Torn Mind]

I know what RD RAM is you f***i** c**kp**c* , I was questioning the GB rather than MB.

Get back under your rock.

Yes, it was my mistake and I misread your post. Sorry.

 

[escrow4]

No point really. A G1610 is $44 or so, less at Microcentre ($35?), add a cheapo B75 board for 60 (or less), a 4GB stick of DDR3 and you have a setup that will murder any old P4 box while sucking way way less power and dumping less heat. Plus the Haswell celeron (G1810) is coming too for a similar price. No reason to struggle with old junk anymore.

 

[sm625]

With only 512MB of RAM, it is going to be a major pain getting 7 installed and updated. But once that's done it should run one or two tabs ok. You might want to use an older version of firefox. The latest version will eat 300MB easy.

 

[ShintaiDK]

No reason to struggle with old junk anymore.

^^ This.

 

[PliotronX]

There's still plenty of use for them. Older folks and kids who don't know better and have all the time in the world would make good users for them.

 

[dkm777]

I installed W7 on a PIII 733MHz with 512MB RAM (the most it would accept) for shits and giggles. And that was all it was good for. I suppose you could use 7 on a system like that if all you were running was Notepad and Solitaire. But start Firefox and it gets really funny.

 

[PeteRoy]

I have a 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 and 2GB of RAM and Windows 7 works fine

BUT, YouTube doesn't work so well, videos have some lag on them and 100% utilization.

I guess YouTube now uses very high encoding that requires a modern CPU to work smoothly.

Strange as this P4 machine was my main machine when YouTube came out and I watched and uploaded many videos on it before I got Core i7 to replace it.

Now YouTube is barely usable on a Pentium 4.

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah... 512MB isn't enough for Windows Vista, 7, or 8. You can upgrade the memory, but Rambus memory is still needlessly expensive.

Since Windows XP is EOL, I would recommend the Lubuntu Linux distribution instead. That will run on 512 MB with no issues.

 

[86waterpumper]

which versions of linux would be good for a system like this? I know a good many recent linux distros take nearly as much horsepower as windows...obviously something like puppy linux would run well, but is there something in between that would run acceptably on 512mb ram and a p4/ amd single core 64 bit?

I have lots of old games also...that are actually fun even though they are old, unreal and half life come to mind...maybe some 8 AND 16 bit emulation etc. For a kid to play old games on these are still fine as long as they don't run all day long and suck alot of power out of the wall. Seems the best setup is to play games through windows xp, and then boot some version of linux if you want to surf the internet..security holes don't really matter on a system for this purpose. If nothing you care about is being saved on the drive that is...

 

[PliotronX]

Yeah... 512MB isn't enough for Windows Vista, 7, or 8. You can upgrade the memory, but Rambus memory is still needlessly expensive.

Since Windows XP is EOL, I would recommend the Lubuntu Linux distribution instead. That will run on 512 MB with no issues.

Yeah, might need to check with a library or college, my college has a drawer full of RAM with a gallon baggy of RDRAM and CRIMMs that will never go to use.

Linux is a good call as it won't be insecure as swiss cheese as time goes on with XP and you can have a lot of fancy effects as in Win7 without the overhead.

 

[Towermax]

Yep, memory is the main issue. CPU wise, even a 2Ghz P4 with 1GB would run Win7 perfectly fine.

Exactly. I put Win7 Home Premium on an old Dell D600 laptop. Pentium M (Dothan) 2.0 GHz single core CPU and 2GB ram. Works just fine.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

1Gb work?

 

[Arkaign]

32-bit Win7 is adequate with a P4 running very little multitasking when you have 1GB. How much is 4x512MB RDRAM? 2GB on 32-bit is actually pretty usable.

As is, a good Linux load would do wonders. Seems like Puppy was good a few years back, I have no idea now.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I'd have to see if my brother still has the other 2x256 sticks I gave him yrs ago.. only other thing I think I need is a PSU...

 

[Torn Mind]

Exactly. I put Win7 Home Premium on an old Dell D600 laptop. Pentium M (Dothan) 2.0 GHz single core CPU and 2GB ram. Works just fine.

A 2 GHz Pentium M is like a 3.8-4.0 GHz Pentium 4. #clockspeedisnteverythinglol

Just saying.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

A 2 GHz Pentium M is like a 3.8-4.0 GHz Pentium 4. #clockspeedisnteverythinglol

Just saying.

I'm actually impressed with just how well the (Dothan) Pentium M has aged. Give it 2GB RAM and it runs everything you need just fine.

No wonder Intel chose that core to develop further... :thumbsup:

 

[mindbomb]

the pentium 4 3.06b is fine actually. I think it is comparable to a netbook cpu.
The problems are windows 7 drivers for the gpu and lack of ram.

I think you can fine more rdram on ebay, as well as an nvidia 6600gt agp, which i think has windows 7 drivers and supports hardware rendering in firefox. Still, even then, you will have trouble with sites that use flash and watching videos on sites.

 

[seitur]

which versions of linux would be good for a system like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdYuf4RaNTE

 

[tweakboy]

donate to salvation army

 

[86waterpumper]

I'm not saying these are great computers...they are certainly not efficient but people are throwing them under the bus maybe a bit too much...

At work we have a p4 at 3.0ghz with 512mb ram running xp. It will play youtube vids fullscreen at 720p with about 65 to 70 percent cpu usage. I'm not saying it is great by any means but it isn't anywhere near netbook atom (or even e-350) level.

 

[lopri]

Oh man.. I sold that CPU for $500 on eBay so many years ago. Pretty sure RAMBUS sticks fetched quite a bit, too. That board was a tool, though, with lots of compatibility issues (esp. memory sticks and sound cards). You must have lucked out with your sample and other components. I settled with a Gigabyte's 8IHXP board after the disappointment that was P5T533-C.

Memories..