Linux for an old Pentium 120MHz machine with 8MB Ram and 1.4GB hard

vhasun · 05-04-2006, 01:43 AM

Hi,
I got an old Pentium 120MHz machine with 8MB RAM and 1.4GB hard.

I wanna make a dual boot system with windows 98 and some sort of Linux.
Is this possible?

I'v tried with some new distributions... they all seem to hangup during initial boot.

What distribution shud i go for? and where can i download it from?

Help me.............

REgards
vhasun.

ag2uki · 05-04-2006, 05:29 AM

try to use Damn Small Linux.
That's cool.

michaelk · 05-04-2006, 06:35 AM

8MB of RAM is extremely small these days. Most of the major distributions recommend at least 192MB if you want to run a GUI.

http://distrowatch.com/search.php?ca...&status=Active

IceChant · 05-04-2006, 03:46 PM

Slackware will work.

2damncommon · 05-04-2006, 09:04 PM

Quote:

8MB RAM

No current distribution.

vhasun · 05-05-2006, 01:59 AM

I tries puppy linux, didnt work. Downloading Damn Small Linux today...

I dont really need a GUI, but want all the kernel sources availble.

Any more suggestions?

vhasun

IceChant · 05-05-2006, 02:58 AM

Vector might work too.

orange400 · 05-05-2006, 05:56 AM

Check out DeLi

There's also an X server out there called TinyX, that might be useful.

When I boot to DSL via hard drive, I use about 5MB RAM initially with the Fluxbox window manager running. JWM might be useful too.

I think you could get that machine running a GUI fairly dependably if you really tried. Just watch out about that RAM ... it might cache like a bank :P

On the other hand, windows 95 will run very well on that machine.

halo14 · 05-05-2006, 09:43 AM

You should be able to use NetBSD without too much trouble

vhasun · 05-07-2006, 11:43 AM

The 'current' directory of DSL seem to hav more than one iso.
Which one is more likely to work?

Are iso images available (ready to burn) for slackware?
Otherwise how can we build one?

ctkroeker · 05-07-2006, 01:36 PM

Well, Don't expect to run any GUI, but almost any distro will work if you don't install a GUI, i.e. Debian, Slackware, Ubuntu, Vector, etc.

Emerson · 05-07-2006, 03:36 PM

I believe your local geek may have some spare old memory modules. Shouldn't be too hard to obtain some. With 4x8=32 MB of RAM this computer is going to get a new life.

Edit: You may even find some 16 MB SIMM's.

vhasun · 05-08-2006, 11:04 AM

I'v managed to find some more memmory modules, just to bring up to 16MB.
Also upgraded to a 4.3GB HD.

I'v inslalled Red Hat 7, seems OK

only the X systemis a bit slow.

Thanx for all the suggestions.

halo14 · 05-08-2006, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vhasun

I'v managed to find some more memmory modules, just to bring up to 16MB.
Also upgraded to a 4.3GB HD.

I'v inslalled Red Hat 7, seems OK

only the X systemis a bit slow.

Thanx for all the suggestions.

That's cool, glad you found something useful (i guess that's relative :P)

Just be aware that Red Hat 7 is unsupported.. and has beenf or quite some time... riddles with security holes... You would do better to try NetBSD 3.0 on there.. but if you still rather unfamiliar with *nix, that may not be a good option for you.