Best OS for Pentium D dual core 3,2Ghz

[Snowwie]

According to many sources this processor has a bad reputation for being slow. And it does so, because I have one over here with Windows 10 on it, 4GB of ram, Windows installed on a 120GB Adata SU650 ssd, and even using a ram-disk of 1GB to put the Windows temp files in, but still the thing is as slow as hell. When I open Firefox, it takes 10 seconds for the start page (Google.nl) to load. WTF????? I know this has nothing to do with my internet connection, because on my main pc the internet is blazing fast (Connection is 250Mbit/s down and 25Mbit/s up with an average ping of 15ms), and all cables are cat 6, and the few switched I use are also 1Gbit switches. So the network is solely a Gigabit network.

Still I want to use this pc, but I am thinking about what OS would be better? I am totally NOT experienced in non-Windows OS-es but from what I can tell it seems I have little choice. Also the question is, can this system even run Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator? Reason for this is, because my girlfriend from Mexico will be visiting me in a few months (I visited her in Mexico already in January) and I like her to have a fast pc, but without breaking the bank. She likes working with these programs, although they were also slow on her Apple Mac machine. I have tried to work with that machine, but MacOS is so clumsy for me, and that system was far from fast.

So, in short, which OS would be best for a Pentium D, running on 3,2Ghz with 4GB of memory, a GTS 450 graphic card, attached to a 27" IPS 1080p monitor, and can run Adobe Photoshop?

 

[johnb35]

To be honest, I wouldn't even try messing with this system. Depending on the motherboard, you might be limited to Sata 1 speeds for the SSD. You would need at least 8gb of ram to do anything and I wouldn't use anything but Windows 10 nowadays anyway. Looks like Illustrator requires at least 8gb of ram. But like I said, you would really need a new system to be fast.

 

[Snowwie]

Okay, I also have a Core 2 Quad Q8300 with 8GB ram, at 2.5Ghz, machine standing here, but it's in a pretty small Compaq DC 7900 case. I barely managed to fit a low profile AMD HD 5450 graphic card in that machine. The quad core is definitely faster with Windows 10 on it running, but the GPU is on the contrary is pretty lame. I am fiddling with it now, replaced the SSD from the old machine to this machine. (Lots of fun since the old machine has a Nvidia GPU and the quad core and AMD, meddling with the drivers ). Luckily Windows 10 is very versatile. All this kind of sucks, having a fast processor in that case, but with a slow GPU and a low powered PSU. There is always the option of getting that DC 7900 completely apart and put it in a bigger case (I have several cases lying around here), and put also in a better PSU and GPU. If I look around for 2 good second hand units I could do that for between 50 and 100 euro's.... But, there is always the issue of these Compaq machines and there motherboards if you can connect the system panel headers properly. These things are not easily transferable. But it's doable.

 

[beers]

Nothing says 'I love you' quite like PC parts from 2008.

 

[OmniDyne]

Certain Linux Distros run pretty well on older hardware. We have some Core 2 Duo's with SSDs that run Windows 10 just fine; would be hard pressed to notice they were such old processors.

 

[TheRealSwede]

Using RAM-disk is not a good idea from the start at all... (=terrible)
And using one in a computer with 4Gb RAM is a perfect way of killig the performance.. (you steal 1Gb from those 4gb)

I would suggest to remove any trace of the RAM-drive, and instead set a fixed swapfile of lets say 4 to 5 Gb.
I would also point out that firefox is a memory hog, specially NOT suited in a system with only 4Gb ram..
Use the built in EDGE as the preferred browser, and you might notice better performance..

Dont run ANY "cleaners" (other than the built in disk clenup utility), NO ram boosters, No hardeners..
Insted use your computer i the right way, the way its built to be used.. '= Have a separate Admin account (like PC-Admin)
and use a standard user account your self.. this will keep your computer safe and reliable!
(this method is what keeps both Linux and Mac safer)