i've recently discovered a youtube channel with content a LOT like this and i wish i could find it in my subscriptions list to share it with you here.
i subscribed because they got an ancient but serviceable packard bell and upgraded is as far as it could go into windows me or 98 (i forget which) and then test drove it as a daily driver using a light weight linux distribution with the internet now.
i've been a youtube user for over 20 years and my subscription list is in dire need of curation and i only have 15ish minutes before the build results are available so bump up this post if any of what i just described sounds appealing to you and i can look it up.