i was wondering what linux distro would be good for my pc with 266mhz,160ram,8mb video card,and 2 hd's.iam running windows xp home,and its pretty damn slow on it.i also have comcast hsi,and need something that has support for cable modems.thanks

What are you going to use it as? A server or as a desktop computer?

http://www.linuxquestions.org/reviews/index.php?cat=2
www.distrowatch.com
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...der=descending

Those 3 will give you a lot of information on just this subject.

You could install Mandrake 10.0 (10.1 is shit) (the easiest in my eyes only)
Fedora Core 3 (its the old Red Hat open source)
Ubuntu (Ive not tested it)

Just to knows that there is many GUI (Graphic User Interface), and somes are very fast, and other are like Windows XP (huge, ugly, very slow on a 266 Mhz)

Now you can test Gnome (very good, well known, and fast enough for you I hope!)
or you will be forced to use something that is not Easy to Use (Blackbox, Enlightement, and others)

If you install Mandrake, in the install, you should check the "Select individual packages option" when asked for "Category of software to install". Then you will choose Blackbox, Enlightement, Gnome. Because only KDE is installed if you do not do this

and KDE is not what you want to use (will be unusable on your computer)

I hope you understood everything. If not, just tell me

iam going to use it as a desktop/workstation.something i can learn linux on,and have cable internet access .i have redhat 9,knoppix live cd,and slackware 9.1.cant really get anything else cause i dont have blank cds/money.if i download the iso could i install it from win xp onto a seperate hd on my pc?thanks

install it on other hd: yes
from xp: no

you should boot with the cd, floppy, usbkey, or even with nothing (but you need extra changes to your system, to allow an iso image to boot from start you need to configure some utility (from xp))

i found out some info on installing vector linux from the hd image- (4.4 Hard Disk Install) http://www.vectorlinux.com/mod.php?m...u=10&page_id=6
it says how to setup the partions,which ill use partion magic.it needs 3 of them 2 linux and 1 fat 32.i have a 3gb hd so what size will i need the swap and main partion?

also,as far as downloading the files- http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/dis.../veclinux-4.3/

do i get just the iso image,or grab everything?
i dont even know if i will even try linux,there are no linux drivers for my cable modem.that sucks

There is no way these newer distros are going to run on that machine. Recently I've installed on some friends' computers with similar specs as yours, and you can forget about running Fedora core 3 or Mandrake 10. These run slower than WinXP so only install these on new machines.

A better option would be RedHat 7 or something comparable.

My point, too. VectorLinux 4.3 (not the SOHO edition) would be your best bet. Why a HD install - don't you have a CD drive? If so, you could consider Debian's online-install.

Anything. I installed mandrake 10 on a pentium 150 with 64 meg ram and 2 gig drive recently. Running KDE but no fancy desktop backgrounds etc. to make it a bit quicker. Don't expect a lightning machine, but this P150 was set up for my sister and it will browse the web, do email, frozen bubble, and basic games. Only running 4 virtual desktops tho due to ram. Quite a usuable box.

On rpmfind.net you can download fluxbox, which is a very lightweight window environment, for Mandrake. If you think KDE/GNOME is too slow for you which I thought (PIII 500 MHz) I would suggest giving fluxbox, which really has the fastest response I've seen for a window environment, a try.

/J

i just installed knoppix(debian)on my hd.it runs ok on kde,but slow at times.trying to get everything update on it.also having problems setting up the sound card.