low resurces machine

**HyperUniverse** · 11-18-2009

Hi,

I need some advice on building a machine with very low resurces.
Basically I have an old pc, that doesn't want to die.
So, I want to install a Linux version on it, and use it for:
1. web surfing (yahoo mail, ebay, messenger)
2. pdf reader
3. document reader (word, excel)
4. music player (this can be omitted, is not so important)

The old pc is an Intel P3, 400MHz, 64 RAM (PC133), 10G hard drive.

I can not get more RAM in it, because the bios won't accept it. I have a 128mb memory stick (pc133) right now in it, but the bios only recognizes 64mb. I tried updating the bios, but I couldn't.
So I need to install a very small Linux distro that will give me only what I need. The problem is my wife will be using it daily, and she needs a GUI. She can't work from shell command.

Any suggestions for such system?

I could try and teach her how to use the shell command. But I need to know myself how to access the internetand documents from it. And if I get to the internet from shell, how do I get a mouse to work?

Thank you.

**hazel** · 11-18-2009

You could try dsl or SliTaz. Either would fit on your pen-drive (dsl is 50MB and I think SliTaz is 30). Or, if you feel adventurous, you could install a text-only version of a standard distro and then build your own gui. Basically all you need is xorg and a window manager plus some apps.

**reed9** · 11-18-2009

+1 Slitaz
Look to the loram option.
SliTaz Loram | #!/Community

DSL is pretty much a dead project, which is a shame, because it was great. But I personally don't recommend it anymore.

One of the lead devs from DSL went on to create TinyCore Linux.
Tiny Core Linux, Micro Core Linux, 10MB Linux GUI Desktop, Live, Frugal, Extendable

With a little effort, you can also get something like Arch Linux running on it. Arch starts as just a core base and you install what you like on top of it. The benefit here is that you'll have easier access to a lot more software and more up to date software than with something like Slitaz/DSL/TinyCore. The downside is it can take some work to get it all together. (Unless you like to tinker.)
Archlinux and 64 Megabytes of RAM (Update!) Thoughty's Blog
Arch Linux Forums / lowmem boot image

Slackware would be a similar option. (But Arch has better package management.

)

**reed9** · 11-18-2009

1. web surfing (yahoo mail, ebay, messenger)
2. pdf reader
3. document reader (word, excel)
4. music player (this can be omitted, is not so important)

To address this bit.

1. Browsers are mostly resource hogs these days. Firefox could easily eat up all of your RAM and more. Chromium (the open source project behind Google Chrome) I've found to be the lightest full featured browser. But it hasn't made a real release on linux yet. (It's easy to build under Arch linux, FWIW.) Midori is also pretty light.

2. PDF, you'll want either xpdf or edfview. I don't know of any lighter options.

3. Documents and spreadsheet...Abiword and Gnumeric are about the only light-ish options.

4. There are many lightweight music player options. I recommend Audacious or MOC.

**HyperUniverse** · 11-20-2009

Hi,

Thanks for the replys.
So I decided to go the Arch way.
Downloaded lates iso file....,
Started installation.
While the setup downloads some more files, the screen goes black (screen saver or something). If I press enter to get out of the black screen, downloading stops.
I did it twice, first time I thought it was my network down. But it happened second time the same.
Third time start installation. This time, when screen goes black, I press "up" button. I get my screen back to dislpay the info, and the downloading still carries on. Good, I say.
While I wait for downloading to finnish, I go on the PC that shares the internet connection, open network monitor, and watch how much trafic goes through.
I know the Arch has to download about 124MB. So I make a note of the traffic when Arch starts downloading and then after about 124MB of downloading trafic monitored on the other PC, I know Arch is about to finish downloading.
But third time, at about 110MB downloading, there is a stop in downloading. I thought I made a mistake about the traffic, and Arch has finished downloading.
But again, after pressing up button, to get out of black screen, I have seen that Arch has NOT finnished downloading, AGAIN, but it just stopped.

So, I am asking the Arch-man: what's going on?

Thanks.

**reed9** · 11-20-2009

The screen going dark is just normal powersaving.

If you go to vc/7, I think it is (CTRL+ALT+F7) you can see any message and the downloading in progress. Then CTRL+ALT+F1 brings you back to the normal screen. Check there for error messages when it stops.

Did you download the net install iso or the full core CD? The latter, you can try installing from the CD and then upgrade the system after install to bring it current.

**HyperUniverse** · 11-20-2009

Hi,

I have the feeling that ArchLinux is only for experts.

First, when you download the Arch Linux image, there are 5 x 2 formats to choose. But there are no explanation next to them what they are, and what they do.
So I downloaded isolinux iso. Sounds nice I thought. Ended up with netinstall image. OK, I'll try that. It failed to download the installation files 4 times.
Then I downloaded the core iso. Full install, no netinstall.
After installation, you get the prompt.
I need to install a gui, to be easy to work with.
Tried to refresh the package list with
# pacman --sync --refresh
Error: no repository link in /etc/pacman.conf
whent there, and after some web search added :
(SORRY, I AM NOT ALLOWED TO SHOW URLs
You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more.)

It's not working.
You need to put something in front of them:
[repo-name] (I do not know if I have to put exactly "repo-name" or "repo-"something"" that represent the name of somethingelse)
And then add Include = ... path to repository.

I just put
[repo-name]
Include = f_tp://mirrors.uk2.net/pub/archlinux/
(without the _ )

Error: config file....(the ftp path)...could not be read.

I mean, if at the begining is so hard, how hard would be later, to install and configure all the software I need.

I've been working for 2 years with debian and ubuntu.
These are sooooo easy to install. You get everything, no need to be an expert.

So,
How do I become an expert, to install my Arch?

Thanks.

**reed9** · 11-20-2009

Well, I did say it would take some work. It's not only for experts, but it does assume more knowledge than the average distro.

The first time I installed Arch I had been using linux for ~1 year. Have you read the Beginner's Guide? Really handy to have available and follow along during the install.

Once you've installed it, you are left with just the command line, yes. Installing a GUI isn't too difficult.

First we need to get your network up and running. Are you on an ethernet connection or wireless?

If ethernet just do

Code:

dhcpcd eth0

To configure the repos put this in /etc/pacman.conf

Code:

[core]
Include=/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[extra]
Include=/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[community]
Include=/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Then open the mirrorlist and uncomment a couple of mirrors nearby you.

Code:

nano /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

You'll see lots of mirrors as so

Code:

# ftp://ftp.archlinux.org/
# ftp://locke.suu.edu/linux/dist/archlinux/
# http://archlinux.unixheads.org/

Remove the # from a couple of them. They are used in order, and if one fails it will move to the next one.

Then refresh and upgrade current packages

Code:

pacman -Syyu

This will be a large download since you used the core CD, and most packages will need to be updated.

Now install a GUI. You need something light weight for this machine. For now I would say go with lxde.

Code:

pacman -S xorg xf86-input-keyboard xf86-input-mouse lxde gamin hal alsa-utils

That should be the basics. Did you say this was a laptop or desktop?

Start hal

Code:

/etc/rc.d/hal start

Create a user

Code:

adduser

It will walk you through it. Add your user to the following groups for now: audio,video,storage,optical,network,power,users,wh eel
Log in as your user

Code:

su - USERNAME

Edit xinitrc for your lxde session

Code:

nano ~/.xinitrc

Add the line

Code:

exec ck-launch-session startlxde

Then start your session

Code:

startx

Now you can work in a GUI for the rest. Read over the Beginner's Guide and if you need any help just ask. You'll want to add hal, alsa, and some other stuff to the daemons array in /etc/rc.conf, and probably want a login manager, so you don't have to start in the console.

**reed9** · 11-20-2009

Oh, forgot the video driver.

Check

Code:

lspci | grep VGA

to find out which you need. If it's an intel driver, for example, then

Code:

pacman -S xf86-video-intel

Do this before you start the GUI.

**reed9** · 11-20-2009

Just a thought. If you prefer Debian, you could also try Antix, which should run with your specs.

Main Page - antiX

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