Can there be new life for an old Netbook?

[Oakydoke]

One for the techies.

I'm in the process of clearing out a load of old stuff.

One item is my son's old Sony Vaio netbook, that hasn't been used for about 8 years.

It runs a basic version of Windows XP.

The processor is an Intel Atom N280.

Very basic spec.

 

The computer is in very good condition and boots up OK.

However, XP isn't supported anymore and more importantly the IE browser is so old, it's useless and very few websites work with it.

To boot it's slow and is having difficulty working on my home network.

I had assumed that the poor hardware spec. meant that it wouldn't be possible to load Windows 8 or 10 on to it.

Basically, it's old junk and only fit for scrap.

 

However, I've read a few articles and forums on the internet and see that some people have breathed new life into these old relics and have got them running again, both on various Linux distros and even on Windows 10.

The thing is, I'm completely lost when it comes to this level of IT and don't know if it's worth keeping this old netbook and attempting such a refresh; or is it best just to junk it.

 

I will just add that we have two iMacs and a couple of iPads and have no real need for a Windows machine.

I just wondered if this old netbook might be of use for a model railway application, such as running Anyrail, Decoder Pro, or for some basic automation function.

 

Opinions and suggestions would be most welcome.

 

 

Cheers.

[polybear]

Not sure,  but if you do junk it then remember to take the hard drive out first for security ("deleted" files can be recovered all to easily).  The hard drive can always be wiped and fitted into an external caddy (maybe a fiver or so from Ebay) and then used as an external drive for storage etc. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

For hobby software written on older widnows versions, where it will run standalone rather than networked it could be useful. I ran a slide scanner in that style on an obsolete widnows3 point something machine, for years after it ceased to have support, until the scanner 'retired' itself.

[polybear]

Just another point - if you do continue with XP then I'd steer well clear of any usage involving financial transactions, banking, paypal, personal data etc. etc.  Basically anything that you wouldn't want others to have access to.....

[brack]

Does the battery hold any charge? Does a similar machine fetch anything on eBay?

 

I had an eepc901 netbook (slightly slower/older) up until a few years ago, running a heavily vlited version of windows7. I reckon you could cut down a Windows 10 build and get it to run ok provided you can put 2gb of RAM in. However if you've not had it for years then switching to it from a more modern machine will probably be frustrating. If you were putting a lean version of Linux on (maybe the xfce versions of Linux mint) you'd get something to do a few things on, but if the past few sentences aren't that familiar and you've a more modern machine that fills your current needs then you probably don't want to be messing about with it. If it runs with its current xp install then it could well be used for hobby software but I might not be connecting it to WiFi, internet or any networks.

[stewartingram]

I have an XP Netbook* (Advent 4211-B) in the garage, recently "revived" with a replacement battery. It only worked prior to that when plugged into the mains, which was a tad inconvenient for its use on the car! I have the lpg software on it, which I need to use for programming the car. I'm not sure - or even bothered - whether it would run on a later machine. I see no need to junk it; it is a tad slow, but being effectively a "mini-laptop", could have some mods done such as more memory. I'm a luddite really, not wanting to just throw things away! I salso do not like the cumbersome normal laptops, preferring something netbook size for portability.

 

* Netbook - in the day of this machine that described what was really a small laptop. Nowadays it seems, it is one stage removed from a tablet, and what you buy is what you are stuck with. I almost bought a replacement, iuntil the assistant in Tesco told me it wasn't a Windows laptop! Even so, the one I eventually purchased "looked" as if it was ok, complete with a free Win10 upgrade. Only later did I discover it had no hdd to replace (storage space was woefully too small, it won't even do big Win10 upgrades). Instead  the storage is a solid state device, and I can't really add any programs, not even the lpg one I bought it for.

[Oakydoke]

Just another point - if you do continue with XP.......

I've no intention of continuing with XP.

[Oakydoke]

Does the battery hold any charge? Does a similar machine fetch anything on eBay?......

Battery appears to be fine.

I will check eBay again, but the market for these is almost non-existent.

[Oakydoke]

........I reckon you could cut down a Windows 10 build and get it to run ok provided you can put 2gb of RAM in.

However if you've not had it for years then switching to it from a more modern machine will probably be frustrating.

 

If you were putting a lean version of Linux on (maybe the xfce versions of Linux mint) you'd get something to do a few things on, but if the past few sentences aren't that familiar and you've a more modern machine that fills your current needs then you probably don't want to be messing about with it. ...

A cut down version of Windows 10 would probably allow me to use it for some model railway applications.

I've read about people getting 10 to run by disabling many of the OS background functions and deleting various add-ons.

In almost all successful cases, they say their old netbooks run faster than ever.

Clearly one needs to know exactly what they're doing here. That counts me out.

The light Linux option wouldn't allow me to use a couple of apps I have in mind, plus fiddling with that is beyond me.

 

....If it runs with its current xp install then it could well be used for hobby software but I might not be connecting it to WiFi, internet or any networks.

XP boots up fine, but once it's connected to the network, it's a complete pain.

Continual dropping of connection, lots of warning notices, problems with certificates blah blah...

The IE browser is so old hardly any web sites work properly, if at all.

I can't even establish a link to update it, but even then the latest browser it could support is also past its sell by date.

As for hobby software, I need a more recent or current version of the OS, plus the ability to use updates.

 

Maybe I need one of those OS on a stick jobs.

Run the whole netbook off a USB thumb drive based OS.

I'm clueless about any of this.

 

If it's too difficult, I might as well junk the machine.

A real shame as it was one of the better build quality examples of the netbook species and is in very good nick.

[SRman]

I use an old desktop computer with Windows XP purely for train use: that is, it is in my train room and connected to the DCC system with JMRI Decoder Pro and ESU LokProgrammer applications.

It does connect to the Internet for updates, but is never used for any secure transactions or work. It does have a current version of Kaspersky AntiVirus and Security software on it. 

I would suggest the old netbook could be used this way too. Windows 10 is quite good for use on older hardware so may be worth a try.

[DavidB-AU]

Last night I put Linux on a 9 year old Compaq Presario CQ42.

 

Cheers

David

[Robert]

I'd agree with David, pop Linux on it, with JMRI and together with a Sprog (or other command station) you've got a very passable piece of DCC kit.