Hi, I am a newbie at linux and would like to get started on linux, my previous post I tried a multiboot with windows and suse, didn't work out.

Anyways what distro should I use for a 133mhz Pentium1 with 41 ram and 3gb HDD?

Thanks, Derek

build a new computer man.... u can run linux on somthen like that but come on! its not too expensive to build your own computer and its fairly easy, once u start you cant stop!

personally when i was new to linux (not in any way am i implying im a pr0) i liked mandrake the most... and i would suggest mandrake 10 not 10.1 (not as many bugs)

no real need for partition magic with mandrake either, because it allows you to resize your partitions without problems (well it did with me anyway)

hope this helps

Hi,

Yeah, that's a little bit old computer... It would be good to have a newer one.

Anyway, I've got an old Pentium MMX 200MHz with approximately 64MB of RAM and 8GB of HDD running Debian SID, and works fine.

Debian is a wide used Linux distribution (visit www.debian.org), but it's hard to configure if you're new to this operating system.

I think that other distributions will be too heavy for your computer.

Regards,

Guillermo

I recommend Fedora Core 3, just becaue its my favourite

It has a very easy to follow instalation. As far as drive partitions go, the Fedora installation can do that automatically

Check out: http://fedora.redhat.com

ok, of these, which are free?

And can I operate a server from them?

Yes this is an old computer but the two computer I currently have are windows systems...

866mhz pIII, 195 ram
1ghz athlon, 388 or something like that ram

I don't have the money to upgrade, it I do my oldest computer will replace this old old on.

Thanks, Derek

Free as in cost nothing to obtain? All of them.
Yes, you can operate server apps, from all of them.
Check out Distrowatch for low-spec distros.
Or why not stop running two windows boxes and install linux on one of them?

a computer like that would most likely function best as a low-grade server only... considering you have only 41MB of RAM, you won't be able to run KDE or GNOME... and i'm not sure about fluxbox/openbox/blackbox, or any of the other light-weight window managers. Yes you can download many linux distributions for free, as in free of charge and free to distribute however many times and to whomever you like (and you may also sell them ). Servers should be fairly easy to setup on that computer, but if you do i'd recommend that you dont' install a graphical user interface for it - it'll be WAY to slow.

Though... an idea just came to my head: you could turn that computer into a router/switch/hub with SmoothWall (though to do that you'll need more than one ethernet card, or some combination of a modem and an ethernet card, etc). It turns your computer completely into a router with a firewall and nifty other things. You can manage it without a monitor or keyboard (after installation is complete) via the internet (it has a web-based interface). You can even run servers on it, i believe.. it has DMZ, port forwarding, and a bunch more. I've wanted to try it out but haven't been able to get my hands on an old box. I'd say it's perfect for that computer, but if you want to learn about linux and want to ease your way into it.... I guess i would also have to agree with zexter and glalejos in that you should put a little bit of money into a more advanced computer - not necessarily top of the line. Something like a p3, p4, amd athlon xp 2700+ or above would do nice with at least 192MB of RAM. And a 20GB hard drive is more than enough.

And not to forget to answer your question , I'd say that Damn Small Linux would fit wonderfully on your computer; it's only 50MB! and has a window manager...

However, some distributions to try to make life in linux (at first) simple are mostly the bloated ones that require more resources than what you've currently listed: Mandrake Linux, Fedora and SuSE of course.. but that you've already tried on the computer, and it didn't work, right?

Anyway, I wish you good hunting!

Fedora Core 3 Has the following Minimum requirements.

Recommended for text-mode: 200 MHz Pentium-class or better
FAILED RECOMMENDATION

Hard Disk Space Requirements :-
o Custom Installation (Minimal): 620MB
o Server: 1.1GB
o Personal Desktop: 2.3GB
o Workstation: 3.0GB
REALLY REALLY PUSHING IT

Minimum for text-mode: 64MB FAILED
o Minimum for graphical: 192MB
o Recommended for graphical: 256MB
COMPLETELY FAILED

It is really hard to take a recommendation seriously when it doesn't fit the system's specifications.

Somehow i managed to skip over this post
Those computers are PERFECT - just the specs i suggested. You pick one of them to use, and remove all of the windows stuff on it, and try out a linux distribution on it. Though this i'd only do if you don't _urgently_ need those two computers to have windows and to be functioning properly 100% of the time.

It's all up to you

I agree with student04 in his recommendation of Damn Small Linux. If you are going to install Linux on that old computer, DSL is hard to beat.

I currently run DSL on an old laptop with 133MHz cpu, 1GB hard drive, and 32MB ram, and it gets along surprisingly well. Just as well if not better than windows on the same machine.

Do NOT try one of the larger distros like Fedora unless you know what you are doing. You would have to do a lot of stripping down on that distro!

DSL is free and is based on Knoppix, so configuration is very good and generally automatic. Your server ability on that old of a computer would be fairly limited mind you.

I am not looking for a server to handle streaming video or audio, just normal html, in fact, I don't want it to hog my slower dsl connection up.

You say non-graphical user interface, you mean I would have to use prompt? Or do you mean something more along the "windows 95" compared to "Windows XP" terms?

Now for the third challenge!

This bios is SOOO OLD it wont boot from cd-rom.

What can I use to do this, or how can I?

About this DSL, where can I get this free, can I run a server on it?

Thanks, Derek

That can be managed, just download and install apache. *edit* actually i just noticed that it does have a webserver installed already - monkeywebserver. Just download the dsl cd and boot it up, and check it out.

No i meant no graphics at all. But if you can get DSL (which has fluxbox as a window manager) working then just install it to the hard drive. It is a bootable cd, like knoppix, but you can also select to install it to the hard drive.

Maybe you could upgrade it? If not, can you boot from the floppy? Most likely you can - i would look around on dsl's website for ways to get it running from a floppy, and then onto a cd, or install completely from floppies.

Actually i gave a link to it when i mentioned it on my previous previous post. I'll just give it to you again: http://www.damnsmalllinux.org . Though you could've googled it, too . Yes you probably can run a server on it... just that i don't know how you'd do that. It is debian based, so you might be able to install a .deb package of apache for it.

Student04 - I commend you for actually helping, I was getting aggrevated at the lack of direction.

Somedude88 - With a system like what you have, you can configure a fun linux box just as anybody else can. You just have a different objective than some others. I hope it works out.

Also, google or search the forums for individuals with linux setups on older hardware. I am sure there are many very knowledgeable people that can help you out.

Thank you very much.

Aggrevated? I didn't read you're aggrevation anywhere on this thread.... you hadn't posted at all. Please do clarify.



As for the floppy installation, here is a list of ways to install. There are three ways for installing via floppies, but i'll let you choose which is more appropriate for you, and the situation (2.c.1 2.c.2 and 2.d). If you need anymore help, just post here or start another thread (preferably here, as i get email notifications whenever someone posts ).

The author of the tutorial does hint towards the process of installing via floppies is a long one (over 3 hours) and does not suggest someone with a lack of patience do it. But that might be a bit overexaggerated, and i'd say it's worth a shot, anyway!

For old bioses, my favorite tool is the SmartBoot Manager. I always keep a copy handy. It may be simpler than working on a full-blown floppy install.
You can find it here: http://linux.simple.be/tools/sbm