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mbpark · 03-18-2007, 06:46 PM

Firefox on 128MB with Linux? Hahaha

. 256 is a minimum if you want to run any browser these days, esp. with Flash 9.

You can also get the memory you need from eBay or Newegg, and spend maybe $60 for 256MB if you shop right. Many of the older laptops will take 256MB in a single slot (and I have verified this with an IBM Thinkpad 600Mhz Celeron that could only take 256mb). 256MB PC133 SODIMM chips can run between $40-$60 if you know where to look.

If you go for an old Dell Inspiron 4100, you can shop around and find a deal under $250 for a PIII with 1Ghz and 256MB RAM. That laptop is more than capable of running Ubuntu Linux well. It also has an ATI Graphics accelerator on it, which is much better than the integrated graphics on most laptops.

The same laptop will also run XP admirably well. I just pieced together one of those models for a customer out of parts. Total price was under $250 with a 40GB HD and 512MB RAM. We used an old Dell we had lying around for the screen, battery, and keyboard, and bought the memory ($100 for 512MB from Newegg.com, and $40 for the 40GB 5400RPM HD from them) and HD online. We bought the HD caddy for $5, and the motherboard for $60 from eBay. You can buy an 80GB HD on eBay for a much cheaper price, I am sure.

The machine works like a champ, and it has a 1.2Ghz PIII chip, which is better than many P4-M or Celeron (P4-based) chips.

My advice? Don't buy memory from any big-box physical store and get a Dell from eBay

. Newegg, Coast to Coast Memory, and eBay offer excellent deals on memory. I've even used memory from Newegg in servers (one dual Opteron and one P4) and have nothing but good experiences with them.

Thanks,

Mitch

03-18-2007, 06:46 PM	#4
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	memory Firefox on 128MB with Linux? Hahaha . 256 is a minimum if you want to run any browser these days, esp. with Flash 9. You can also get the memory you need from eBay or Newegg, and spend maybe $60 for 256MB if you shop right. Many of the older laptops will take 256MB in a single slot (and I have verified this with an IBM Thinkpad 600Mhz Celeron that could only take 256mb). 256MB PC133 SODIMM chips can run between $40-$60 if you know where to look. If you go for an old Dell Inspiron 4100, you can shop around and find a deal under $250 for a PIII with 1Ghz and 256MB RAM. That laptop is more than capable of running Ubuntu Linux well. It also has an ATI Graphics accelerator on it, which is much better than the integrated graphics on most laptops. The same laptop will also run XP admirably well. I just pieced together one of those models for a customer out of parts. Total price was under $250 with a 40GB HD and 512MB RAM. We used an old Dell we had lying around for the screen, battery, and keyboard, and bought the memory ($100 for 512MB from Newegg.com, and $40 for the 40GB 5400RPM HD from them) and HD online. We bought the HD caddy for $5, and the motherboard for $60 from eBay. You can buy an 80GB HD on eBay for a much cheaper price, I am sure. The machine works like a champ, and it has a 1.2Ghz PIII chip, which is better than many P4-M or Celeron (P4-based) chips. My advice? Don't buy memory from any big-box physical store and get a Dell from eBay . Newegg, Coast to Coast Memory, and eBay offer excellent deals on memory. I've even used memory from Newegg in servers (one dual Opteron and one P4) and have nothing but good experiences with them. Thanks, Mitch