what linux distribution should I use?

[Barfo]

I want to try Linux on an old computer (PIII 1GHZ, 128 RAM) but I'm clueless as to what distribution to use, I heard you can run Linux on 486s so I must be using the wrong one cause I installed Ubuntu and it's slow, to the point of being unusable.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[drag]

It's becuase it's using a full on Gnome desktop. A linux distro that will run fine on a 486 isn't going to be full featured like that. You'd probably just have a command line only interface.

Try Xubuntu. It's Ubuntu with a XFCE desktop environment and should be much better on older computers. Ubuntu with Gnome has requirements similar to XP. But XFCE is more basic and is specificly designed to be fast.

If that still isn't good enough then you can slim it down further by using 'fluxbox' instead of XFCE.

Of course if you can get another 128megs of ram in there then it will help you out a lot.

 

[oynaz]

Yeah, I run Ubuntu fine on 1ghz P3 256 mb RAM

 

[SleepWalkerX]

I second Xubuntu. Give that a try, if your pc can't run that then you can always resort to DamnSmallLinux or other various light weight distributions.

 

[Sunner]

You won't be running a productive desktop with 128 MB of RAM, that's pretty much a fact, unless you're satisfied with the most basic of functions.
A smallish webserver, fileserver, etc, won't be a problem at all with even 64 MB of RAM though.

 

[logicmaster2003]

for your RAM of 128MB.. i would suggest Austrumi from latvia..
http://cyti.latgola.lv/ruuni/index_en.html

I recently installed these (one after another) on my sister's 800 mhz / 128MB machine..
* DSL -- too ugly for her
* beatrix -- too simple for her
* slax standard edition -- usable, but not so good-looking
* xubuntu -- usable, not so good-looking, slower than slax

and last week I installed Austrumi.. its a LIVE-CD thats only 50MB with Enlightenment !!! It also allows you to Install to harddisk.... I did that and she looooooooooooooves the look and feel of it !!! The only thing thats missing in this linux distro is.. GAIM.

I have also installed this on my P1.6 / 128MB laptop and for the first time, my harddisk is not spinning as much, and my cpu resources isnt staying above 90% .. it often stays around 3%

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I suggest InstallMoreRAM v1.0 ... as Sunner mentioned, for a productive desktop you really need more, at least 256MB but preferably 512MB.

And as Sunner also mentioned:

Please, stop listing your whole damn rig in the sig, AT System Rig profiles exist for a reason!!!

IllogicMaster, I'm looking at you.

- M4H

 

[logicmaster2003]

oh oh sorry about the signature. Cuz when I joined this forum.. my primary objective is to just read/reply on the Overclocker section.. and they suggested that i list my rigs under my Signature. But I am now more interested in this forum so I guess I'll get rid of my signature.. cuz it is long

Thanks for bringing it up

 

[daniel49]

try underground desktop . runs ok on my pentium 2

 

[br0adband]

www.xubuntu.org

or...

www.zenwalk.org

Either one should practically fly on that machine with a bit of tuning.

bb