anyone know how to use superold pc?

[MU_Engineer]

The generally rule of thumb for OS's and how much RAM so you can actually use them:

98SE: 128MB
2KPro and most Linux distros: 256MB
XP: 512MB

I'm not going to mention Vista because the mobo won't handle that much RAM anyway.

I agree with your assessment as far as Windows goes but there is a variance in the minimum amount of RAM you can get away with and still have a good working environment on 32-bit Linux:

Bare-bones CLI or headless install for file server, etc: 96 MB or so.
More full-featured CLI environment (use as an SSH server, etc.): 128 MB
Bare-bones GUI environment, such as TWM: 128 MB, 160 MB if you want to use heavier GUI apps.
Midrange GUI environment, such as XFCE: 160 MB, 192 MB if you want to use heavier GUI apps.
Typical full Gnome/KDE install with OpenOffice and all that: 256 MB
Developing or compiling C apps (such as running Gnome/XFCE, etc. on Gentoo or LFS): 384-512 MB
Developing or compiling C++ apps (e.g. KDE on Gentoo): 512-768 MB for one CPU.

64-bit Linux has a heavier RAM demand, but that old PIII isn't capable of handing 64-bit software so I'll omit these numbers.

 

[Crashman]

It supports most of them. I was lucky to also get a bag of 128 and 256 meg Dimms from that same Goodwill, and pretty well any ram that works in the P3-1000 815 chipset editor will work in this one. The exceptions seem to be IBM and Compaq-branded. The problem is not running ONE 256 dimm, but running TWO of them. That does eliminate a lot of contenders. So far every 512 Meg ram I've tried does work and is stable, both multiple small chips and just two or three large ones. But yes I know the problem.

Actually, BX/LX/ZX/TX chipsets support most 256MB modules made before 2003. When I stated that it doesn't support most modules on the market, I was talking about most of the parts you can still buy "new". Medium density chips were discontinued 1-2 years before SDR SDRAM went out of production. The newer parts still work with most VIA and i815 chipset motherboards. Since most PIII motherboards used the older chipsets, the majority of PIII systems won't support the majority of available memory.

 

[Sengoku]

As someone who still uses a 500 mhz pIII from time to time, I would not spend any money on that machine, but salvage parts from other machines. A little ram, a copy of win 98, and you can have a decent "grandma" system.

 

[Ilander]

"You think that's old? I was computing with my fingers when I was younger"

Seriously, though. PIII is old. Plain and simple. We're soooo far past that these days...I think most new cell phones have a faster processor in them.

 

[chookman]

P3's still get used in some of the most expensive technology today... Firewalls, routers, switches... They are one of the most solid processors around.

 

[jhyukkang]

yeah i will never spend money on that ****....
i would throw it away rather than spending money on that thing

 

[chrispyski]

Like other have recommended, I would turn it into Linux box. I just found an old computer with 128mb ram and the thing just screams with Xubuntu. Unfortunately, as others have said, GNOME or KDE wont run with anything less than 256mb.

You can always turn it into a server or just use it to learn Linux... Either way, you win.