Need a web browser suggestion for SnowLeopard Macbook CoreDuo

[ftaok]

I have an old Macbook CoreDuo. It's maxed out at 2GB RAM and 10.6.8.

Currently, it's being used by my 6 year old 1st grader and for the most part, it's OK. The problem is when he surfs educational websites which still relies on Flash technology. I have the latest versions of Safari, Chrome and Firefox installed and they all choke/don't work on several websites. None have been able to work on all of the sites the teacher have recommended.

Has anyone had better results for an alternative browser? Needs to work on Flash sites, and preferably have parental lockouts (which I had to disable to use Safari).

Thanks!

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

ICab?

 

[theatremusician]

You might investigate installing Windows 10 on it. I know the Core 2 Duos run quite well with Win10 on them.

 

[keysofanxiety]

You might investigate installing Windows 10 on it. I know the Core 2 Duos run quite well with Win10 on them.

I'd recommend W7 instead, the trackpad drivers are impossible to get working on W10.

But yes you're absolutely right, installing Windows is a very good shout. Although the Core Duos don't have much grunt compared to the C2Ds, they still run the latest browsers & W7 well if you throw in an SSD.
[doublepost=1487184067][/doublepost]Oh and @ftaok if you will go down the route of Windows 7, use WSUS Offline after installing the OS: http://download.wsusoffline.net/wsusoffline1091.zip

Otherwise the system will permanently be stuck on 'Checking for Updates' and won't ever retrieve any. Very frustrating!

 

[ftaok]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking W10, but it doesn't work with boot camp on core duos. Need 64-bit and mines a 32.

According to some stuff I read, vista OS the highest I can do, at least via boot camp.
[doublepost=1487205094][/doublepost]I'll take a look at icab

 

[IHelpId10t5]

I have an old Macbook CoreDuo. It's maxed out at 2GB RAM and 10.6.8.

Currently, it's being used by my 6 year old 1st grader and for the most part, it's OK. The problem is when he surfs educational websites which still relies on Flash technology. I have the latest versions of Safari, Chrome and Firefox installed and they all choke/don't work on several websites. None have been able to work on all of the sites the teacher have recommended.

Has anyone had better results for an alternative browser? Needs to work on Flash sites, and preferably have parental lockouts (which I had to disable to use Safari).

Thanks!

I'd make a clone of the drive as a backup and then see if you can turn it into a Chromebook. The Chrome OS is a great OS for old hardware and will work great with modern websites and legacy websites that still use Flash as well:

https://blog.macsales.com/35484-tech-tip-turn-an-old-mac-into-a-chromebook

 

[brujaz]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking W10, but it doesn't work with boot camp on core duos. Need 64-bit and mines a 32.

According to some stuff I read, vista OS the highest I can do, at least via boot camp.
[doublepost=1487205094][/doublepost]I'll take a look at icab

It takes a little work but you can get the 32-bit version of Windows 10 to run on a Core Duo Mac. I actually have an original 2006 Macbook that dual boots Snow Leopard and Windows 10.

 

[ftaok]

I'd make a clone of the drive as a backup and then see if you can turn it into a Chromebook. The Chrome OS is a great OS for old hardware and will work great with modern websites and legacy websites that still use Flash as well:

https://blog.macsales.com/35484-tech-tip-turn-an-old-mac-into-a-chromebook

That's a decent idea, but that link you sent didn't list my CoreDuo Macbook. Might have to dive deeper.

It takes a little work but you can get the 32-bit version of Windows 10 to run on a Core Duo Mac. I actually have an original 2006 Macbook that dual boots Snow Leopard and Windows 10.

Might be another good idea too.

 

[theatremusician]

It takes a little work but you can get the 32-bit version of Windows 10 to run on a Core Duo Mac. I actually have an original 2006 Macbook that dual boots Snow Leopard and Windows 10.

Where did you find instructions for installing Win10?

 

[presenta]

The main problem with older browsers is that they don't support TLS v1.2 and many HTTPS sites will not work with them. The only browser that I found to support TLS v1.2 on Leopard is Opera 12.16. On Snow Leopard there are more browsers, but Safari is not among them.

Here is a list of browsers that support TLS v1.2: Opera 12.16+ (also Opera 26), Firefox v27+, Chrome v30+, Safari v7+ (macOS 10.9+), iOS v5+ iPhone/iPad, Internet Explorer v8+. You can test your browser here:
https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html

So you may try Opera 12.16 or Chromium based Opera 26. All Opera versions are available at:
ftp://ftp.opera.com/pub/opera/ (see "desktop" for Chromium based versions or "mac" folder for Presto based versions)

On your machine you may try VirtualBox v4 (or VMWare v2) with Ubuntu or Windows XP. With your 2GB of RAM just avoid Vista and Windows 10 at all cost. You have to limit the Windows to 512MB-768MB of virtual RAM. This combination (VMWare+Windows XP) works almost fine, but you have to limit the number of started apps.

 

[ftaok]

Just to update this thread with what I ultimately ended up doing. I punted.

Instead of messing with browsers and Chromium projects, I said screw it. Bought a refurbished 2010 MacBook 7,1 from Microcenter (C2D 2.4/2/250). It came with El Capitan installed and to be honest, was very slow. Almost felt like a mistake to buy such an old Mac.

So I took the old SSD from the MacBook 1,1 and put that into the MB 7,1. Loaded Mavericks onto it and WOW! It flies. Not sure if it's the SSD or the less demanding Mavericks, but whatever it was, it's very fast. Much faster than the MacBook 1,1 on Snow Leopard.

Aside - before I did a clean install of Mavericks, I booted up the MacBook 7,1 using the Snow Leopard install for the 1,1. It worked fine and Snow Leopard was very snappy on the C2D.

Anyways, I'll probably put another $60 to upgrade the RAM to 8GB and upgrade from Mavericks when they stop supporting it.

Maybe I'll play around with the MacBook 1,1 when I get some free time.

 

[serr]

Anyone ever find an answer here?
I have a friend with a Macbook Pro 1,1 running 10.6.8 who just got scolded by her bank webpage to upgrade a week ago.

This core duo machine needs 32 bit software. OSX 10.6.8 is the newest OSX it supports.

I tried Opera mentioned above...
Opera 26 is 64 bit. No dice there. (Or is there a 32 bit version I didn't see?)
Opera 12.16 doesn't appear to be supported anymore at this time (doesn't even load the webpage in question).

Any recommendations?

If OSX is just going to be no go...
Any Linux recommendations and whatever browsers are available for that?
I'm still not up to speed with Linux... I'll be moving that way as OSX ceases to exist but I'm not there yet.
So... any hand holding with a Linux install recommendation and browser options would be welcome!


Better - a browser for 32 bit OSX 10.6.8!

Thanks!