Need help in choosing an OS

irfaanjabbar · 09-26-2022, 11:40 PM

I am using an Asus E202s. It is limited by its dual core processor and 2gb of ran which i un-upgradable. I am a new user to Linux but I have tried them booted in a live environment. I want to install a low spec Linux OS onto this laptop. I have mainly typing related work, so I don't need anything else. What OS should I choose? I have narrowed down my options between puppy linux, antix and lxle.
Please help.
Thank you.

mrmazda · 09-27-2022, 03:37 AM

It's not 7 years old yet, so the only notable limitation is 2G of RAM, which shouldn't be significant for your stated use.

There are several DEs suitable for a 2G environment besides those used by Puppy, AntiX & LXLE that can be installed on any of the distros in wide use. TDE can be installed in place of or in addition to the default DE on Debian, Fedora, Mageia, openSUSE, *buntu and others. KDE/Plasma can actually be quite lightweight, but to lean it down requires a good bit of pruning of preselected optional settings. LXDE, LXLE's DE, is available via the same list above and lots more, and the same can be said of the WMs and DEs provided by Puppy and AntiX.

IOW, your best choice may be better based on more emphasis on support (popularity = more people to help with your questions) for your distro and your preferred DE or WM, and less on professed "weight". For what you want, and what you've narrowed it to, I'd pick LXLE. The other two IMO are intended for older, more limited hardware than yours.

fatmac · 09-27-2022, 03:47 AM

I'm running Devuan Live, which is actually installed, on several old laptops, which only have 2GB ram, no problem.

(AntiX, MX Linux, are also sure to work OK, as I have had them installed before too.)

Basically, anything that doesn't use the big desktop environments, (KDE/GNOME), should be OK.

Turbocapitalist · 09-27-2022, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irfaanjabbar

I want to install a low spec Linux OS onto this laptop. I have mainly typing related work, so I don't need anything else.

Alpine can be very light too, and is a rather common distro.

In general though you might look at running a bare Window Manager instead of a full Desktop Environment. FVWM is light, but highly customizable as shown by the Crystal theme. Ouroboros might be the lightest of all though.

The programs are going to use a lot of RAM though regardless. Nothing will help you with Chromium or Firefox, for example.

How complex is the typing? If it's mostly text, even LaTeX, then you could look at Geany or Emacs (either X or noX). If you are talking about standard word processing then you can experiment with AbiWord, Calligra, and LibreOffice.

boughtonp · 09-27-2022, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irfaanjabbar

I have tried them booted in a live environment.
...
I have narrowed down my options between puppy linux, antix and lxle.

Use whichever of the three you enjoyed using the most. If you can't decide then roll a dice.

You can try one for a few days/weeks/months and if you find it not to your tastes and not sufficiently configurable then you can state exactly what you liked/disliked to get more useful targetted advice.

TorC · 09-27-2022, 09:04 AM

antiX would be my choice. It works on most any old and/or low-spec computers.
A swap file may be used -- documentation on the subject is available at the main site -- easy!

mrmazda · 09-27-2022, 03:12 PM

For any who might be wondering what it means to run on old hardware, here's some data:

Code:

# inxi -CGS
System:
  Host: gx62b Kernel: 5.18.15-1-default arch: x86_64 bits: 64
    Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.25.5 Distro: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20220925
CPU:
  Info: single core model: Intel Pentium 4 bits: 64 type: MT cache: L2: 2 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3192 min/max: N/A cores: 1: 3192 2: 3192
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics driver: i915 v: kernel
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.4 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.3 driver: X:
    loaded: intel unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa gpu: i915
    resolution: 1920x1200~60Hz
  OpenGL: renderer: i915 (: 945G) v: 2.1 Mesa 22.2.0

## boot to multi-user.target, login on vtty3
# date; free
Tue Sep 27 14:46:59 EDT 2022
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508      285580     1602600        6260      287688     1726928
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548

## reboot to graphical.target, login on vtty3
# free
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508      350020     1395888       38828      464652     1662488
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548
> display manager usage: 64440

## reboot to graphical.target, login to IceWM session running 2 tab Konsole
## default dark wallpaper/background
# free
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508      396204     1259136       47288      565708     1616304
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548
> IceWM/Konsole usage: 46184

## reboot to graphical.target, login to KDE/Plasma session running 2 tab Konsole
## no wallpaper; solid dark blue background
# date; free
Tue Sep 27 15:12:06 EDT 2022
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508      670204      890096      125672      742708     1342304
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548
> Excess of Plasma usage over IceWM: 274000; total usage: 320184

## load mcedit
# date; free
Tue Sep 27 15:20:58 EDT 2022
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508      685996      873712      125884      743548     1326512
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548
> mcedit usage: 15792 (for building this data file)

## load LibreOffice Writer with blank document
# date; free
Tue Sep 27 15:23:56 EDT 2022
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508      862848      518048      224932     1024980     1149660
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548
> LO Writer usage: 176852 

## load Palemoon 31.3.0 with 5 existing tabs
# date; free
Tue Sep 27 15:25:40 EDT 2022
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:         2012508     1069592      211664      295996     1196260      942916
Swap:        1133548           0     1133548				^ 46.8%
> Palemoon usage: 206744

What the numbers don't show is I've turned off all but one automatically started background services in Plasma. So, running Konsole, LibreOffice Writer & Palemoon web browser in KDE/Plasma on openSUSE Tumbleweed consumes 53.2% of 2G total RAM, leaving 46.8% free, while doing same on IceWM instead of a minimalist Plasma would consume 39.5%, leaving 60.5% free. Whether IceWM or Plasma, swap is not touched. A "lightweight" WM or DE provides extra headroom, but is not necessary with a 2G of RAM PC or laptop. Modern conveniences needn't be foregone.

Emerson · 09-27-2022, 03:18 PM

This math changes when you start open bloated webpages. Opening just one web page in a full-featured web browser can take more RAM than your OS with light WM.

mrmazda · 09-27-2022, 03:41 PM

PC is still running. Suggest such a (short, easy to type) URI .

Emerson · 09-27-2022, 05:34 PM

Isn't it mandatory for each member in threads like this to recommend his/her own? I think there are millions of threads "what distro" and all of them are filled with personal favorites.
OK, I hate to do it, but I'm doing my duty here. I recommend Gentoo of course. Gentoo allows you strip down the binaries and reduces memory footprint, leaving more for applications. My desktop uses bare 100 MiB with GUI up, ready to use. Indeed, you cannot build much with weak CPU and 2 GiB RAM, but no worries. You can build in NFS chroot from a more powerful machine. It is all pure fun, sleepless nights, abandoned girlfriends, you are going to miss all that and much more if you do not install Gentoo!

leclerc78 · 09-27-2022, 07:04 PM

I recommend EasyOS.

Mine also has 2G of Ram, with Libreoffice Writer & Chrome Browser opened (3 tabs), memory used is:

Code:

# free -m
              total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:           1993         981         284         126         727         852
Swap:             0           0           0

You can run in a container environment, for added security.

irfaanjabbar · 09-27-2022, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leclerc78

I recommend EasyOS.

Mine also has 2G of Ram, with Libreoffice Writer & Chrome Browser opened (3 tabs), memory used is:

Code:

# free -m
              total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:           1993         981         284         126         727         852
Swap:             0           0           0

You can run in a container environment, for added security.

I will give this a try. Thank you so much.

irfaanjabbar · 09-27-2022, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emerson

Isn't it mandatory for each member in threads like this to recommend his/her own? I think there are millions of threads "what distro" and all of them are filled with personal favorites.
OK, I hate to do it, but I'm doing my duty here. I recommend Gentoo of course. Gentoo allows you strip down the binaries and reduces memory footprint, leaving more for applications. My desktop uses bare 100 MiB with GUI up, ready to use. Indeed, you cannot build much with weak CPU and 2 GiB RAM, but no worries. You can build in NFS chroot from a more powerful machine. It is all pure fun, sleepless nights, abandoned girlfriends, you are going to miss all that and much more if you do not install Gentoo!

I will give this a try. Thank you so much.

fatmac · 09-28-2022, 03:58 AM

Of course, if typing is all/mainly what you want to do, there is the Wordgrinder program that runs from a command line, no need to even install a graphical environment of any sort.

http://cowlark.com/wordgrinder/index.html