The longest you've ever used a single system?

[brethin]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I still run a 8088 system I use it now and then for really old hardware testing isa cards.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

more and more Linux distributions kill off x86 support. And given that the i486 architecture is on the chopping block, chances are, i586 is likely not far behind.

X86, per-se, isn't a dead architecture, because AMD introduced X86-64 and Intel introduced EMT 64. But, of course, the original X86 arch, will get killed off, most notably i386, i486 and i586. Heck I think i686 is getting killed off too in the Linux distro world. Yes, soon, we'll only have X86-64 and EMT 64. (Intel's X86 with 64-bit capability)

[eccerr0r]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

Do we count "new to me" systems? I'm still running S775 machines 24/7.

Had a 64-bit P4 owned from new in lineup semi kept up to date though not powered up all the time up until earlier this year where I disassembled it.

Still have a 32-bit P4 and Athlon XP set up in cases, complete and ready for use, but is not in the active lineup. The P4 is stable but the Athlon is not.

My slowest machine still in service: Yes I'm still using a 32-bit Atom N270 netbook and its software is still being kept up to date, still running Firefox. Running Linux on it, and as expected, it's really sluggish, though it still works for what I need it to do. Thank goodness there are still websites that haven't gone loco with javascript.

[Phaihn]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

My current system i have been running since 2014.

So far i think my i7 system is almost as old as my pentium 4 was. That had since 2004 used till around 2010.

[TechGeek]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

Figured I'd kick in a few other systems here.

Every one of my primary Tech Room systems (except for my APCUPSD server) have been in continuous service since December 2017. The APCUPSD server went out of service in September of 2018 and was out of service between then and June 2020 because I didn't have a UPS to attach to that system.

The firewall system is really showing it's age at this point. It's an excellent little machine for what it is (Advantech UNO-3072LA w/ Intel Atom N270), but it's time is running out as more and more Linux distributions kill off x86 support. And given that the i486 architecture is on the chopping block, chances are, i586 is likely not far behind. Either way, it's slated for replacement sometime this year. It was previously used in a hospital lab from 2009 through 2017 when I got it.

The Main Office Computer sports an AMD FX-series CPU and is beginning to show it's age. But an upgrade to 8GB of DDR3 will certainly keep it going a few more years, especially considering it has a 64-bit CPU. But when time gets ahold of it on 8GB DDR3, that will mark the end of that system's service life.

My main computer is also just starting to show it's age, especially with the CPU. It's still got a few years of service life left in it for me, and even past then, it would make a good workstation/gaming/video editing system for someone else who's just starting off.

Some updates to the above systems:
Advantech UNO-3072LA: Permanently retired. See HERE for that thread.
Main Office Computer: Retired. Replaced with another AMD-based HP system from 2012-ish. Bumped the RAM to 8GB and swapped the HDD from the old system over and it's much faster now.
Main Computer: CPU OC'd to 4.6GHz.

[SluggerB]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I'm typing this from my main PC which is a 2009 Athlon/AMD770 build.

It's kinda the PC of Theseus by now with a only the motherboard, Case, and CPU cooler surviving from the original build. But it does everything I need it to just fine.

[bigbeark]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

My wife's last Desktop was an MDG (Clone) with an Intel 775 P4 motherboard and a very slow Celeron FSB400 one-core CPU. This was bought in 2005 I think. It was in use til about 2013, when she got a Dell Laptop. I still have the case which has a Windows Media Center Edition 2005 Sticker on it.

I took the Intel motherboard out and put into an old black metal mini-tower Dell case which had a Socket 478 Dell motherboard that had died. I added the fastest socket 775 P4HT CPU I could find. This board would not take Core2. I gave this machine, keyboard and Monitor to a friend whose mom needed a computer. Last time I heard it was still working.

I'm using the MDG case with a CORE 2 8400 on an Intel DG33FB motherboard right now!

[ratdude747]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I'd take one just to have it.

I'll work it out with you then. The "Royal" image also has 3Ware drivers (up to the 9650?) slipped as well (and maybe a fakeraid driver too?) since back then, that's what I was using them with (9500 and 9550 cards in particular) and futzing with flash drives got old.

[Topcat]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I have SP3 images for XP Pro (both Dell SLIC (OEM) and "Royal" for pre-SP2 COA stickers) on my server. If you want copies, let me know. Pretty much never use them any more...

I'd take one just to have it.

[ratdude747]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I totally forgot about that one....I'm rusty! I dont connect an XP system to a live network until SP3 installed. I guess I need to slipstream it into an ISO some day....but I use it so seldom anymore...

I have SP3 images for XP Pro (both Dell SLIC (OEM) and "Royal" for pre-SP2 COA stickers) on my server. If you want copies, let me know. Pretty much never use them any more...

[donnie0511]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

my video editing system i got in 2012 built in 2006 i have personally put 9 years on the C drive runs 24x7

[Per Hansson]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

As did I....and I still remember my W2K key.

Haha, me too

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I've seen a lot of trashed 7 and 10 PCs with locked files/accounts from people downloading/viewing stupid crap.

I saw similar with pre-7!

[Topcat]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

...I even had memorized the 25-character key on my XP VLK CD!

As did I....and I still remember my W2K key.

[momaka]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

I totally forgot about that one....I'm rusty! I dont connect an XP system to a live network until SP3 installed.

Yeah, same - no internet until all patches (for SP2) or SP3 is installed and junk services turned off.

I guess I need to slipstream it into an ISO some day....but I use it so seldom anymore...

I did that last year, but I still use my XP SP2 CD more for some reason.
And on that note, I too haven't done a whole lot of XP installs this year (actually, maybe only a few - and they were all temporary setups to test hardware.) I did a lot more Win7 ones, though. A few years back, it used to be the opposite - so much that I even had memorized the 25-character key on my XP VLK CD!

[Topcat]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

...that will still get you the DownAdUp worm infection even today, usually within hours of connecting your PC online - even with firewall....

I totally forgot about that one....I'm rusty! I dont connect an XP system to a live network until SP3 installed. I guess I need to slipstream it into an ISO some day....but I use it so seldom anymore...

[momaka]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

LOL...SP3 isnt much better these days.... You have to know how to keep it safe manually....

Well, not quite.
SP1 and base version SP2 have a vulnerability that will still get you the DownAdUp worm infection even today, usually within hours of connecting your PC online - even with firewall.

That said, there is a standalone patch for SP2 that can be installed to mend this security hole (KB958644.) But you will also need Windows Installer 3.0 for it (KB893803.)

SP3 already includes the above patches, so at least that takes care of those.

So you can run SP2 with the above patches or SP3, and at least the machine won't get instantly auto-infected online. Now add hardware firewall, disable Remote Assistance and DNS service, and add a good updated HOSTS file. These will keep XP relatively safe... for what it's worth anyways.

In the end, it all comes down to surfing habits. Visit any shady sites and it won't matter what OS you have that much. I've seen a lot of trashed 7 and 10 PCs with locked files/accounts from people downloading/viewing stupid crap.

[Logix_UK]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

HI, I had a 2010 MacBook Pro 13" for 10 years and only replaced it because it would not go further than High Sierra. Opinions vary but for me this sealed the Mac deal and I will never be a PC user again based on this experience.

[eccerr0r]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

Still running Gentoo on my 32-bit N270 Atom netbook... and yes I'm still using this machine including keeping it up to date!

[Topcat]

Re: The longest you've ever used a single system?

SP1, is grossly out-of-date! You needed SP3!

LOL...SP3 isnt much better these days.... You have to know how to keep it safe manually....