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I want to replace an old Windows XP OS with Ubuntu, but I really don't know which version would suit my needs. I require only media center type functionality from the Ubuntu replacement.

The older XP computer has a 1.8 GHz processor speed, but the media center demo clearly states that I require a 2.0 GHz processor or better. I want to use my Windows 10 desktop for downloading the .iso file and making the Ubuntu replacement installation media.

karel
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Doni Witt
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2 Answers2

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Xubuntu 18.04 needs at least 512 MB RAM, 700 MHz processor and 7.5 GB of free space on your hard disk (minimum) and 20 GB free space (recommended). This should work fine for a media center. Xubuntu 18.04 32-bit and 64-bit desktop images are available. For an old XP computer the 32-bit desktop image is probably the only one of the two available desktop images that is compatible with its processor. Xubuntu 18.04 is a Long Term Support release for which security and maintenance updates will be provided for 3 years until April, 2021.

Download the Xubuntu 18.04 .iso from here, and follow the instructions for making bootable installation media at How do I make a bootable Ubuntu USB?.

enter image description here
Xubuntu 18.10 whisker menu  (Click image to enlarge)

karel
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  • I don't know how "512 MB RAM, 700 MHz CPU" could possibly be fine for a media center, especially with graphical limitations entailed by old hardware. – mikewhatever Dec 28 '18 at 10:12
  • The asker's computer has a 1.8GHz processor, so there's not more than a 200MHz processor speed fudge factor. I think Xubuntu 18.04 would work, but its performance might be sluggish. An extra RAM stick would be nice to have, but where is anyone going to find a spare DDR RAM stick these days? – karel Dec 28 '18 at 10:47
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If it's just a media center you are after then you could give LibreElec a go. Just Enough Operating System

Andy Anderson
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  • According to the official LibreELEC Wiki LibreElec supports x86_64 devices with INTEL, AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, but the wiki didn't mention anything about supporting x86 devices (i.e. 32-bit), Because Windows XP era computers often have 32-bit CPUs, there may be a compatibility issue with LibreELEC. – karel Dec 28 '18 at 10:00
  • @karel According to the same Wiki there's also a 32-bit version available. – mook765 Dec 28 '18 at 11:28
  • That's a little bit confusing because maybe the 32-bit Linux version is for ARM processor SBCs. – karel Dec 28 '18 at 11:40