Quick question on using Xubuntu for a (very) old machine.

I'm trying to revitalise my daughter's laptop which, at the moment, is running Windows 98. I gave it to her when I upgraded my own. It's an ancient Compaq Notebook 100 series, with a 475MHz AMD processor, 5Gb hard drive and 64Mb RAM.

If I used the alternate CD, would I be able to install Xubuntu on it? I already use Xubuntu on one of my older boxes, but it's neither processor nor memory-challenged in the same way as the laptop.

I know I could easily use DSL, but it'd be a bit grim for my daughter, as she likes bright colours, cheerful point-and-click icons and so on. And Puppy - much as I love it myself for rescuing old hardware - is not as intuitive as she'd need.

And then, assuming I can install it on the box, would I be able to run some of the "cutesy-ier" games like Tuxcart and Supertux? I'm afraid Sokoban and Mahjong just wouldn't cut it for her.

She's great with ubuntu, because that's what we all use in my house, so Xubuntu wouldn't mean any shocks.

Would Xubuntu do the job? If not, are there any alternatives (preferably ubuntu-based) that could?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Xubuntu will run with 64MB of RAM but at least 128 is recommended. Maybe FluxBuntu suits you better?

Thanks Jay, I've heard of Fluxbuntu, but I've never tried it. I'll check it out.

How would it be with games like supertux etc?

Flux, or that system? I imagine Flux will run games as well as any other GUI. That system? Eh, I wouldn't put much hope into it running much of anything.

Unfortunately Flux isn't very intuitive either, as its very bare-bones, but it will run on almost anything.

IGF

Fraid you're right IndyGunFreak. I've given up hope on trying to do anything constructive with the system.

Xubuntu's out of the question for when I actually started working on the machine I realised that it had less memory than I thought. Fluxbuntu seems a bit dodgy and even Puppy Linux is struggling to run.

I guess some machines are so outdated as to be irredeemable by any OS.

Thanks anyway.

Just upgraded machine to 156Mb. Xubuntu still won't run but seems to make all the right moves at the start.

Would the "Alternate CD" help?

I've tried. 64MB is too low =\

The alternate CD requires fewer resources to install but in the end it is the same system so if that is your problem - it installs but it runs way too slow - I do not think that it will make any real difference in the end.

Maybe you should get the server edition, which installs as 100% command line based system. This should install and run just fine. Once you have it up and running, you can add on graphical applications. But obviously, this means you will have to be very picky about what to install.

What jay said.

If its slow running from the CD, crashing during install, etc, then the Alt. install cd might help. If however, you're actually getting installed, and its slow.. then its still gonna be slow.

One would think Puppy would fly with 156mb of RAM, but I have little experience with Puppy.

IGF

Puppy is good, but if you want Debian, go for Damn Small Linux. Puppy is in my opinion, better, but I'm a Debian guy, so it's DSL all the way.

I recomend using E-Live, which is a live CD but can be installed to the hard drive- it uses the Enlightenment window manager (version 17) which looks absolutely amazing with a very small memory footprint.

If you want to keep something approaching the Synaptic manager- use Vector- which IIRC is geared toward the older hardware.

Thanks guys,

I will try out your suggestions - when I can get my hands on my daughter's machine again.

She loves experimenting...but only when it's her who's doing the experimenting.

I'm so pleased she's a Linux child, though. "Make the doggy come on" means she wants Puppy.

Thanks again but Ill be back to the thread when I've sussed out some of your suggestions.

Think Debian custom built from the net-inst cd might be worth a try. Slackware runs ok on my AMD K6-2 400mhz with 196 Megs Ram.

puppy linux 4.11 retro will do fine brought my computer back to life 64 mb 400 mhz. used to run mandrake 8.1 on it but things got to advanced now days. I did a frugal install on mine so I could just make a back up by coppying a file. it is fast and stable great gui. if you have problems with 4.11 then go to the 2.16. i used that for a long time.