Old hardware brought back to life

[poorguy]

deleted.

[Tashley235]

First, thank you so much. Great thread.

Now, my issue. I've revived a fairly old laptop with Lubuntu 14.04. Unfortunately, this is a 32-bit processor and I did so a few days after Google stopped supporting a 32-bit Chrome browser. My main reason for wanting to get Chrome working is so that I can watch Netflix on this laptop (which is the last thing that isn't working that I really want). I have verified that my processor is SSE2-capable. I wasn't sure how to proceed to get Netflix to work. Attached is my hardware report.lshw.txt

Thank you for any help/advice you can give!

[mörgæs]

Thanks, but there are many good posters gathered in this thread. I don't use Netflix myself and have not played with it, but there is a good chance that someone else posting here could give advice.

[mail-2o]

Thanks for a very useful thread.

Just in case anyone is fighting with a VIA Nano X2 L4050 @ 1.4 GHz mini ITX Board, I have had some success as I posted at Thread: Lubuntu installation. I tried just about every flavour of ubuntu and DVDs, CDs, USB keys and minimal install distros. I have had considerable success with a Mythbuntu 14.04 DVD ISO and now have a functioning MythTV computer. I still have to start by editing the boot to add VGA=791, but have read how to edit GRUB2, so that can wait a while.

<CODE>computer
    description: Computer
    width: 64 bits
    capabilities: smbios-2.6 vsyscall32
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       physical id: 0
     *-memory
          description: System memory
          physical id: 0
          size: 3703MiB
     *-cpu
          product: VIA Nano X2 L4050 @ 1.4 GHz
          vendor: CentaurHauls
          physical id: 1
          bus info: cpu@0
          size: 900MHz
          capacity: 1400MHz
          width: 64 bits
          capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat clflush acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx x86-64 constant_tsc rep_good nopl pni monitor vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr sse4_1 popcnt rng rng_en ace ace_en ace2 phe phe_en pmm pmm_en lahf_lm ida cpufreq
     *-pci:0
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 Host Bridge: Host Control
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 100
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
          version: 80
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
        *-display UNCLAIMED
             description: VGA compatible controller
             product: VX900 Graphics [Chrome9 HD]
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list
             configuration: latency=64
             resources: memory:fc000000-fcffffff memory:fd000000-fdffffff memory:d0000000-dfffffff memory:febf0000-febfffff
        *-multimedia:0
             description: Audio device
             product: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 1.1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:01.1
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
             resources: irq:35 memory:febec000-febeffff
        *-pci:0
             description: PCI bridge
             product: VX900 PCI Express Root Port 0
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pciexpress pm msi normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:25
        *-pci:1
             description: PCI bridge
             product: VX900 PCI Express Root Port 1
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 3.1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.1
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pciexpress pm msi normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:27
        *-pci:2
             description: PCI bridge
             product: VX900 PCI Express Root Port 2
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 3.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.2
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pciexpress pm msi normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:29 ioport:d000(size=4096) memory:fe000000-fe7fffff ioport:f4000000(size=33554432)
        *-pci:3
             description: PCI bridge
             product: VX900 PCI Express Root Port 3
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 3.3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:03.3
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci pciexpress pm msi normal_decode bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pcieport
             resources: irq:31 ioport:e000(size=4096) ioport:f7e00000(size=1048576)
           *-network
                description: Ethernet interface
                product: RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
                vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@0000:05:00.0
                logical name: eth0
                version: 06
                serial: [REMOVED]
                size: 100Mbit/s
                capacity: 1Gbit/s
                width: 64 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
                configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=full firmware=rtl_nic/rtl8168e-1.fw ip=[REMOVED] latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes port=MII speed=100Mbit/s
                resources: irq:33 ioport:e800(size=256) memory:f7efb000-f7efbfff memory:f7efc000-f7efffff
        *-ide
             description: IDE interface
             product: VX900 Serial ATA Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: f
             bus info: pci@0000:00:0f.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=pata_via latency=64
             resources: irq:21 ioport:cc00(size=8) ioport:c880(size=4) ioport:c800(size=8) ioport:c480(size=4) ioport:c400(size=16)
        *-usb:0
             description: USB controller
             product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 10
             bus info: pci@0000:00:10.0
             version: a0
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:20 ioport:c080(size=32)
        *-usb:1
             description: USB controller
             product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 10.1
             bus info: pci@0000:00:10.1
             version: a0
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:22 ioport:c000(size=32)
        *-usb:2
             description: USB controller
             product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 10.2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:10.2
             version: a0
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:21 ioport:bc00(size=32)
        *-usb:3
             description: USB controller
             product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 10.3
             bus info: pci@0000:00:10.3
             version: a0
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=64
             resources: irq:23 ioport:b880(size=32)
        *-usb:4
             description: USB controller
             product: USB 2.0
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 10.4
             bus info: pci@0000:00:10.4
             version: 90
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=ehci-pci latency=64
             resources: irq:23 memory:febebc00-febebcff
        *-isa
             description: ISA bridge
             product: VX900 Bus Control and Power Management
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 11
             bus info: pci@0000:00:11.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: isa pm cap_list
             configuration: latency=0
        *-pci:4
             description: PCI bridge
             product: VX855/VX875/VX900 PCI to PCI Bridge
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 13
             bus info: pci@0000:00:13.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pci subtractive_decode bus_master cap_list
             resources: memory:f8000000-fbffffff
           *-multimedia
                description: Multimedia video controller
                product: CX23418 Single-Chip MPEG-2 Encoder with Integrated Analog Video/Broadcast Audio Decoder
                vendor: Conexant Systems, Inc.
                physical id: 3
                bus info: pci@0000:06:03.0
                version: 00
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: vpd pm bus_master cap_list
                configuration: driver=cx18 latency=64 maxlatency=200 mingnt=2
                resources: irq:16 memory:f8000000-fbffffff
        *-multimedia:1
             description: Audio device
             product: VT8237A/VT8251 HDA Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 14
             bus info: pci@0000:00:14.0
             version: 20
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
             resources: irq:36 memory:febe4000-febe7fff
     *-pci:1
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 Error Reporting
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 101
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.1
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:2
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 CPU Bus Controller
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 102
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.2
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:3
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 DRAM Bus Control
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 103
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.3
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:4
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 Power Management and Chip Testing Control
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 104
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.4
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:5
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 APIC and Central Traffic Control
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 105
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.5
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:6
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 Scratch Registers
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 106
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.6
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:7
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 North-South Module Interface Control
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 107
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.7
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:8
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX900 PCI Express Physical Layer Electrical Sub-block
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 108
          bus info: pci@0000:00:03.4
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
     *-pci:9
          description: Host bridge
          product: VX8xx South-North Module Interface Control
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 109
          bus info: pci@0000:00:11.7
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          configuration: latency=8
     *-scsi:0
          physical id: 2
          logical name: scsi0
          capabilities: emulated
        *-cdrom
             description: DVD-RAM writer
             product: DRW-24B1ST   i
             vendor: ASUS
             physical id: 0.0.0
             bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
             logical name: /dev/cdrom
             logical name: /dev/cdrw
             logical name: /dev/dvd
             logical name: /dev/dvdrw
             logical name: /dev/sr0
             version: 1.00
             capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
             configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
        *-disk
             description: ATA Disk
             product: ST9500325AS
             vendor: Seagate
             physical id: 0.1.0
             bus info: scsi@0:0.1.0
             logical name: /dev/sda
             version: BSM1
             serial: [REMOVED]
             size: 465GiB (500GB)
             capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
             configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512 signature=48f54475
           *-volume:0
                description: EXT4 volume
                vendor: Linux
                physical id: 1
                bus info: scsi@0:0.1.0,1
                logical name: /dev/sda1
                logical name: /
                version: 1.0
                serial: [REMOVED]
                size: 25GiB
                capacity: 25GiB
                capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files dir_nlink recover extents ext4 ext2 initialized
                configuration: created=2016-04-11 20:02:50 filesystem=ext4 label=antiX15root lastmountpoint=/ modified=2016-04-18 20:05:45 mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,data=ordered mounted=2016-04-18 20:05:45 state=mounted
           *-volume:1
                description: Extended partition
                physical id: 2
                bus info: scsi@0:0.1.0,2
                logical name: /dev/sda2
                size: 49GiB
                capacity: 49GiB
                capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
              *-logicalvolume:0
                   description: Linux filesystem partition
                   physical id: 5
                   logical name: /dev/sda5
                   capacity: 24GiB
              *-logicalvolume:1
                   description: Linux filesystem partition
                   physical id: 6
                   logical name: /dev/sda6
                   capacity: 24GiB
           *-volume:2
                description: Linux swap volume
                physical id: 3
                bus info: scsi@0:0.1.0,3
                logical name: /dev/sda3
                version: 1
                serial: [REMOVED]
                size: 8424MiB
                capacity: 8424MiB
                capabilities: primary nofs swap initialized
                configuration: filesystem=swap pagesize=4096
           *-volume:3
                description: EXT4 volume
                vendor: Linux
                physical id: 4
                bus info: scsi@0:0.1.0,4
                logical name: /dev/sda4
                logical name: /home
                version: 1.0
                serial: [REMOVED]
                size: 334GiB
                capacity: 334GiB
                capabilities: primary journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files dir_nlink recover extents ext4 ext2 initialized
                configuration: created=2016-04-11 20:03:12 filesystem=ext4 label=antiX15home lastmountpoint=/home modified=2016-04-18 20:05:47 mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,data=ordered mounted=2016-04-18 20:05:47 state=mounted
     *-scsi:1
          physical id: 3
          bus info: usb@1:1
          logical name: scsi4
          capabilities: emulated
        *-disk
             description: SCSI Disk
             product: Officejet Pro 85
             vendor: HP
             physical id: 0.0.0
             bus info: scsi@4:0.0.0
             logical name: /dev/sdb
             version: 1.00
             capabilities: removable
             configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512
           *-medium
                physical id: 0
                logical name: /dev/sdb
     *-scsi:2
          physical id: 4
          bus info: usb@1:7
          logical name: scsi5
          capabilities: emulated
        *-disk
             description: SCSI Disk
             product: Cruzer Blade
             vendor: SanDisk
             physical id: 0.0.0
             bus info: scsi@5:0.0.0
             logical name: /dev/sdc
             version: 1.27
             serial: [REMOVED]
             size: 58GiB (62GB)
             capabilities: removable
             configuration: ansiversion=6 logicalsectorsize=512 sectorsize=512
           *-medium
                physical id: 0
                logical name: /dev/sdc
                size: 58GiB (62GB)
                capabilities: gpt-1.00 partitioned partitioned:gpt
                configuration: guid=2093827d-7223-42a0-8725-7e9c89c5b54b
              *-volume
                   description: Windows FAT volume
                   vendor: mkfs.fat
                   physical id: 1
                   logical name: /dev/sdc1
                   logical name: /media/sdc1
                   version: FAT32
                   serial: [REMOVED]
                   size: 58GiB
                   capacity: 58GiB
                   capabilities: fat initialized
                   configuration: FATs=2 filesystem=fat label=64GB-USB mount.fstype=vfat mount.options=rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,uid=1000,gid=1000,fmask=0177,dmask=0077,codepage=437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,quiet,utf8,errors=remount-ro state=mounted</CODE>

[mörgæs]

Thanks for posting. VIA processors are a recurring problem and sometimes VESA drivers are the only option.

Still they are an interesting piece of hardware due to their low power consumption.

If you find other ways of getting the graphics to work please post again.

[poorguy]

Got several of these from work that they were going to destroy a 10 year old desktop running perfectly.
Ubuntu Mate 16.04 32 bit install.
Probably will run 64 bit but didn't have it handy.

Dell Precision 380
Year Born 2006
Processor intel Pentium D 820 Smithfield 2.8GHz 2.0MB L2 cache.
Amd / ATI Sapphire Radeon X1300 Pro 128MB PCIE graphics card.
Memory 3.0GB DDR2 800MHz FSB.
Hard Drive Sata 40 GB
Sound Card Creative Labs SB X-Fi.

Dell-Precision-380:~$ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: Dell-Precision-380 Kernel: 4.4.0-21-generic i686 (32 bit gcc: 5.3.1)
Desktop: MATE 1.12.1 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3) Distro: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial
Machine: System: Dell product: Precision WorkStation 380
Mobo: Dell model: 0CJ774 Bios: Dell v: A07 date: 04/18/2006

[mörgæs]

All Pentium D's are 64 bit, so when you for some reason want to reinstall you could take the 64 bit ISO.

For all used gear it's a good habit to open the case and clean fans and radiators from dust. After this you should be good to go.

[poorguy]

I work for the State Dept and we are upgrading / updating desktops so all of these leave without HDD in them.
So when I get them they get air hosed and then a 40 GB HDD as I have a lot of 40GB HDD just laying around from my Windows XP days.

I figured they would run 64 bit just didn't have my 64 bit DVD handy.

These Desktops are tanks I bet each one weighs in at 40 pounds.
These were built when Dell Computers were really good and not just mediocre as they are now IMO.

I will probably get several more as nobody seems to want them due to their size.
So I will take as many as I can and either sell them or give them away after installing Linux on them.

Just thought I would add to the Old hardware brought back to life list.

[sudodus]

I made a new tarball with a 32-bit Lubuntu system using UXA acceleration. It makes it easier to install Lubuntu in computers with some old graphics chips from Intel, where Lubuntu 16.04 LTS has problems.

Lubuntu_16.04_oem-uxa.tar.xz

It is described at the following link (in my tutorial thread about the One Button Installer).

There is a corresponding compressed image file to be installed with mkusb,

dd_Lubuntu_16.04_oem-uxa_2016-may_7.8GB.img.xz at http://phillw.net/isos/linux-tools/compressed-images

Edit: There is a new method, that is often better than this UXA method. See posts #1 and #150 describing how to use the method with 'xserver-xorg-video-intel'.

[poorguy]

deleted