Best distro for low end machine

BEn_2600+ · 23 Oct 2007 at 11:31

Ive got a low end computer:

P2 400MHz
48MB RAM
2GB HDD(I think)
DVD Rom
Onboard graphics, will have something like 4mb memory

Whats the best distro for the above box? I dont want a text based version( The ones that look like DOS) because they scare me, so which is the best GUI version

Thanks, BEn

Sorry if i sound nooby

SiriusB · 23 Oct 2007 at 11:42

You could try Xubuntu. It has been designed to run on low-end machines.

You can download the Live CD from here http://www.xubuntu.org/ [the Live CD will also allow you to install it properly too, so you can try before you erm... install?

]

The latest version has just been released too, so will be spiffy

BEn_2600+ · 23 Oct 2007 at 11:46

SiriusB said:
You could try Xubuntu. It has been designed to run on low-end machines.

You can download the Live CD from here http://www.xubuntu.org/ [the Live CD will also allow you to install it properly too, so you can try before you erm... install? ]

The latest version has just been released too, so will be spiffy

Cheers Sirius, will give it a go

PhilGQ · 23 Oct 2007 at 13:15

If you don't have any luck with that, try Puppy linux, i have run it on a 233 Mhz before. The live session took ages too boot though. Once loaded it it kinda reminds me of Windows 95. You can install it to the hard drive from there.

Its been a while since I did it and at that time you needed two partitions on your hard drive because the live session caches onto one. So can't install on to it. You also can't partition that drive when it is in use.

If possible it is best to partition it before hand.

Puppy will boot into ram for the live session but with only 48MB it may not be up to it.
I can't remember what I did specifically but I think, I used my 512mb usb drive. The live session cached on this and left, hard drive unused so I could install onto it.

If you can I would stick the hard disk into a modern machine and format it as two 1GB partitions first.

gumbald · 23 Oct 2007 at 14:01

Damn Small would also work: www.damnsmalllinux.org

If you can possibly increase the RAM with some old sticks, you'll notice a huge difference.

Rich43 · 23 Oct 2007 at 15:15

cpu power isnt the limiting factor, its the memory. Ideally you should have at least 128MB of ram to use Xubuntu. There are other distros including damn small linux and puppy linux that will run with less memory because they use a older kernel and a even more lightweight gui. Oh yes, a linux swap partition on a usb drive would be a great idea.