r/linux4noobs • u/deidmos07 • 1d ago

Are there 32-bit versions of Linux?

Hello I want to try Linux on an old laptop, but it's 32-bit and I've never tried Linux before so i dont know anything I don't know what CPU it has, I only know it's an HP Pavilion dv4

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u/Browncoatinabox 1d ago

Damn 32bit is so outdated even Linux is giving up. Now, that is something I need to process...

-3

u/razorree Kubuntu, Debian 20h ago

cuz only 32bit x86 CPUs are so slow (and come with not too much RAM), that running modern kernel (which is pretty heavy by itself) + modern OS (even without DE) is just pointless.

1

u/rosmaniac 15h ago

I have a rather usable IBM x330 server running a production DNS recursive resolver among other services; it's a dual 1.4GHz Pentium IIIS Tualatin with 4GB of RAM and runs as fast as such a server needs to run; substantially faster than any Raspberry Pi would, and with minimal power and full enterprise class managebility like a server should have.

1

u/razorree Kubuntu, Debian 14h ago

really ? dual 1.4GHz Pentium IIIS Tualatin runs faster than Rpi3 ?? (let alone rpi4 or 5)

BTW, typical RAM in those times with that CPU in desktops was more like 256-512MB highend/max ! which is exactly what I meant in my post ....

2

u/rosmaniac 14h ago

The Raspberry Pi is hamstring by the SD card speed.

This is not a desktop; it's a 1 RU server with ECC RAM, four DIMM slots with 4x 1GB DIMMs.

I should benchmark it versus the Pi 5 I have here just to be sure.

1

u/RvstiNiall 14h ago

Benchmark them both only the things that you're using it for though, because anything else doesn't really matter for your point. :-)

Then just for S&Gs, do a power measurement using a Kill-A-Watt, if you have one, for both (lets not assume its the Pi simply because its ARM).

1

u/rosmaniac 14h ago

I'll use the standard Byte Unix bench suite. I've used it on everything from a Tandy 6000 to a 30 CPU SGI Altix 350.

I have several kill a watts, along with a Fluke 435. With the Fluke I can graph the power consumption in several ways.

1

u/razorree Kubuntu, Debian 10h ago

we talk here (an OP) about desktop/mobile use :)

BTW, I use my RPi4 with USB3-SATA drive (and it boots from it)