Will Windows 7 (or maybe 10) work on an old Intel Atom CPU Netbook?

[Waffle64]

I have an old Samsung netbook from 2009 that came pre-installed with XP (I think it is a N130). It has an Intel Atom CPU @ 1.6 Ghz and 2GB ram. I wanted to be able to use it again for just general web-browsing/online shopping/email, instead of the Android tablet I use now.

I wanted to know if putting a more current version of Windows on it is possible without it being too slow? I am not sure if it has too low of hardware specs to be compatible. I tried Ubuntu on it once and it was very slow and unusable.

 

[SIW2]

Apparently so

Intel Atom Netbook Speed Test: Xubuntu vs. Windows 7 - YouTube

you could try installing win7 skip entering a license key , and see how it runs

 

[Bree]

I have an old Samsung netbook from 2009 that came pre-installed with XP (I think it is a N130). It has an Intel Atom CPU @ 1.6 Ghz and 2GB ram. I wanted to be able to use it again for just general web-browsing/online shopping/email, instead of the Android tablet I use now.

I wanted to know if putting a more current version of Windows on it is possible without it being too slow? I am not sure if it has too low of hardware specs to be compatible. I tried Ubuntu on it once and it was very slow and unusable.

If it really is the N130 then it has an Intel Atom N270 processor That is a single core, two threads 32 bit cpu. It does support Execute Disable Bit though, so it should be possible to install 32-bit Windows 10 for which that is a requirement. Others have done so with an N270 over on Ten Forums.

Intel Atom Processor N270 512K Cache 1.60 GHz 533 MHz FSB Product Specifications

The Samsung N130 was originally supplied with XP, but later on with Windows 7 Starter. So either 7 or 10 should run. It's never going to be fast though, but it should be usable. There's probably little difference between running 7 or 10 as far as performance goes. You could try installing each (skipping entering a key when asked) to see how they perform.

But activation is going to be the main issue. For 7 you'd have a grace period before it will insists on activation . With 10 there is no grace period, rather it runs indefinitely but with a few minor restrictions, you won't be able to set a desktop wallpaper, for example.

When you have decided which works best, if you have a spare W7 key then you could activate it. A valid W7 key can also be used to activate W10.

 

[SIW2]

If you find it runs win7 ok, then you will have to work out if it is worth bumping up the ram ( which is very cheap second hand ) and using a sata ssd and using up a license you have lying around.

I much prefer win7, so use it as my main os.

 

[Bree]

If you find it runs win7 ok, then you will have to work out if it is worth bumping up the ram....

Not possible I'm afraid. Intel Atoms of that era only support up to 2GB RAM.

Product BrIef
Intel® Atom™ Processor
for Netbooks

Memory Support Single-Channel DDR3 - 667 MHz, up to 2 GB

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/product-briefs/atom-netbooks-brief.pdf

 

[SIW2]

In the video link I posted, the eepc has only 1gb and win7 seems to manage. So probably will be ok with 2gb.

 

[Bree]

I run Windows 10 32 bit on a netbook with an Atom N2600 and 2GB RAM. It originally came with Win7 Starter. Both ran well enough to be useable. Not the fastest of machines though.

 

[siliconbeaver]

DDR2 or DDR even more expensive than DDR3 these days.

my mail station is an Intel E5200 computer, OS Windows XP, Office97 and Outlook Express (OE).
It's running fine. OE is updated to TLS 1.2.
I couldn't find OE Windows 7 version. hence have to keep this mail station stuck with XP.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I have an old Samsung netbook from 2009 that came pre-installed with XP (I think it is a N130). It has an Intel Atom CPU @ 1.6 Ghz and 2GB ram. I wanted to be able to use it again for just general web-browsing/online shopping/email, instead of the Android tablet I use now. I wanted to know if putting a more current version of Windows on it is possible without it being too slow? I am not sure if it has too low of hardware specs to be compatible. I tried Ubuntu on it once and it was very slow and unusable.

I have the Acer One Netbook, same age and same Atom cpu. But, only 1.5 GB of ram.

It did come with Windows XP and ran just great, but I wanted a more up to date OS so I tried Windows 7. Seven did not have a video driver, compatible with the on-board video chip. So that was a NO-GO.
Seven actually did run, but the video was really BAD!

So for another couple of years I just used the original XP.

Then I got Windows 8.1/Pro/x86. I backed up Xp and installed 8.1/Pro/x86. It installed a very good video, lan and sound drivers and ran great. So today my little Netbook is happily running Windows 8.1. Give it a try.

If you don't have an ISO for Windows 8.1, and don't know where to fine one, drop me a PM and I'll be glad to help you.

TM

 

[siliconbeaver]

Search
[h=3]Download Windows 8.1 Disc Image (ISO File) - Microsoft[/h]It's still able to download, direct link below

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows8

 

[SIW2]

ddr2 is very cheap here

https://uk.webuy.com/product-detail...-800mhz-200-pin-memory&referredFrom=boxsearch

 

[siliconbeaver]

No go for us here

 

[maxseven]

I have the Acer One Netbook, same age and same Atom cpu. But, only 1.5 GB of ram....

I have an Acer One Netbook also, though a much newer AMD Athlon II 64-bit, and 2GB RAM. It runs W7HPx64 slow as molasses!

I also have an Intel Compute Stick with Atom quad-core and 2GB RAM that came with W10Home I believe. I have never powered it up.

But the OP should give it a try, starting w/8.1 as you suggest.

 

[townsbg]

Those computers are bottom of the barrel designed to be cheap and extremely portable. They barely have any resources.

 

[Bree]

Those computers are bottom of the barrel designed to be cheap and extremely portable. They barely have any resources.

Yes, and that's exactly why I have mine, it goes on holiday/vacation with me. Good enough for some light browsing, but so cheap it's virtually a disposable item. No worries if it got lost/stolen/dropped

 

[maxseven]

Yes, and that's exactly why I have mine, it goes on holiday/vacation with me. Good enough for some light browsing, but so cheap it's virtually a disposable item. No worries if it got lost/stolen/dropped

Plus, they're cuter than a bug's ear!

 

[townsbg]

Yes, and that's exactly why I have mine, it goes on holiday/vacation with me. Good enough for some light browsing, but so cheap it's virtually a disposable item. No worries if it got lost/stolen/dropped

They are only qualified for what I call "light" computer use and even then barely. They have hardware decent for XP but not anything later. According to the wikipedia page M$ released a stripped down version of 7 for it. I'm not sure how you would get it now. You might see this: Netbook - Wikipedia

You might try raspberry pi. It is a modern yet small computer with 4gb of ram with usb3. There are kits that include a small screen. Buy a Raspberry Pi 400 Personal Computer Kit – Raspberry Pi

 

[maxseven]

Well, the OP appears to be another One Post Wonder, not having come-back, but in the end he wants to use something he already has.

IMO if all he wants is to surf and email and shop, then revert to XP as it obviously worked well enough at one point.

 

[erpster4]

I have an Acer One Netbook also, though a much newer AMD Athlon II 64-bit, and 2GB RAM. It runs W7HPx64 slow as molasses!

a 64bit OS is never good enough with 2gigs of RAM. need 4Gb of RAM or greater to run an x64 OS effectively
either 2Gb or 3Gb of RAM is fine for 32bit Windows but kinda slow for 64bit Windows

the OP can only run x86/32bit windows OSes as the CPU on the OP's netbook only supports 32bit Windows

 

[townsbg]

Well the browsers on XP are ancient and some website like youtube have moved past them.