With what minimum amount of RAM have you successfuly installed some linux distro? And wich distro was it?
Of course, I am refering to a console installation with few basic services, nothing fancy.
I will try to install Gentoo on some AMD 133Mhz with 16MB RAM.

Gentoo min requirement is 64 MB. I would try slackware.

Well, some users on Gentoo forum said that they've successfuly installed an usable gentoo on a 32MB machine.

8MB - BasicLinux. And not just console - I actually got X to load.

Only thing I've ever installed Gentoo on is this box, with 512MB.

You can go as low as 4, though. I don't know of anything that will install in less than that at this point, at least.

No reason why you shouldn't do Gentoo in 32 if you've got a *lot* of time. I've got another Slack10 on a 32MB box.

Any Linux distribution will do but you have to gut some of them to make them function on a system with small memory capacity. Though AMD 133 MHz tells me or others nothing about your system because there is no such thing. In the x86 world, you have to worry about intruction architecture when dealing with obsolete systems. To be safe you can pick a distribution that is compiled for an i486 (80486). Slackware's pre-compile packages are compiled for an i486.

If your system supports EDO RAM (72-pin SIMMS) or Fast Page RAM (72-pin SIMMS) and you can try to install up to 128 MB, you can try to find some at memory stores.

Sorry for the impreciseness . It's the AMD Am5x86 133 Mhz CPU, with appropriate motherboard (no idea which one) and 16MB of EDO RAM. The rest of it is irrelevant.

As for the amount of memory, i would rather throw the whole thing in garbage, than go and search for more compatible memory. It's a waste of time.

I had Debian on 16 MB box. Had no X and no problems.

running a trimmed down version of 2.4.26 (Slackware) on a 486-66

This box is my NAT router, firewall, and it works geat. Best of all
is that it runs without a monitor or keyboard.

Sometimes a old box is perfect.