What's the most retro PC you could build to run a browser + Word

Lysander

Lysander

Lysander

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And maybe mp3 playback.

A pentium II with Windows 98? I'm concerned that Windows 95 would see too many compatibility issues with modern software.
 
I've got an ancient P100 (not even a MMX model!) with an 800meg hard drive with win95 on it, it plays MP3s (in winamp 2.whatever) and browses the web (terribly). I only break it out when I get the urge to plau Duke3D
 
I have a 486sx33 with 12Mb RAM, running Windows 95 and IE5.5

Don't use it very much as the browsing speed is like dialup on our broadband connection! Word runs fine.

Haven't tried mp3s on it however...
 
i had an old Dell 400 PII, chucked in 256mb ram

it worked fine as a basic server running XP, we could play DVD's on the tv with it and divx etc, it ran utorrent all day
 
If you want to connect to the internet, you need at least a PC that can run the oldest OS that still receives Windows Updates (assuming you're wanting to use Windows). At the moment, that is 2000 but as of July 2010, it'll be XP.
 
DragonQ said:
If you want to connect to the internet, you need at least a PC that can run the oldest OS that still receives Windows Updates (assuming you're wanting to use Windows). At the moment, that is 2000 but as of July 2010, it'll be XP.
Click to expand...

Fair point, I didn't think of that. But wouldn't 95/98 be OK with a decent firewall and AV?
 
For me I would want to be using firefox and firefox 3 supports only 2000 upwards...

However if you were happy using firefox 2 then you should be ok with 98+

Or you could you IE of course :)

IE 6 & Windows 98 should be ok based on thats I read Microsoft are going to support IE6 until 2013 or something silly...

Of course this is not to say they will release the security updates for 98...could be only 2000 or XP...
 
gamesaregood said:
For me I would want to be using firefox and firefox 3 supports only 2000 upwards...

However if you were happy using firefox 2 then you should be ok with 98+

Or you could you IE of course :)

IE 6 & Windows 98 should be ok based on thats I read Microsoft are going to support IE6 until 2013 or something silly...

Of course this is not to say they will release the security updates for 98...could be only 2000 or XP...
Click to expand...

Thats a fair point, but there's always Netscape :p
 
Hairybudda said:
I've got an ancient P100 (not even a MMX model!) with an 800meg hard drive with win95 on it, it plays MP3s (in winamp 2.whatever) and browses the web (terribly). I only break it out when I get the urge to plau Duke3D
Click to expand...

Just run win duke and Jdoom like i do. Then set to original mode, lets u have all the old sounds and music with mouse support
 
If you are going to re-purpose old hardware into a basic MP3 playing, web browsing box, why even bother putting one of the old versions of Windows on it?

Ubuntu using Firefox / Open Office / Amarok (or Songbird).

Job done. That'll run a hell of a lot better than Windows 95/98. And you won't need driver disks for anything.
 
^ but windows 95 looks badass on a 10 year old machine! One of my mates still runs windows 95 for champ manager 2 or something. He can use word and the net (just)
It does sound like there is a hamster in a wheel running around inside it though
 
Bennal said:
If you are going to re-purpose old hardware into a basic MP3 playing, web browsing box, why even bother putting one of the old versions of Windows on it?

Ubuntu using Firefox / Open Office / Amarok (or Songbird).

Job done. That'll run a hell of a lot better than Windows 95/98. And you won't need driver disks for anything.
Click to expand...

While i agree that Linux is the best option for the OP, you can't exactly say that Linux drivers are flawless...
 
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