AMD AM486 DX2-66 (Windows Compatible)

Astrotrain · 09-26-2004, 07:15 PM

Hey, I got an old Compaq Persario CDS 294, I took out the 486 about a month or two ago and it says 'Windows Compatible' it.. Would I be able to run a Linux distro on it?

its a AM486 DX2-66

Thanks

Astrotrain

Astrotrain · 09-26-2004, 07:26 PM

Oh and do old distros have things like KDE and GNOME? Thanks.

sether · 09-26-2004, 07:46 PM

yes, linux can run on 486s. with regard to your second question check out the other thread you started.

maroonbaboon · 09-26-2004, 08:02 PM

Instead of looking for ancient versions of KDE or Gnome, you would be better off with a modern, lightweight distro. See e.g. review of vectorlinux

http://lwn.net/Articles/32058/

sether · 09-26-2004, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by maroonbaboon
Instead of looking for ancient versions of KDE or Gnome, you would be better off with a modern, lightweight distro. See e.g. review of vectorlinux

http://lwn.net/Articles/32058/

from vectorlinux's website:

Quote:

The minimum hardware requirements to run VectorLinux 4.3 are a 166 MHz Pentium class processor with 32 MB of RAM memory, and just 850 MB of hard disc space (*).

from slackware's website:

Quote:

Slackware Linux doesn't require an extremely powerful system to run (though having one is quite nice

. It will run on systems as far back as the 386. Below is a list of minimum system requirements needed to install and run Slackware.

* 386 processor
* 16MB RAM
* 50 megabytes of hard disk space
* 3.5" floppy drive

maroonbaboon · 09-26-2004, 08:09 PM

I just about to retract my post, but you beat me to it. Here is an interesting 486 link tho'

http://www.ipt.ntnu.no/~knutb/linux486/linux486.html

darthtux · 09-26-2004, 08:09 PM

Please don't post the same question more than once.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/rules.php

sether · 09-26-2004, 08:33 PM

maroonbaboon: nice link

Astrotrain: if you want to be adventurous, try out FreeBSD. i know it supports your cpu at least. from the FreeBSD website:

Quote:

All i386-compatible AMD processors are also supported, including the Am486, Am5x86, K5, K6 (and variants), Athlon (including Athlon-MP, Athlon-XP, Athlon-4, and Athlon Thunderbird), and Duron processors.

and that's for 5.2.1. i didn't check their older versions, and i didn't check out all of the *BSDs. i'm sure there's one that could handle your box even better, so if you're interested in that, do some research into *BSDs.

maroonbaboon · 09-26-2004, 08:56 PM

The 486 link was a bit old. Here is a report of a Linux desktop on a 486SX 33MHz...

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/486.html