Light-weight Linux distro's?

[branoo]

I have a desktop which is currently running Windows XP with 256RAM and an 80GB hard drive. So i decided to ditch Windows in favour of a small light-weight Linux distro. I have had a look at (Tiny Core my favourite), and i would definitely install it to my hard drive if i could. Austrumi another i liked but get confused with all the different flavours doing the rounds and there seems to be some difficulty installing it to the hard drive. So could anyone suggest other light-weight Linux distro's i could try please.

[reed9]

Slitaz
Antix
Lubuntu
Crunchbang
Fedora LXDE
Puppy

Any of the DIY type distros such as
Arch
Debian
Crux

[branoo]

I tried to run Puppy Linux "Wary" and all i got was: kernel panic - not syncing which i think is a bad memory module or something to do with the kernel? Either way i don't have a clue how to remedy the problem so good bye Wary.

Determined not to give up i then tried MacPup 511 (live cd) and its running great! Think i just might try an hard disk install and see how things go.

Thanks for the light-weight Linux distros links Reed9

[MASONTX]

I've tried Lubuntu, Crunchbang, Puppy and AntiX, and can recommend all of them. Puppy isn't necessarily progressive, i.e. Wary is not a more modern build of 5.0, it is a different path taken. Try Puppy 5.0 or 5.1 or 5.2 not the Wary versions, and see if it works for you. My choice would be Lubuntu.

[branoo]

I tried to run Puppy Linux "Wary" but for some reason it wouldn't even load. The error was it wasn't syncing?

I have tried Ubuntu and Kubuntu but not Lubuntu. Perhaps its one to try out at some future date.

Think my heart is set on trying to install Tiny Core.

[handers]

I'm quite fond of SliTaz - only 30Mb to the live-cd - give it a try; you can get all major packages (abi, gimp, oo)

[Rubberman]

If you want to get "down and dirty", Gentoo is a good distribution to go with for a light-weight system. You only build in the components your hardware really needs.

Debian is another good selection. I run Debian Etch on an ARM embedded PC-104 board with only 64MB of RAM booting off of an SD card (less than 2 seconds to boot).

[masinick]

There are three variations of antiX that may work well for you: a light, but full featured version, a base version, which includes a graphical user environment, but is intended to have you create your own customized environment, and core, which is a raw, core platform, including only the core operating system and enough utilities to build your own environment. I like all three of these variations, and all of them could be great for building a nicely tailored system for older computers.

Crunchbang Linux is another light system that has recently been revamped to use the Debian Live Hybrid core build environment, and it works well. Debian itself has a fairly well kept secret, a spin off project called Debian Live, and they have a build server that you can use online to request your own customized hybrid system - very cool!

[sportcrazy60]

I tried to run Puppy Linux "Wary" and all i got was: kernel panic - not syncing which i think is a bad memory module or something to do with the kernel? Either way i don't have a clue how to remedy the problem so good bye Wary.

Determined not to give up i then tried MacPup 511 (live cd) and its running great! Think i just might try an hard disk install and see how things go.

Thanks for the light-weight Linux distros links Reed9

Dude,just wipe your HDD. That worked for me. I'm running Puppy 5.2. I suggest that you get Darik's Boot and Nuke for the possibility that you can wipe your HDD if necessary.