I've read that I need 256Mb RAM, or 384Mb for the Live install and elsewhere read that EMC2/Ubuntu runs on x86 but need confirmation that it will run on a 486 box - yes they still exist, this one is doing stirling service running Windows ME, but is about to get redeployed as machine controller for my soon-to-be-constructed PCB router. Before I go down this route I'd like confirmation that this PC will be suitable as so much software these days says x86, but they really mean Pentium class!

http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Hardware_Requirements

minimum is pent II 400. (I have run dapper on a similar machine)

486 isn't going to cut it. Turbocnc would work but you're going to loose a bunch of functionallity.

A decent dumpster 1ghz pent III would be the minimum I would go with. Memory - I would go with 256 minimum. (I have run a few machines with 256mb with no issues)

sam

I'm curious why you would want to use such an old machine. If you want to go low end be kind to the planet and save a Pentium II from a landfill. Not sure of the situation in the UK but PII's are frequent dumpster finds around here.

I'm curious why you would want to use such an old machine. If you want to go low end be kind to the planet and save a Pentium II from a landfill. Not sure of the situation in the UK but PII's are frequent dumpster finds around here.Because its there and my P3-700 is runing as my webserver :)

I think I need to go look on ebay then... oh, in the UK we don't allow PCs to go in the landfill, they go to the local council's 'civil amenity' (i.e. dump) but once placed there it is illegal to recover them as they are then the property of the local council (who then sends them to the landfill probably)....

... picked up a IBM NetVista Pentium3 733Mhz 1Gb RAM 40Gb HD, CD rewriter and monitor/keyboard for.....





..... £1 ($2 US) and only 5min down the road in the car!

That, as they say, will do nicely!

... picked up a IBM NetVista Pentium3 733Mhz 1Gb RAM 40Gb HD, CD rewriter and monitor/keyboard for.....

LOL, "save a PII from a landfill" wasn't meant literally! I was suggesting exactly what you ended up doing :) My employer does the responsible thing and sends the old electronics out to get broken down and properly disposed of. The stuff I don't grab off the pile that is ;) The sad truth is much of this toxic stuff does end up mixed in with the rest of the garbage at landfills.

Those old NetVistas were (are) lovely machines. In fact I'm using one of those models at this very moment. Some had bad capacitors but that problem would have shown up long ago. Hope you get good realtime out of it. I planned to use this one for cnc but couldn't make it behave. Depends on the particular combination of electronic do-hickeys probably.

Just the ramblings of an insomniac. To awake to sleep. To tired to do something more productive.

... picked up a IBM NetVista Pentium3 733Mhz 1Gb RAM 40Gb HD, CD rewriter and monitor/keyboard for.....





..... £1 ($2 US) and only 5min down the road in the car!

That, as they say, will do nicely!

Better check the latency on that rig before you get to far with it.

Better check the latency on that rig before you get to far with it.
I plan to, and for such a low price I can afford to dispose of it if it doesnt deliver. I have an option on a p4 1.5Ghz board as well, but thats another £10 ($20) :)