lightweight linux for old laptop
 

I am attempting to install linux on an old laptop (Toshiba satellite pro 435 cds)
It has 48 mb of RAM and 1.24 gb hard drive.
It will be used for browsing the web and word processing (OpenOffice)
I need a lightweight linux. Any suggestions?

I have tried:
Debian (crash)
Kubuntu (crash)
use 9.2 (installed but no graphics)
Slackware 10.2 (needs more disk space)

Debian needs 32Mb RAM and max 150Mb hard drive, so you are in the requirements
For Xwindow and basic stuff you will get 400Mb more.

OpenOffice with 48Mb RAM?? Poor guy who's gonna use this box, if it ever starts X

Abiword would be a better choice over openoffice, but with 48mb ram even that will have a problem. On a much better machine (128mb ram 450Mhz PIII) it takes 1 minutes and 22 seconds to load openoffice(I timed it). Slackware seems like a good choice; the requirements for a minimal install fit what you need. If you want something even smaller, I suggest going to http://www.linux.org, go to distributions, and select minimalist.

thanks for the advice form both of you.
the laptop originally had win 98 on it, with MS Word.
I didn't think installing linux on it would be a problem.
I guess Open Office takes more memory than MS Office.

Zenwalk 2.4 (Slackware based, small, fast, stable) with Abiword or Leafpad could be worth to give it a try ...

Fluxx.

You could give puppy linux or DSL a try...

I use a similar machine: Dell P100 with 40meg of ram (maximum that it will take). I use Vector Linux Standard, version 4.3. There is a good chance that Standard version 5.1 will work too. Use Abiword, and for spreadsheets use Gnumeric. Go here:

www.vectorlinux.com

Dsl !!! Ftw
 

Check out Damn Small Linux !! It's frekin' aawsome, I'm currently running it on this crusty old dell latitude pII 400mhz 64mb ram and a 2.3 gig drive it's great once you get the feel for the fluxbox window manager... and it's based on debian so you can use apt-get and also the MyDsl service to install apps.. I highly recommend it !!

The full install only takes up 300meg!!

www.damnsmalllinux.org

I will also suggest Damn Small. The system is running on my 800 MHz PII with 64 Mb RAM FLawlessly. I have XP on there, but rarely boot it at all. The speed is just too slow. If you want another (admittedly more complex) system - try Arch with something like fluxbox or blackbox installed.

Hi,

I would suggest Slackware 10.2. You have enough space to do a good minimal install. I use a Gateway SOLO 2500 PII with Slackware 10.2 and XFCE4, no problems. The old girl took some tweaking but well worth the time.