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Old 09-02-2003, 12:22 AM   #1
engnyr
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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: New Zealand
Distribution: mandrake
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Would slackware make my machine faster?


Hi all,
I am currently using Redhat 8 on my old machine(spec. to follow), n' it crawls like a snail(even with icewm!). I had even tried Mandrake8.2 before, but with the same result. The main tasks for my system would be Programming C/C++/Java, publishing(latex,dvi,ps), printing,internet. btw lemme quickly put down my system spec:
************************
processor: AMD5k86-P75
Chipset : Intel Triton-II
harddisk: 4 GB
RAM: 64 MB
Video card: SiS 6202 PCI true color graphic accelerator(1MB)
Sound card: CMI8738
Int. Modem: PCI card 56 1456VQH-R(HCF)
standard cd-drive and floppy drive
***********************
I had been lately looking at the option of slackware9 and understand that the minimum system req. is much better suited to my current configuration. It would be really great if any of you slackware users have any suggestion about my distro switch?
I had been searching on the net for a while as well, but the closest i got was the official installation guide from the slackware site(which sure is a bit scary!). Excuse me if it sounds like a real "slack" question. Its jus' that i jus' don't wanna spend another day or two installing another linux distro, but with the same result.
 
Old 09-02-2003, 12:29 AM   #2
Leper Messiah
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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Winchester, Virginia (SALUTE!)
Distribution: Slackware 9(bastardized), Mandrake 9.1
Posts: 26

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Before you switch distro's, try running blackbox.
To answer your question, yes out of the box non custom install Slack9 will run faster than the same type of RH install.
 
Old 09-02-2003, 12:32 AM   #3
LSD
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Registered: Jan 2003
Location: Northam, W.A., Australia
Distribution: Gentoo ~x86
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Slack should run fine on a system like that, it doesn't install as much fluff as Red Hat or Mandrake so doesn't get as bogged down. The big downside though is that if you're used to Red Hat or Mandrake, Slackware will most likely be quite alien to you as theres little to none of the handholding you find in thos distros. If you think you can hack it then I'd highly recommend you install Slack but if you're looking for something that's fairly easy to use you'd best stick with RH od MDK.
 
Old 09-02-2003, 12:38 AM   #4
engnyr
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Registered: Jul 2003
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Distribution: mandrake
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Thanks leper.... i did look at the option of blackbox. But most of my friends were of the opinion that its pretty much similar to icewm. Anyway i sure will give it a try before the switch.
 
Old 09-02-2003, 12:43 AM   #5
engnyr
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Thanx LSD, i think i could handle a little bit of hacking and all. I stilll do get quite a 'kick' of hacking a little bit to suit me, but there is always a thin line between 'kick' and 'frustration'. Hope that slack doesn't push the limits ;-)
btw is there any better documentation(other than the official one) on installing Slackware9 and associated pitfalls(!) that you guys are aware of?
 
Old 09-02-2003, 01:09 AM   #6
zsejk
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Registered: Apr 2003
Distribution: Slackware
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Errr.... not that *I* know off, but you know... I never had any problems installing Slack on anything. I had it running quite smoothly (and megafast compared to the Windows 98 that was on it before) on a Compaq Armada laptop with 4GB and Celeron processor (not your most up to date machine, as you can imagine). The only thing I could recommend to you is to write down everything about your hardware *before* you start the installation. Like your ethernet card if any, your screen resolution and refresh rates, your sound card, video card, etc. You know, all the good stuff. Perhaps run a "lspci" from RH before the install, or if you have a Windows partition as well, look in device Manager. Other than that... try it and see for yourself.



-zsejk
 
Old 09-02-2003, 01:21 AM   #7
Ekj530
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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Atlantic Beach, NC USA
Distribution: Slackware 9
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I would say go for it if blackbox doesn't do it for ya. I mean, if you were able to learn RedHat 8 then I am sure you can learn Slack. I mean, it has some of the best documentation around and the community here and elsewhere is amazingly helpful. I am a complete newbie to Linux in general and I installed Slack with absolutely no effort or problem whatsoever. Out of the box-- the kernel would not support my onboard sound (via8233); so, for the experience, I downloaded the 2.4.22 kernel and compiled it for my machine using the instructions here as well as in the Slackware book (on the Slackware site) and it worked like a charm. So, I can assure you that if I can do it, you can. Go for it!

As for hand-holding. No, Slack doesn't have allot of that. But, as I said, every possible question you can think of has been dealt with and is easily found via Google or forum searches. Every snag I've hit so far has been resolved this way without me having to post one question. That is the advantage of using such a widely used OS like Slack(as I am sure you know from RH as well)

Good luck whichever decision you make!
 
Old 09-02-2003, 02:21 AM   #8
linuxJaver
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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Jakartax, ID
Distribution: slack9.1+,9.1,rh9
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You should able to find a better VGA (if it is not a builtin one) than just 1MB from installment somewhere for very cheap .. That is matter if u consider to run X at all ..

Get one with 4 or 8 ..
 
Old 09-02-2003, 08:07 PM   #9
engnyr
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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: New Zealand
Distribution: mandrake
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thanx guys.. i sure will consider your suggestions, as of buying a new video card, i'm not really sure at this stage, btw do u think that more of RAM wud help with this 75Mhz system? in the mean time i'm searching on net to shutdown those unwanted applications at the startup of Redhat and trying to install the driver for my HCF modem...

cheers,
me
 
  


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