Could Installing Linux Fix My Old Laptop That’s Shutting Down?

Installing Linux could absolutely help if the issue is related to the operating system. I’d recommend trying a distribution like Puppy Linux; it’s designed for older hardware. Just keep in mind that if there are underlying hardware problems like overheating or a failing battery, Linux won't magically fix those.

If you can, consider upgrading the RAM to at least 4 GB if possible—that’ll open up your options significantly for distributions like Fedora with XFCE. But honestly, if it's a hardware issue, installing Linux won’t resolve that.

It really depends on what's causing the shutdowns. If it’s a hardware issue, like a failing battery, Linux won’t fix that. But if it’s software-related, then it might be worth a shot! Just make sure to try a lightweight distribution since your RAM is quite low.

Yeah, you’ll definitely want a lightweight distro. Antix or Lubuntu might work well. With only 1 or 2 GB of RAM, anything too heavy will just slow things down to a crawl. But if it's shutting down because of hardware, then Linux won’t help much. You might want to check the battery and see if it’s the real issue.

I had a similar situation, and running a lightweight distro helped me a lot! But remember, check hardware issues first—if the laptop is shutting down randomly, it might be overheating or something else is wrong. Try booting from a live USB first; if it stays on, you might be in luck!