I am trying to install linux on a Compaq Deskpro 4000 with a 167 Mgh processor, 32 MB RAM, 2.5GB HD, an LTmodem. I am doing this for a friend of a friend. I am having a hard time becuase of the memory and hd size. So I was thinking maybe LFS might work better.

What I need is:
Current Yahoo,
Current AIM,
Firefox with flash, java, and media plug-ins
KDE, will settle with gnome if I have to,
KDE games and other linux games,
cd player,
some room left on HD, if possible,
Basically an Internet computer with games.

Now since I need a host system and I am so limited on space can I use Feather, DSL, Knoppix or the like? If so what one would be the best?

Thanks

Webwolf

Hi there,

I've been using the knoppix cd (3.4) to install LFS and that works. You will have to solve a few minor problems, but they are known and can be fixed (the 'no more ptys' being one [chap 5, GCC-3.3.3 - Pass 2]).

But, this is the LFS part, which is just a basic linux system and takes about 1.3Gb of your hd space.

The BLFS part needs a lot more (hd) space, especially when using a 'heavy' desktop manager like KDE. The 2.5 Gb HD space will _not_ be enough for this.

You might want to take a look a a lightweight desktop manager (ie: blackbox/fluxbox).

One way of saving (some) diskspace is to not copy all the packages and patches to the /mnt/lfs/<whatever> directory. Get the one you need, install, throw away (do becarefull, some sourcetrees are needed later, don't throw these away!).

If you are carefull about the programs you install, you might be able to put it on a 2.5 Gb disk. 'Just' find out which programs you really need (and their dependencies) and install these.

All in all it would be easier to put a bigger hd in that machine, but that might not be possible.

Hope this helps.

Yeah it would be easier to get another HD. The only one I have extra is an old 500MB one, not enough. I may see if the local computer stores around here have a inexpensive 5GB HD I can just install and give them. Right now I am considering Slackware and LFS. I tried a few other distros and the problem I had was either the HD or the more common one, not enough RAM. With Slackware it used the swap partition right away, which was nice. But Cobind and Lorma didn't. Mandrake, Red Hat and Ubuntu need a bigger hard Drive. I considered Feather linux also. LFS would be nice becuase I can add just whats needed and not have anything that is not being used just laying around takeing up space. It seems easier and more efficient to start from the bottom and build up rather then install and strip down.

Thanks

Webwolf

It should be very possible. Use something like Knoppix 3.6 LiveCD as your host distrobution, I've used this twice now with no problems (except the spawn tty problem i think).

And as for base LFS install, I've managed to get the base down to somewhere around 500-600 megs, including the expanded kernel source tree in /usr/src (a full bzipped image I created was only 155MB.)

As for a WM, I would suggest something like blackbox, fluxbox, or even Xfce. If you've only got 32MB of RAM, I don't think that KDE should even be a consideration.