The fastest operating systems. Best laptop operating system: Complete review. Which "windows" to install

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Most netbooks are also offered to the buyer with an installed operating system. Such a laptop is completely ready to work and install the applications necessary for a particular user.

There are exceptions: computers without an OS are also on sale. They cost, as a rule, somewhat cheaper than similar ones, but with an installed "OS". The need to install a new "axis" also arises when the existing one "falls", as well as in order to extend the life of old, not very productive machines.

Types of operating systems

Before deciding which operating system is best for a laptop, you should consider the features of all operating systems for this type of technology. The most common three types of OS:

• macOS;
• Windows by Microsoft;
• linux.

It is necessary to consider in more detail the pros and cons of these operating systems.

macOS

Installing MacOS on any other laptop will not work except (we are not talking about a virtual OS). This system is intended only for "apple" machines.

Macbooks should be considered only as a whole with an operating system that is regularly updated by the manufacturer.

linux

The system works even on the most low-power laptops. It is distributed free of charge in the form of open source distributors. As a result, the system has the opportunity to modify and change the OS. Linux Mint comes in builds with three interfaces:

• Xfce - a system for the weakest devices that have less than 1 GB of RAM;
• Mate - a classic interface for more powerful devices;
• Cinnamon is a modern version of the interface, which can only be installed if there is at least 2 GB of RAM.

The disadvantages of the system include some problems with installing specific devices in which a driver for this operating system may not be written.

Few people know about the endless operating system on a laptop, what it is. It is an OS based on Linux. Easily installed on most ASUS and ACER laptops that are sold in Russian stores.

Windows

By far the most popular operating system today is Microsoft's Windows.

It is difficult to find a replacement for it, especially for people who work with a number of specific applications that run exclusively under "windows", as well as for gamers.

What "windows" to install?

• For low-power laptops (up to 1 GB of RAM and a 1-core processor), the “good old” Windows XP is the best fit.

This OS has proven itself very well, all the “holes” and “bugs” in it are “patched” quite well, and if a laptop is only required to provide Internet surfing, work in office applications, watching videos and simple photo processing, then Windows XP will extend the life even the oldest device.

• After the disastrous Windows Vista, the Seven became a real breakthrough for Microsoft:
  • Fast
  • With a new attractive interface
  • Works with different processor architecture

If the laptop has at least 2 GB of RAM and a 2-core processor, then Windows 7 will be the perfect choice.

The OS has two versions 32 bit and 64 bit. Many application programs are now available exclusively in 64-bit versions. However, you must have at least 6 GB of RAM to install Windows 7 64.

• - the last of the Windows family has many advantages and, perhaps, as many disadvantages. These include constant unauthorized updates, sending reports to the manufacturer's office, and even spying on the user.

Nevertheless, it is better to install the top ten on a new one, since Microsoft provides full support for it, which cannot be said about previous versions of the system.

DOS

This system was on most computers literally 10-15 years ago. The main advantage of this operating system is the close interaction with the equipment. This is also a disadvantage. The latest version appeared in 2003.

FreeDOS is a new, modern and MS-DOS compatible operating system.

The choice of operating system should be approached very carefully, because if you choose the wrong one, you will not be able to use all the capabilities of your device.

When choosing, you need to pay attention to:

• and laptop power;
• the availability of drivers in the selected OS for the programs that are planned to be used;
• ease of installation use.

The choice can be made independently or contact a specialist who, based on the power of the laptop, will advise a specific operating system.

Which operating system to choose for a weak machine

If the machine is weak and does not have a large amount of RAM, then the choice of operating system should be approached especially carefully. Otherwise, problems will arise during operation, the laptop will slow down, up to a complete freeze.

The most suitable operating system for an old laptop is Windows Xp. It requires minimum requirements. But it should be borne in mind that this Windows itself is also outdated.

For weak devices, the more modern Windows 7 is also suitable. This is the best solution even for very weak machines. They may well be completed with this OS.

Features of installing various systems

All operating systems during the installation process give hints and detailed instructions. This greatly simplifies the installation process. The OS can be loaded both from a USB flash drive and from a disk or other third-party media.

Linux Mint installation can be downloaded from the official website.

When installing Linux, users who are used to Windows may experience difficulties, but it is enough to read the provided OS installation literature on the network and everything will be in order.

Probably, many who read these lines have an old stationary or laptop computer, which simply cannot be thrown away, and it is simply impossible to use it in 2018.

What is the essence of the problem

All low-budget computer solutions of three or 4 years ago, which are based on the Intel Atom or Celeron processor, are gathering dust on the shelves. Selling such computers is quite difficult. By and large, just using such a computer in modern realities is simply uncomfortable. It is not always profitable for the owner to upgrade the hardware.

Complexity of modernization

In the vast majority of netbooks and budget laptops, the processor is soldered via BGA balls to the motherboard. Therefore, it is not possible to make a cheap upgrade in the form of a processor replacement. With RAM in such computer solutions, things are no better. Everything is soldered, and there is simply nowhere to install an additional module. Installing an SSD is the only hardware upgrade that can be done in such computers. Unfortunately, not every owner of such equipment will want to spend 3-4 thousand rubles for such an improvement.

How to improve the performance of an old computer without money

As part of this publication, we will look at how to give a second life to such a computer by installing an operating system based on the Linux kernel. This decision is to give such a computer a second life.

Why Linux?

Probably, one of the alternative options for an OS that is not demanding on hardware would be Windows XP. Unfortunately, this operating system is not the best option, as its support is over. Microsoft representatives will not send you updates and patches for software vulnerabilities. Perhaps this OS is an example of the most insecure system. Installing antivirus software is unlikely to solve all the problems with the vulnerabilities of this OS. In addition, any antivirus will constantly “eat up” part of the processor’s performance and the amount of free RAM space. Newer OS versions from Microsoft will be even slower. Optimizing Win 7 for a low-performance computer is always a very long time and not always effective. Therefore, it is the Linux distribution that is a profitable alternative for such computers. At the time of this writing, there are several current distributions that are ideal for such tasks.

What's the point of netbooks and old office computers in 2018

Of course, these computers are not designed for the most modern games and video editing programs. The main task of such a technique is to provide convenient Internet surfing and the use of standard programs from the office suite. Installing the Win 10 operating system on such a computer does not make sense: the operating system itself in idle mode will eat up the full potential of the processor and RAM. In addition, any activity of anti-virus software will cause a complete freeze of such a system. To avoid this scenario, you need to consider installing an alternative to Windows. Perhaps the best option would be some lightweight Linux distribution. This operating system will be a unique solution that will intelligently use the meager amount of RAM in such computers. The almost complete absence of viruses relieves you of the need to install an antivirus. There are well-optimized Internet browsers for Linux that allow you to enjoy all the benefits of access to the global web much more comfortably.

It is Linux as a software foundation that will manifest itself as a less demanding, but at the same time quite relevant OS. The benefits are obvious: such a PC can be given to children for online toys, to a grandmother for communication via social networks or Skype. If your needs are limited only to web surfing, then you can use such a computer yourself. Next, let's take a look at five distributions that can give a second wind to such computers.

Perhaps the most friendly to the novice user will be the CloudReady: Home Edition distribution. It is produced by a promising young company Neverware. By and large, CloudReady is a great analogue of Google's Chrome OS. By design, this distribution is a cloud OS. There is nothing superfluous inside: only a web browser and applications for Google Chrome. Works very fast and stable on any netbook or old PC. If your main task is to use the Internet, then you are unlikely to be able to pick up something else better than it.

Of the advantages, it is worth noting good stability, speed, friendliness of the interface, clarity, as well as good compatibility with applications from the Google Chrome store. It is also worth mentioning that, if desired, you can run programs that are designed for Android OS in a very tricky way. All applications from the official store are installed quite simply. This is a very rare Linux distribution, using which you will avoid "dancing with a tambourine". The developers have done everything possible to make the system work according to the principle: downloaded, connected to the Internet and all services are ready to work.

Phoenix OS is a good analogue of Android, which has been optimized for netbooks, office computers and weak laptops. The idea is very interesting: the developers have redesigned modern Android, which is used in tablets and smartphones, for installation on a regular computer. The user gets an incredibly fast and modern operating room with many supported applications.

Benefits of PhoenixOS: fast, low processor load, intuitive user interface, as well as a huge number of cutting-edge programs.

Flaws: poor optimization of programs for working on a laptop. Unfortunately, it is difficult to do something about this shortcoming, because all the programs available on Google Play are written taking into account the fact that they will be used on a mobile device. For example, on an Android smartphone or tablet. Probably, the developers of such programs did not even suspect that someone would have a desire to use their brainchild on a netbook, laptop or desktop computer. All programs, of course, start and work, but they look a little strange. To get rid of appearance problems, it is best to download apps that are optimized for Android TV.

A good option for computers with a low operating system is the Puppy Linux distribution. It is a very lightweight linux distribution. It will run on any netbook and old computer. The quality of optimization is amazing: the distribution kit works quickly on any device 5-7 years old. Low HDD read-write speeds are not a serious obstacle for this OS.

Xubuntu - a redesigned Ubuntu

Xubuntu is a great system for low performance computers. This is a kind of alternative to the resource-hungry Ubuntu system. The system is positioned by the creators as lightweight and fast, but with decent functionality and the possibility of incredibly flexible settings. In terms of application support, Xubuntu is doing very well: it is compatible with almost everything that appears in the Ubuntu repository.

Q4OS

This is a very interesting distribution for netbooks and old computers, the owners of which were adherents of Windows XP. The external design of the graphical desktop environment is made with a clear borrowing of design ideas from Windows XP. The manufacturer of this distribution has clearly created a product that will be the most correct distribution for an easy transition from Windows to Linux. The process of installing this system on a boot drive is extremely simple and straightforward.

Advantages of the Q4OS distribution: works stably and very fast, uses a meager amount of RAM, and also provokes a pleasant "nostalgic" feeling in the user through the design of Win XP.

Disadvantages of Q4OS: partial support for the Russian language in the interface elements.

Modern popular distributions make immodest demands on
gland. And on standard computers 7-10 years ago, if they start up, then
definitely won't fly. And such dinosaurs are still preserved in large numbers in
government offices, educational institutions, geeks' pantries. The life of such
computers will prolong the correct selection and configuration of the OS.

To get Linux running smoothly on older hardware,
there are two ways: use an existing distribution with low system
requirements, or finish your favorite distro to the desired condition. Every path
its pros and cons. The first way is faster, but the second gives more freedom.
action and expo :). As a rule, modern distributions need from 384 MB of RAM
for normal operation, the CPU frequency is not so critical, 400 MHz is enough). But
you need to understand that it is worth launching Firefox - and a system with 384 MB of RAM immediately
will go to swap. So for normal work with the browser, mail and IM it is desirable
512 MB - 1024 MB. I'll try to choose an OS for a "spherical configuration"
beginning of the 21st century:

• Processor: Intel Pentium-III 800 MHz;
• RAM: 128 MB SDRAM;
• Video card: built-in or discrete with 8 MB of memory;
• HDD: 20 GB.

Ready solutions

Distributions designed to run on older hardware appear almost
not every day. Unfortunately, in most cases they disappear just as quickly.
as they appear. There are very few long-livers in this niche. These are usually respins.
popular distributions with a "light" DE and a set of prog.

Perhaps the most famous lightweight distribution is DSL (Damn Small Linux). AT
The magazine has written about him more than once, so I will not repeat myself. But long
the lack of new releases and the old kernel of the 2.4 branch make it not the best
choice. The most popular distribution has two options for the old
hardware: xubuntu (by modern standards - a long-lived distribution kit) and a beginner
lubuntu.

Xubuntu is the official flavor of Ubuntu with Xfce instead of Gnome and a few other things
software suite (Abiword+Gnumeric instead of Openoffice, Thunderbird instead of Evolution, and
etc). Calling xubuntu a "light" distribution is only conditional -
minimum requirements include 192 MB of RAM (but highly recommend at least
256 MB). However, practice has shown that for 128 MB (with swap), xubuntu still
starts (but not in Live mode) and even tries to work, but very thoughtfully.
It is not recommended to run any applications :). Distribution image size
- 681 MB, and the full installation takes about 2 GB. But in the pluses of the distribution
Huge Ubuntu package base and good localization.

Lubuntu is an unofficial distribution based on Ubuntu with LXDE instead of Gnome and
significantly revised set of software. In addition to the standard replacement for the gluttonous
OpenOffice on Abiword+Gnumeric, Firefox replaced with Chromium (in terms of consumption
RAM is a good enough replacement, Xubuntu should do the same).
The distribution at the time of this writing was still in beta status, the release is scheduled for October 2010
(along with the release of Ubuntu 10.10). Lubuntu can already be called "light"
distribution kit, since it is more or less efficient on 128 MB of RAM (and even
starts in Live mode, although with this amount of RAM you have to pervert
with installation). The distribution size is 521 MB, and the full installation takes about
1.5 GB.

Antix - another derivative, this time of a distribution that is not very well known in our country
SimplyMEPIS with the addition of packages from Debian Testing. At the minimum requirements
declared PII 266 and 64 MB of RAM (with a minimum of 128 MB swap). Indeed, recommended
still 128 MB of RAM. There are two versions: full (485 MB) and base (264 MB). Complete
installing the full version takes about 1.5 GB. The latest release is 8.5, released in
April of this year. IceWM is used as DE (although fluxbox, wmii and dwm
also installed). Russification of the distribution is very conditional, it turns on
non-trivial and replete with pearls like "office". But out of the box there is
(thanks to the debian-multimedia repository) most of the necessary for a comfortable
codec life.

Another fairly well-known distribution for old computers is puppy
(permanently hangs in top10 on distrowatch). Although in May of this year a new
Lucid Puppy 5.0 release (based on Ubuntu Lucid Lynx binaries), branch 4.x (with
latest stable release 4.3.1) is still supported and planned to be released soon
4.4. The ISO version 5.0.1 installer takes only about 130 MB, and the OS in
installed form - a little more than 500 MB. Despite its small size, it contains
a considerable amount of application software: abiword, sylpheed, inkscape, gxine (and also
all the codecs you need), geany and more. When launching the browser it pops up
a window asking which browser you want to install (just like in Windows :)).
Although you can run the pre-installed PuppyBrowser, based on Firefox.
In general, the distribution kit tries to resemble a small-soft OS as much as possible, and not
only by design, but also by the principles of operation (for example, work by default
suggested from root). The OS works fine on 128 MB of RAM as after installation,
and in Live mode, practically without using swap. As a window manager
written in C and having a minimum of JWM dependencies is used. Another one
An interesting feature of puppy - when shutting down the LiveCD, save the changed
data to external media.

Slitaz is a relatively young distribution. Release 1.0 was released in March 2008. From
since then, it has been released once a year, the current one at the moment is 3.0. surprises
ISO image size: only 30 MB (smaller than DSL!). In addition to the distribution kit itself with
offsite you can download a separate disk image with all available packages (less
1.5 GB). Openbox is used as a window manager, the panel is LXPanel. On the
30MB LiveCD fits Firefox, gFTP, transmission, mplayer, leafpad and
a lot of other nice little things. There is even built-in HTTP (lighttpd) and
SSH (dropbear) servers. There is Russian localization, but not complete (installer,
for example, not Russified at all). To run the standard version in mode
LiveCD recommended at least 192 MB of RAM, 128 MB refuses to run
categorically. For those unfortunates who do not have so much memory, the developers
released special versions of LiveCD: slitaz-loram (enough 80 MB of RAM for
launch) and slitaz-loram-cdrom (only 16 MB is enough).

Tiny Core Linux is the most amazing of "light" Linuxes. Developers
managed to shove a full-fledged OS with x's into a 10-megabyte image. For graphics
the FLWM window manager and the FLTK toolkit are responsible. Not surprisingly, the software suite
minimal: no browser, no text editor of any kind. But they can
Literally with a couple of mouse clicks. There is no installer, as such, either -
it is suggested to partition the disk using cfdisk, format partitions manually
transfer files and install grub. Tiny core manages to work well at 64 MB
RAM. Unfortunately, such a small size of the distribution kit was achieved not only for
by throwing out almost all applications. Also excluded many drivers.
For example, a lot of firewood for wireless cards was left behind. So I
would use this distribution only if no other
no longer starts.

hand made

For fast operation of an old PC, it is not necessary to install a separate
distribution - you can always finish your favorite to the desired state. Here again
there are two ways: use ready-made DEs or build your own environment piece by piece.
The first way is easier, the second is more interesting :).

Lightweight DEs include LXDE and Enlightenment (yes, Xfce is not the same anymore...)
LXDE is in the repositories of most distributions. For example, on Ubuntu LXDE
put like this:

$ sudo apt-get install lxde

Thus, we will practically get lubuntu (practically, because
after all, lubuntu has its own additional ppa repository).
Enlightenment is also in the Ubuntu repositories (in 10.04 - only E16, in 10.10 -
both E16 and E17 being developed) and set accordingly:

$ sudo apt-get install e16

$ sudo apt-get install e17

After installation, the bootable DE can be selected when logging into GDM. If
build your own graphical environment, then the number of possible solutions can be
limited only by imagination. Conditionally, the graphical environment can be composed of
the following components:

• window manager;
• Session manager;
• Desktop and file manager;
• Panel;
• Some useful software like a terminal emulator, archiver, etc.
  similar.

The agony of choice

The window manager is responsible for the interface of windows in the graphical environment and for their behavior.
The choice of window manager is very wide: from the well-known metacity, compiz and kwin to
"light" openbox, fluxbox, IceWM and JWM. I opted for openbox -
because of the speed, convenient configurator (ObConf) and habit :). Besides, in
unlike many other window managers, openbox is actively developed.

Is there life in the console

Far from last on the list of lung RAM guzzlers
distribution kits are iksy. In some cases, giving up Xs will be good.
solution, and sometimes the only way out. Of course, life in a bare console
requires some preparation and adaptation. But do not think that everything is completely
sad - there are dozens of great console applications for all occasions
life. With framebuffer, you can even view images and videos,
and with gpm - use the mouse. Here is a small list of good console
programs:

• Browsers: lynx (grandfather of text browsers), w3m (has support for
  mouse, cookie and a few other goodies), links (in version 2
  supports displaying graphics via framebuffer);
• Email client: mutt, alpine;
• IM: finch (multiprotocol client, "console version of Pidgin"),
  CenterIM (another multi-protocol client. From version 5.0 there will also be
  based on libpurple), irssi (IRC client), mcabber (jabber client);
• RSS readers: newsbeuter, snownews;
• Image viewer: fbi (and fbgs is a wrapper for it that allows
  view PDF and PostScript), fbv, zgv;
• Music players: ogg123, mpg123, mpg321, mpd, moc,
  mp3blaster;
• Video players: mplayer, vlc.

The next component is the session manager. This is the thing that is responsible for
start of other programs (including the window manager), their restart in case
crash, and also provides the ability to save a list of running
applications. The element, in principle, is optional, but pleasant enough. How
as a rule, each DE has its own session manager: gnome-session, lxsession,
xfce-session. The staybox, designed for launching, stands somewhat apart.
openbox (and other *box window managers). But it is not in the repository, and it is unknown
Will it develop further? In principle, there are no special differences between these
there are no solutions, so I chose lxsession (part of the LXDE project). Unconfigured
Openbox may seem somewhat austere - black background, no panels,
the only menu on the right button. The choice of panels is probably wider than the choice
window managers: tint2, pypanel, fbpanel, lxpanel and many others. Requirements to
my panels are simple: undemanding to resources, the presence of a switch
virtual tables, application menu, clock, layout switcher
keyboards. I settled on LXPanel. Of the nice bonuses: support for applets
(keyboard layout, clock, menus…), the ability to run multiple copies (if
I want, as in Gnome - top and bottom), a simple graphical configurator.

As a rule, for rendering icons (and sometimes a background image) on the desktop
the table is answered by a specialized utility (like
), or file
manager. Using standard gnome nautilus doesn't fit in
the general concept of a light environment. Suitable "light" options are not so
many: pcmanfm, thunar, rox-filer, emelfm2, xfe, gentoo (not to be confused with
distribution kit :)). I like pcmanfm the most for having bookmarks and tabs,
automounting flash drives, support for file type associations (applications for
default), and in general, for a nice interface. Under the new environment follows
choose related software with low system requirements.

Gnome-terminal is better to change to something easier: terminator, termit,
lxterminal, sakura. I want a bit from the terminal emulator: UTF8 support
and tabs. Under these requirements, lxterminal is quite suitable. Browser along with
terminal is my main working tool. Although there are "light" browsers,
for example, dillo, midory or arora - all of them do not suit me as
tool for everyday work for one reason or another: lack of necessary
technology or job instability. Therefore, as a browser, I left
chromium.

I don’t need much from a text editor - so that it only exists (anyway
configs, basically, I edit in nano or mc). Install leafpad for text
files, abiword - for odt and doc, gnumeric - for ods or xls. In case of
If you need syntax highlighting, geany may come in handy. As
image viewer, you can use Eye of GNOME, or you can
choose an easier alternative, fortunately, there are many options: geeqie (gqview fork),
ristretto, mirage and others - for every taste and color. I chose geeqie.

It remains to replace network-manager with wicd, and file-roller with xarchiver, and
we get a complete graphical environment. True, it is somewhat foreign in such
lightweight environments will look like gdm. Therefore, it is also better to replace it with
something simpler, for example, slim (Simple Login Manager) - so we will reduce the time
downloads.

Lightweight Monitor

A good addition to a lightweight distribution would be the conky system monitor.
It is able to monitor any parameter of the system (including using
calling an external script), while consuming a minimum of resources. Install
simply:

$ sudo apt-get install conky

Then you need to create a ~/.conkyrc file. The program has a lot of parameters,
so it's easier to take a ready-made .conkyrc and edit it to fit your needs.
Examples of .conkyrc files with screenshots can be found on the official website:
.

Installation and piling

Now all system components are selected. Can be installed and configured. All
listed is in the repositories of almost any distribution. I will
describe on the example of Ubuntu, but I think for other distributions of significant
differences are not expected. So, we put:

$ sudo apt-get install slim openbox obconf lxpanel pcmanfm lxterminal
chromium-browser leafpad abiword gnumeric geany geeqie wicd xarchiver

During the installation process, you will be asked which login manager to use. Choose
slim.

Since we have taken up apt-get, you can clean everything unnecessary from the system along the way,
for example, remove avahi-daemon and kerneloops-daemon. Sane and cups are used (according to
at least by me) not very often - they can be removed from startup for
reducing RAM consumption and system startup time:

$ sudo /etc/init.d/cups stop
$ sudo update-rc.d -f cups remove

But back to the setup. First you need to teach the login manager to run
correct session manager. Slim can work with different sessions (optional
session responds key in the login window), but somehow strange: I never
I managed to get him to correctly start openbox as a default session. Easier
register the launch of lxsession in ~/.xsession:

$ nano ~/.xsession lxsession -session default

In order for lxsession to know which window manager to run, create the file /etc/xdg/lxsession/default/desktop.conf
with the following content:

$ sudo nano /etc/xdg/lxsession/default/desktop.conf
window_manager=openbox session

The programs that lxsession should launch upon login are specified in the /etc/xdg/lxsession/default/autostart file:

$ sudo nano /etc/xdg/lxsession/default/autostart @lxpanel @pcmanfm --desktop

The "@" sign indicates that lxsession will keep track of the state
running program and restart it in case of a crash. Option "--desktop"
indicates that the rendering of the desktop (icons and wallpapers) will be handled by
pcmanfm. You can specify the path to the picture that will serve as wallpaper either through
GUI:

$ pcmanfm --desktop-pref

or in config.config/pcmanfm/pcmanfm.conf. I also recommend specifying pcmanfm
display the window manager menu instead of its own.

To make lxterminal open from the openbox menu instead of gnome-terminal, you need to
enter:

$ sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator

And select lxterminal from the list that appears.

Conclusion

Today, when the amount of RAM in new computers is measured in gigabytes, and
single-core processors are already bad manners, a modern OS capable of running on
computer with the configuration of the beginning of the century, it seems fantastic. And yet, this
is quite real.

Before you move on to choosing an OS for a weak computer or laptop, you need to find out the characteristics of your PC. Based on these characteristics, we will choose a specific version of the system for installation. It is important to take this task seriously, because the speed of your device will depend on it.

Let's figure out which operating system to choose and which windows is better for weak laptops and PCs.

The difference between 32 and 64 bit systems

An important component when choosing is the processor. First you need to find out what bit depth your processor supports (32 or 64). Just like 32 bits. The processor only works with 32 bits. systems, while 64 bits. processor, you can work with 32 and 64 bit OS. You can find out on the official website of your CPU manufacturer.

For example, on the Intel website, it is designated as follows:

If you need an OS for a weak netbook, then it doesn't matter if it is 32 or 64 bit. The only difference between them is that the former does not see more than 3GB of RAM. That is, if your PC is equipped with 6GB of RAM, but at the same time you have a 32-bit system, then the device will use only 3GB of memory, while the rest will simply not work.

Therefore, if your PC is equipped with no more than 3GB of RAM, then the answer to the question of whether it is worth installing a 64-bit version of Windows is obvious. If you don’t suddenly don’t know which Windows is currently on your laptop, you need to:

Windows XP

On par with Vista, XP is one of the most versatile.

As for the minimum technical requirements, we have the following indicators:

• Pentium 300MHz.
• 1.5 GB of free space on the hard drive.
• 64 MB of RAM.
• Integrated video card and monitor with a minimum resolution of 800×600 pixels.

XP can be installed from a disc or from a flash drive - it doesn't matter.

Until the release of Windows 7, XP was the best system for a long time. However, back in 2014, Microsoft decided to stop supporting this version and supply updates, which means that today it has ceased to be relevant and is installed for only two reasons:

1. For older computers and laptops with poor performance.
2. When there are no drivers for certain hardware, programs or applications.

The second option applies more to work PCs than to home ones.

That is, Windows XP is a lightweight operating system that is perfect for simple devices. However, it is safe to say that it is outdated (the last update was back in 2014) and does not stand out for its speed.

Windows 7

This version is also suitable for weak laptops.

And now you will understand this when we look at the minimum technical requirements:

• 1GHz processor.
• 1GB of RAM.
• 16GB hard drive space.
• Video card with DirectX9.

Nowadays, Windows 7 is considered one of the most famous and popular, despite its age, and it was released in 2009. Seven combines the best qualities of all other versions:

• Low system requirements.
• Stable operation without errors and failures.
• Sufficiently high performance.
• Support for a large number of programs, applications and hardware.
• Optimized work on laptops.

That is, we can say with confidence that the seven is superior to XP in many ways, and at the same time is not much more demanding and is perfect for an old laptop.

Windows 8 and 8.1

Minimum technical requirements:

• 1Ghz processor with NX, SSE2 and PAE support.
• 16GB free space on HDD.
• 1GB RAM.
• Video card with DirectX9.

Windows 8 is not superior, but absolutely in no way inferior to Windows 7, and in principle is suitable for weak computers, but it is unlikely to be able to fully function on outdated models.

The only difference is that by default in this version there is no “Start” button familiar to users, instead a tiled screen appears. I would also like to say that it works a little faster than its predecessor, which is especially noticeable when loading the PC after turning it on. That is, there is not much difference between them: applications and hardware work the same way, and in themselves they have a huge similarity.

Windows 10

Before we say whether windows 10 is suitable for an old computer, let's see its technical requirements:

• Processor - at least 1GHz.
• 1GB RAM for 32bit systems and 2GB for 64bit.
• 16GB free space for 32bit. and 20GB for 64x respectively.
• Video card with DirectX9.

Almost 5 years have passed since the release of the dozen (release date June 1, 2015). During this time, the OS has been updated hundreds of times, and if earlier among users a dozen were famous for a large number of flaws, today it can be called a fairly stable OS.

Therefore, if your PC meets the stated hardware requirements, then you can safely install Windows 10. But before that, I want to draw your attention to one important point, especially for users of weak computers:

In addition, windows 10 and 8 differ only in a slightly modified graphical appearance, browser, and the presence of some new features. When choosing any version from version 7 and above, you need to be prepared for the fact that yours will consume 2-3 times more RAM (512MB-2GB) than on XP. How much RAM it will spend can be read in each antivirus. So be sure to consider this factor.

So what OS to put on a weak PC?

After carefully considering the most popular operating systems today, we can come to the conclusion that the best operating system for a weak PC is Windows 7. It is significantly superior to Windows XP and practically no different from Windows 8, except for being less demanding. That is, we can say that Windows 7 is a light version of Windows 8 and 10, which is almost in no way inferior to them.

Some clarifications:

• An old computer refers to a machine manufactured before 2009-2010. With about the following hardware (1-2GB DDR 1, Intel Pentium 4 / Celeron and integrated graphics or video card with 128-256MB memory). If you are the owner of such a PC, then the Windows 7 (optimized) operating system will be an ideal option for you.

In all other cases, you can give preference to the new ten.

But if you are chasing maximum performance, then you should not look beyond the seven.

Very popular due to their lightness and compactness. Of course, they are inferior in power to full-fledged computers and laptops, but this does not upset the owners of netbooks, because such “little ones” are bought mainly for surfing the Internet. But due to technical characteristics, not any OS can be installed on a netbook. Which operating system for netbook can you fit?

When deciding which operating system for your netbook is best for you, there are several factors to consider. The first is the price. Some OSes are paid and some are free. Are you willing to shell out extra money for an operating system distribution? Very important system resource intensity: Netbooks have less storage and RAM, so the system should use resources efficiently. Besides, the system must be adapted to the “stuffing” of the netbook.

Of course, the most famous and widespread OS at the moment is Microsoft Windows. Microsoft did not release special versions of the operating system for netbooks, so you will have to install Windows XP or one of the "younger" netbooks. Usually on netbooks they put a light Windows 7 Starter, but its functionality is extremely curtailed. Pros of Windows- in its familiarity, and also in the fact that it supports almost any equipment. In addition, some programs work only under Windows. Minuses- its price, and it is not easy to call it economical in relation to resources.

Therefore, many believe that the best operating system for a laptop is Linux, which is free and consumes less resources. But the catch is that Linux is a common name for a whole range of free operating systems, so the question remains open: you have to choose from a large number of distributions. What Linux distributions can be recommended for installation on a netbook?

Perhaps the most common operating system for a netbook from the Linux family is Ubuntu Netbook Edition. In general, many begin their acquaintance with Linux with Ubuntu - this system is the most user-friendly. It installs, loads, and works quickly, and the user interface shouldn't confuse you.

But recently the Unbuntu Netbook Edition distribution has ceased to exist. The fact is that in version 10.10 of the distribution kit, the Unity shell was first used, which made it possible to more efficiently use the small screen of a netbook. The developers decided to use Unity in the distribution for desktop PCs - Ubuntu Desktop Edition 11.04, so both versions - for PC and netbooks - decided to merge. But, in theory, now Ubuntu Desktop Edition should be suitable for netbooks too.

A fairly young operating system for a netbook is Moblin. This distribution was developed by Intel specifically for netbooks equipped with the Intel Atom processor. The main criticism of this "axis" was its underdevelopment. Therefore, the Moblin platform, after being transferred to the Linux Foundation, was transformed into a new project - MeeGo.

Meego platform combined the developments of projects from the developers of Nokia and Intel, as well as a number of Linux projects. Many companies producing netbooks, laptops and mobile devices take part in its development. This OS is quite young, so if you are afraid to experiment, you should wait a bit.

Other Linux systems installed on netbooks are Jolicloud, Linux Mint, gOS, Xandros. Xandros system was developed specifically for ASUS Eee PC laptops and adapted primarily for them. For obvious reasons, this OS is not particularly popular, but if you are offered a laptop with a pre-installed OS, why not try it, especially since you won’t have to pay extra for it.

Linux Mint not designed specifically for netbooks, but this distro is light enough that many install it on netbooks. Linux Mint is very similar to Ubuntu, differing only in the interface (it has remained clear and simple) and some of its own applications. It is popular due to its simplicity and the fact that after installation you can immediately work in it without downloading additional programs and codecs.

gOS OS based on the Ubuntu distribution and "sharpened" mainly for applications from Google or MySpace, and its interface is somewhat reminiscent of Mas OS X. It is good for its Web orientation, because the main task of netbooks is to work on the Internet, but since it was not developed especially for netbooks, there may be problems with the operation of some equipment under this system.

Jolicloud is based on Ubuntu, but Google Chrome OS is used to work with web applications. The advantage of the system is that it supports all models of netbooks, desktops and laptops. Moreover, it is focused mainly on netbooks and old computers.

As you can see, it's hard to say which operating system is better for a netbook. The choice is very wide, all systems have advantages and disadvantages, so the question is mainly personal preference.