Performance on older machines?

[Callum]

Has anybody experimented with using Windows 10 on workstations yet? We're currently considering completely redoing the domain and upgrading to Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10. One of the issues we may face is that a fair portion of the workstations are over 5 years old, and run on Core 2 Duo (if I recall) processors. They currently run Windows 7...just about. Logging in takes a few minutes, and tasks such as opening SIMS/IE/Office takes half a minute or so.

 

So I was wondering if anybody has any observations about the performance of Windows 10 on older hardware. Is the OS optimised in such cases, or will the workstations just run even slower? Is 'Tablet Mode' anything worth looking into?

 

Also is logging in on a domain any faster than it is with Windows 7? Our users are constantly complaining that logging in takes forever; though we have found that replacing HDDs with SSDs massively improves the time it takes.

[LeMarchand]

Can't remember all the models, but I have W10x64 running well on the following (all with 4GB RAM):

 

Old Dell Optiplex

Dell 1545 laptop

Old Acer laptop

 

None have SSDs and login time is OK, but I'm the sole user. Some of the drivers were a bit of a PITA to find, though. The Optiplex in particular has an ancient GFX card in it. Will post models/processors when I'm in next (Tues/Weds) but I reckon it's worth testing, particularly if you can afford the SSDs and RAM.

[mikeprice]

I will also need to do this at some point - some of our older machines still run absolutely fine on Win 7 Ent on 2 Gb with 40 G hard drive- but they are so old they still have floppy drives in them so the drivers for these may have been quite low on the priority list for Win 10

 

And being a Primary School - loads of the software was written by Moses so that is likely to be interesting as well!

 

So if anyone else has experiences any hints would be gratefully received!!

[Callum]

Can't remember all the models, but I have W10x64 running well on the following (all with 4GB RAM):

 

Old Dell Optiplex

Dell 1545 laptop

Old Acer laptop

 

None have SSDs and login time is OK, but I'm the sole user. Some of the drivers were a bit of a PITA to find, though. The Optiplex in particular has an ancient GFX card in it. Will post models/processors when I'm in next (Tues/Weds) but I reckon it's worth testing, particularly if you can afford the SSDs and RAM.

 

I'm pretty sure we have 4 GB RAM across the board, even on the oldest machines. However we don't really have any money for upgrading HDDs.

[rich_tech]

I have it on an old Dell Netbook at our school with 2GB ram and there isn't any noticeable slowness using it compared to my office PC.

[cybergoldfish]

I've got a personal laptop running Windows 10 just fine on a Pentium T4200 Dual Core and 4GB RAM. It's a bit slow when you try to multitask on it, but for web browsing and office it's perfectly fine.

 

If the machines ran 7 OK, then they should be fine with 10.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

I've tested 64 bit Windows 10 on a HP DC7700 with 3.2GHz Pentium Dual Core & 4GB RAM. Once it's loaded it actually copes rather well with the demands.

[Oaktech]

I've tested 64 bit Windows 10 on a HP DC7700 with 3.2GHz Pentium Dual Core & 4GB RAM. Once it's loaded it actually copes rather well with the demands.

 

I can confirm that it also works acceptably on ICTDirect_Dave's Lenovo M58 4gb core2duo offerings using a combination of genuine intel drivers, and lenovo sccm windows 8 x64 drivers

 

In the case of the M58, there are no undetected devices after a windows 10 dvd build, however the network card will not WOL and requires the full intel driver pack. the Intel ME engine also requires the genuine intel drivers to detect as anything other than 'simple communication device' The performance from the graphics card and sata devices is pretty poor until the windows 8 drivers are applied to those components. That could also be done with the Genuine Intel chipset and graphics drivers as well, but I found it easier to put the sccm drivers on a stick.

[LeMarchand]

Update on the 2 old laptops:

 

Dell Inspiron 1545 Pentium Dual Core T4400 2.2GHz

Acer 5736Z Pentium Dual Core T4500 2.3GHz

[LeMarchand]

...and the tower is:

 

Dell Optiplex 740 AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4800+ 2500 Mhz

 

The only problem I have with it is that it rarely boots properly 1st thing in the morning. I either get a black or corrupt display and have to hard power down. I put this down to the ancient NVIDIA Quadro FX 550 card it's using. This was the best card in the school (!) and I'm reluctant to put in my old card from home.

[mikeprice]

Has anyone tried it with anything as low as a Celeron 1.8GHz with 2 GB??

We have several of these and the just work

 

we wouldn't necessarily need the floppy drive to work though

[Oaktech]

Has anyone tried it with anything as low as a Celeron 1.8GHz with 2 GB??

We have several of these and the just work

 

we wouldn't necessarily need the floppy drive to work though

 

Yes HP550. It's quicker to boot than 7, but as soon as you ask more than internet explorer with it it gets really sluggish. Forget using anything but one windows of Word.

[abillybob]

If Microsoft thinks it'll run find on the Atom processor and 2GB Ram in their Surface 3 tablet, I don't think you'll have a problem.

[LeMarchand]

I will also need to do this at some point - some of our older machines still run absolutely fine on Win 7 Ent on 2 Gb with 40 G hard drive- but they are so old they still have floppy drives in them so the drivers for these may have been quite low on the priority list for Win 10

 

And being a Primary School - loads of the software was written by Moses so that is likely to be interesting as well!

 

So if anyone else has experiences any hints would be gratefully received!!

 

Drivers: have got most things to work with Vista (or later) drivers.

 

Software: Not too many problems on 32 bit. Most 16 bit software wouldn't work on 64 bit. Personally, I'd see it as a good chance to get rid of some of the rubbish!