Tech Nerd Ramblings

[notabitail]

I am shocked that both AOL is around and that they were still offering dial up

I honestly want to try to see if my AOL 6 month eMachines trial will work.

 

[FrostRanger]

So I was talking with my dad earlier and saw he had an old desktop. He said it didn't work and I could have it if I could get it working (he said it didn't power on). I plug it in, hit the button and it started for me just fine (maybe he didn't have the power chord plugged in all the way? Idk)

Anyways, I now have a new machine to set up and configure (unfortunately it's an HP but eh, it's free so I won't complain). It is an older model (from 2015) but it has better specs in every regard compared to the laptop (2tb storage, 16 gigs ram and an i5 processor vs 1tb storage, 12 gigs of ram and an i3)

For the fun part, I need to figure out what to put on the new PC. I am leaning towards garuda (again) because it is optimized for gaming but I am open to pretty much anything new and interesting (must be arch based though). I could also go back to vanilla arch which I greatly enjoyed as well, I just like garuda has the optimization I need right out of the box

If anyone has heard of any fun distros lmk!

 

[notabitail]

So I was talking with my dad earlier and saw he had an old desktop. He said it didn't work and I could have it if I could get it working (he said it didn't power on). I plug it in, hit the button and it started for me just fine (maybe he didn't have the power chord plugged in all the way? Idk)

That's great. I've had one HP tower with a dead power supply, replacing it fixed it.

Anyways, I now have a new machine to set up and configure (unfortunately it's an HP but eh, it's free so I won't complain). It is an older model (from 2015) but it has better specs in every regard compared to the laptop (2tb storage, 16 gigs ram and an i5 processor vs 1tb storage, 12 gigs of ram and an i3)

Eh. Open it up and see how it's configured inside. HP seems to, in my experience with their desktops, use a fairly standard layout. You could probably swap out the PSU and add a nice GPU into it. I don't know how old your laptop is, but it might have better integrated graphics.

For the fun part, I need to figure out what to put on the new PC. I am leaning towards garuda (again) because it is optimized for gaming but I am open to pretty much anything new and interesting (must be arch based though). I could also go back to vanilla arch which I greatly enjoyed as well, I just like garuda has the optimization I need right out of the box

If anyone has heard of any fun distros lmk!

I've stuck to Kubuntu on my new-ish laptop. Ubuntu Unity is cool, but then again it's not Arch.

 

[FrostRanger]

That's great. I've had one HP tower with a dead power supply, replacing it fixed it.

Eh. Open it up and see how it's configured inside. HP seems to, in my experience with their desktops, use a fairly standard layout. You could probably swap out the PSU and add a nice GPU into it. I don't know how old your laptop is, but it might have better integrated graphics.

I've stuck to Kubuntu on my new-ish laptop. Ubuntu Unity is cool, but then again it's not Arch.

Oh, I just don't like HP 'cause my previous 2 laptops were HP and both of them had fan issues. My current laptop is a lenovo ideapad and the fan has never given me trouble in the 5 or 6 years I've owned it

The desktop is from 2015 I think which is quite old but the laptop is from 2019 or 2020 so it's not exactly new itself. As long as it does what I need it to do (run games, browse the web and occasional coding) I'm happy. Doesn't have to have the latest or greatest

 

[notabitail]

Oh, I just don't like HP 'cause my previous 2 laptops were HP and both of them had fan issues. My current laptop is a lenovo ideapad and the fan has never given me trouble in the 5 or 6 years I've owned it

How old were they?

I'm hoping mine doesn't have fan issues. It's from around 2021 or so. It is a business laptop though, so it might be better quality.

The desktop is from 2015 I think which is quite old but the laptop is from 2019 or 2020 so it's not exactly new itself. As long as it does what I need it to do (run games, browse the web and occasional coding) I'm happy. Doesn't have to have the latest or greatest

It should be able to do that. Biggest bottleneck for gaming on it will be those Intel-grated graphics. There are cheap cards out there that could improve things and don't need external power, they might be worth looking into if the built in graphics don't cut it.

 

[FrostRanger]

How old were they?

I'm hoping mine doesn't have fan issues. It's from around 2021 or so. It is a business laptop though, so it might be better quality.

It should be able to do that. Biggest bottleneck for gaming on it will be those Intel-grated graphics. There are cheap cards out there that could improve things and don't need external power, they might be worth looking into if the built in graphics don't cut it.

I might look into that. First, I want to see how things run out of the box but if it's not too expensive and not too difficult I will very likely do that when I have some spare cash. Most I've done hardwarewise is add ram to my laptops

As for how old my previous laptops were, the last one I have I don't know, it was a refurbish and a hand me down. First HP I had I am not exactly sure but I think it's from like 2012. I still own it but it no longer works and has too many issues to make it worth even trying to fix

 

[notabitail]

I might look into that. First, I want to see how things run out of the box but if it's not too expensive and not too difficult I will very likely do that when I have some spare cash. Most I've done hardwarewise is add ram to my laptops

You'd have to check and make sure whatever GPU you pick doesn't draw too much power either (the PSU should have a sticker telling you the rated wattage).

As for how old my previous laptops were, the last one I have I don't know, it was a refurbish and a hand me down. First HP I had I am not exactly sure but I think it's from like 2012. I still own it but it no longer works and has too many issues to make it worth even trying to fix

I've seen HP laptops of that era and they all look like they could fall apart. I have a Pavilion from around 2007 or 2008 and it kinda feels like it's going to fall apart depending on what part you touch.

 

[FrostRanger]

You'd have to check and make sure whatever GPU you pick doesn't draw too much power either (the PSU should have a sticker telling you the rated wattage).

I've seen HP laptops of that era and they all look like they could fall apart. I have a Pavilion from around 2007 or 2008 and it kinda feels like it's going to fall apart depending on what part you touch.

OK so either dad sent me the wrong product information or whomever he brought it from just outright gave him something different than advertised (either is entirely possible). While trying to find the sticker you mentioned, I saw the computer is a hp compaq elite 8300 small form factor so now I need to figure out what the deal is there. Not that it matters too much as free is free

If possible I'd like to use amd as that is my preferred choice (they are more friendly to Linux and open source)

 

[notabitail]

OK so either dad sent me the wrong product information or whomever he brought it from just outright gave him something different than advertised (either is entirely possible). While trying to find the sticker you mentioned, I saw the computer is a hp compaq elite 8300 small form factor so now I need to figure out what the deal is there. Not that it matters too much as free is free

If possible I'd like to use amd as that is my preferred choice (they are more friendly to Linux and open source)

I looked it up. It looks like a Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge era PC. Should be able to take at least 16GB of RAM, probably 32GB if you want to chuck more into it.

I have a AMD GPU in a tower of mine. I have since replaced that with my laptop, but it worked pretty well with Linux.

This video, if I'm not mistaken, has a similar SFF PC, HP as well, in it. Since you paid $0 for yours you could probably blast more cash on better upgrades.

 

[FrostRanger]

I looked it up. It looks like a Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge era PC. Should be able to take at least 16GB of RAM, probably 32GB if you want to chuck more into it.

I have a AMD GPU in a tower of mine. I have since replaced that with my laptop, but it worked pretty well with Linux.

This video, if I'm not mistaken, has a similar SFF PC, HP as well, in it. Since you paid $0 for yours you could probably blast more cash on better upgrades.

Unfortunately cash is a bit tight rn but I do think I will get a graphics card eventually. I will check out the video and do some more poking around. Thank you for your help