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-   -   Linux/Unix Distribution for 16-bit computers or lower? (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-hardware-18/linux-unix-distribution-for-16-bit-computers-or-lower-4175427001/)

suttiwit 09-13-2012 02:18 AM
Linux/Unix Distribution for 16-bit computers or lower?
 
I am just curious, I wonder what Linux/Unix Distribution is not discontinued and can run on 16-bit computers or lower...

John VV 09-13-2012 03:09 AM
16 bit computer and a 8 bit computer
the 70's and 80's calling
the orig BSD2 ( on two real to real tapes )

you might find an old Amega around from the 80's

but not dead ?
i do not think there is any " Linux" that will run on pre 1991 hardware
IBM unix ? or a 20+ year old BSD OS ?

business_kid 09-13-2012 04:52 AM
There was a project to port linux to the 80286. AFAIK, it died without producing much.
You did see this?
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...80286-a-92149/

The 68k cpus from motorola started out as 16 bit; you even had the 68008 - 8 bits of data but 16 bit cpuu (Like the 8088). After 68020(?) you were 32 bit.

There was variants for the early 68000 series processors, but they're not linux, but unix. Definitely not for the faint hearted. I had a look at config files from one(mid 70s). Pre dns, the entire internet was in /etc/hosts. That was about 200k, IIRC :-/.


What's your cpu?

suttiwit 09-13-2012 05:31 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by business_kid (Post 4779227)
There was a project to port linux to the 80286. AFAIK, it died without producing much.
You did see this?
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...80286-a-92149/

The 68k cpus from motorola started out as 16 bit; you even had the 68008 - 8 bits of data but 16 bit cpuu (Like the 8088). After 68020(?) you were 32 bit.

There was variants for the early 68000 series processors, but they're not linux, but unix. Definitely not for the faint hearted. I had a look at config files from one(mid 70s). Pre dns, the entire internet was in /etc/hosts. That was about 200k, IIRC :-/.


What's your cpu?
I don't even need one, I am just curious. I just wanna learn more about Linux, anyways: Intel Core i5, 8 GB Ram, 500 GB HDD, Mint x64.

jefro 09-13-2012 04:30 PM
QNX still runs and you might find an old copy of ATT unix that ran on 286 systems.

Yep, BSD was one of the choices if you had a few weeks to download a single floppy and another two to compile it.

jlinkels 09-13-2012 04:56 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by business_kid (Post 4779227)
There was variants for the early 68000 series processors, but they're not linux, but unix. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
The 68000 was full 32-bits, but had 16 bits address and data bus. The 68020 and higher had a MMU can could run Unix.

The 68000 was of the same generation as the 8086 (and had an 8-bit data bus as 68008 like the 8088) and was a far more superior processor than the 8086. 8 data registers and 8 address registers and a fully orthogonal instruction set.

But as happened many tiem before, the technically inferior solution had been chosen for mass production of the first PC's

jlinkils

cascade9 09-16-2012 06:27 AM
Even if linux was made to run on 16bit CPUs, old 16bit x86 CPUs(8086, 286) wont have enough memory to run any linux distro.

DavidMcCann 09-16-2012 12:10 PM
Minix originally ran on 16-bit systems, I believe, but even that needs a Pentium these days. Incidentally, the first Linux I ever ran was on a Motorola 68060; that was when the top of the range Mac used the 68040!


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