Linux AntiX versus Puppy Linux versus Slackware for old PCs?
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antiX is pronounced like the word antics, which means amusing, frivolous, or eccentric behavior. It is distributed as CD or ISO images that contain many quality Linux applications.
antiX is compiled to work with Pentium-class Intel and AMD processors or better. antiX will not work with 386 and 486 class processors. To install antiX on a hard drive, at least 1.5 GB of free space is required and a minimum of 2.5 GB is recommended.
The maximum amount of RAM that machine can handle is 144MB, which disqualifies Puppy right from the start, IMHO, since you don't want to waste that little amount of RAM you have with copying the filesystem into RAM. So it comes down to either Debian or Slackware, both suitable for older machines, so I would say: whichever you like more.
The maximum amount of RAM that machine can handle is 144MB, which disqualifies Puppy right from the start, IMHO, since you don't want to waste that little amount of RAM you have with copying the filesystem into RAM. So it comes down to either Debian or Slackware, both suitable for older machines, so I would say: whichever you like more.
I started with vga=788 nomodeset xforcevesa and acpi=off, but still, Antix takes ages on this machine and hangs forever. pitty.
I will try to install with qemu debian on an image and put it on an usb stick. I boot usb with plop.
How much memory do you actually have installed on that machine? If it is less than 64 MB you will have problems running a GUI with pretty much all somewhat recent distros.
How much memory do you actually have installed on that machine? If it is less than 64 MB you will have problems running a GUI with pretty much all somewhat recent distros.
- 64mb
- for fun, I am installing CorelLinux on debian.dsk (make with bximage) under qemu. I will deploy it then on the usb-stick.
- I noticed that the lilo of some distros and syslinux of gparted are not launched by plop.
- I noticed that the gfx-cpio/syslinux boot of Antix is pretty reliable and works well on several old machines as well as on Qemu.
The last time I looked at AntiX, you could just run the Ted word-processor or the Dillo web-browser in 64MB! Really, that sort of computer is only usable with the CLI these days.
Moved: This thread is more suitable in <Linux - Distributions> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.
With 64MB you won't have much luck with antiX, it recommends 256MB + swap as minimum. You might want to try using plain Debian, build up from a minimal installation, or Slackware, both with lightweight WMs and lightweight software installed, but with 64MB I would just go for a CLI only system. When using old software, like Corel Linux, keep in mind that you will have a whole bunch of unfixed security problems, so don't use that system for tasks like online banking.
Moved: This thread is more suitable in <Linux - Distributions> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.
With 64MB you won't have much luck with antiX, it recommends 256MB + swap as minimum. You might want to try using plain Debian, build up from a minimal installation, or Slackware, both with lightweight WMs and lightweight software installed, but with 64MB I would just go for a CLI only system. When using old software, like Corel Linux, keep in mind that you will have a whole bunch of unfixed security problems, so don't use that system for tasks like online banking.
I like Corellinux, however, I could not find the 1.2 release.
I got only my old CD of 1.0 release, and on the net, there arent much iso's of it.
I will try to install and run corel from an usb-stick for testing...
slacko puppy linux is what I use. if you have a old 486 machine then go with the older slacko.
Sorry, but I still don't get why people continue to recommend distros like Puppy or variants/derivatives for machines with such a low amount of RAM that any MB counts and copying the filesystem into RAM is anything but helping.
Distribution: antiX using herbstluftwm, fluxbox, IceWM and jwm.
Posts: 631
Rep:
Try antiX-core and build up by installing xorg, jwm and dillo or links2 for browsing. Older versions (antiX-13 is Debian wheezy based, antiX-12 is based on Debian squeeze) might be lighter, Still, don't expect miracles.
Sorry, but I still don't get why people continue to recommend distros like Puppy or variants/derivatives for machines with such a low amount of RAM that any MB counts and copying the filesystem into RAM is anything but helping.
I under stand your point. But if you keep with the beginning of what Barry Kauler started and understand his philosophy. His project was toward
a lap top he wanted to use of low internet band width. If you go back to the beginning forums in 2002 before the
2003 release and took part you would understand the need for low ram lower cpu power.
We did that for our testing machines because they where old and we pushed most of the work towards a laptop.
In 2005 I got involved with one laptop per child here at our the university with a professor friend in music edu. and actually thought
puppy did the job better.
As you are correct puppy usually comes with two kernels of your choice just like slackware. Just like Slacko.
And is able to handle anything the Kernel can handle.
I under stand your point. But if you keep with the beginning of what Barry Kauler started and understand his philosophy. His project was toward
a lap top he wanted to use of low internet band width. If you go back to the beginning forums in 2002 before the
2003 release and took part you would understand the need for low ram lower cpu power.
We did that for our testing machines because they where old and we pushed most of the work towards a laptop.
In 2005 I got involved with one laptop per child here at our the university with a professor friend in music edu. and actually thought
puppy did the job better.
As you are correct puppy usually comes with two kernels of your choice just like slackware. Just like Slacko.
And is able to handle anything the Kernel can handle.
That still doesn't change the fact the Puppy and drivatives/variants are simply not suitable for this purpose. They might work well on low powered hardware, but they are simply counterproductive on machines with a very low amount of RAM. Even the Slacko site recommends to have at least 512MB of RAM and, FWIW, needs a Pentium 3 or AMD K7/Athlon CPU.
Nanolinux https://sourceforge.net/projects/nanolinux/
Supposed to give a very low quality desktop with minimal programs preinstalled including Dillo Browser.
Site says 64mb min.
Slax https://www.slax.org/
Fairly modern looking.
Many apps on a repo system.
Site says 48mb min.
Oddly Slax is more useable and has lower requirements.
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