Minimum computer size to run Lightburn

Community Laser Talk
1

I’ve searched the forum for about half an hour and can’t find any computer specs for running LightBurn. I have an old small Gateway laptop that needs a battery but other than that it works.

It has Windows Vista Home Premium, CPU speed of 1.20 GHz and 1.00 great big ole GB of Ram.

I’ve seen a post somewhere in the forum about this but just can’t seem to locate that. I just don’t want to put $58 into a new battery and find out the computer won’t do the job.

It’s got a 12" screen so it would be easy to take out to my shop.

I know it’s a Holiday weekend so no rush on any help.

Happy New Year to all and be safe.

2

Install the trial and give it a try. Probably good enough.

1 Like
3

There is a YouTube streamer named Samcraft https://youtube.com/@Samcraftcom that uses Lightburn for his engraving on a tablet that is very cost effective.

It also comes with the latest Windows operating system.

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Cheers and Happy New Year :partying_face: :clinking_glasses:

Sas

4

Thanks, I’ll give that a try.

5

I hadn’t though about a tablet. I have seen some of his videos. Thanks.

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6

Lightburn is supposed to run on limited resource computers. I used it on an old 2 core laptop and it ran fine…

You are running Vista Windows… if anything is a problem it’s the os… :face_with_spiral_eyes:

If your laptop still works with the charger, put the trial version on it and see if it’s too slow for you…

This will let you know if you can get away with the battery replacement.

Good luck

:smile_cat:

7

I think Vista was a big mistake on Microsoft’s end. I’ve never talked to anyone who liked that OS. I am going to try the trial version on the computer today and see what happens. Thanks.

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8

Please report back on how it works out…

Good luck

:smile_cat:

9

I can boot up the computer but I think the CMOS battery is dead. I’ll get one and see if that fixes the issue so I can download the trial version. I will come back and let everyone know whether this computer will work with LightBurn.

10

Got the CMOS battery and that fixed the date and time issue. Now I have to create an Internet connection So I guess it’s time to create a network. I don’t really want to do that but I guess I might as well. I’ll come back and update soon. (I hope.)

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11

Well, now I keep getting the ‘Your clock is ahead’ error which prevents me from even getting to anywhere on the internet. At least I’m only out $7+ for a CMOS battery. I’m sorry but I think I’ve put enough time into this ‘old’ computer. I did get WiFi hooked up, hoorah.

If anyone has any ideas let me know and I’ll try.

Thanks,
Ernie

12

You can set the time in Windows even without a CMOS battery. It just won’t retain the values at reboot.

Set the time manually or see if the Internet time update is still active.

Some information here on how to do it if you’re not familiar:
Dealing With Windows Vista Time Sync Problems (howtogeek.com)

EDIT - note that Windows 7 is the lowest officially supported version of Windows. I suspect it could still work but be aware.

1 Like
13

I think it’s a Vista thing but I will give your suggestion and see what happens.
Thanks,
Ernie

14

I tried the time thing and get the same results. When I get online and try to go to Lightburn to download the trial it gives me the message about my time being ahead.

I think I’ll just stop trying to save a few bucks by using this old ancient piece of hardware.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and help,
Ernie

15

You can find older quad core laptops for $50. I have a college surplus down the street that I buy all kinds of older equipment for pennies on the dollar. My main LB computer is a Dell dual cpu server with 64GB of ram that I picked up for $35!

16

Go get Ubuntu and see how it works on your laptop… It’s free and I run Lightburn on mine… I’ve run some version of Linux for over a decade and a half …

Only investment is time…

Have fun…

:smile_cat:

1 Like
17

The short version is that LightBurn will run on most things. If you have complex designs they’ll take longer to generate the machine data if you use a slow computer, and complex operations like offsetting (or offset fill) can take significant time if the file is complicated. For most things, even a $100 MiniPC from Amazon will work.

18

I actually have ubuntu on a USB stick.

19

Doesn’t help much it being on the stick… :rofl:

:smile_cat:

20

And this Vista computer seems to take forever to load compared to my msi laptop that just went belly up after 18 months. I think I will do some shopping around and see what I can find. The Fusion5 tablet looks good but I want to shop a little first.