What Linux Do You Recomend For An Old Computer?

[crazeeotter]

I an old computer and would like to dual boot it with the best Linux possible.

Here's some specs-

Windows 98 SE
Intel Pentium III don't now the exact Hz, but chances are it's pretty low.
32MB of physical RAM
5GB Hard Drive

P.S. If I have to I can delete Windows.

[Freston]

There's a poll about distro's for older machines [click]

I voted Vector, in case you're wondering
But with 32MB RAM, you're not in for a smooth ride. Any chance you can up that? I've found adding RAM is much more important than CPU. A PIII can be a fine machine*) as long as you don't do heavy lifting with it and you have enough RAM.


*) Think email, browsing, simple server tasks, playing Nethack

[crazeeotter]

I don't use it for anything but NES/SNES emulation, word processing, and MS Solitare

Alright, I'm going to use Vector. Should I download standard or light?

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

Vector is a nice distro. Should it not work well on your hardware, give Puppy and/or DSL a try.

Best of luck with it.

[crazeeotter]

I read on Puppy's website if runs off the memory. If I create some virtual memory in Windows will that work?

[Freston]

Oh, you're planning on dual booting right?

I think it's better to dedicate the machine to Linux. But that is my opinion, not 'Truth As Is'(tm).


Anyway, Linux uses a swap partition rather than the Windows way of doing things. Rule of thumb: swap = 2xRAM (but it need never exceed 1GB )
In your case, that would be 64MB of swap partition. The installer will prompt you for it.

Good luck!

[crazeeotter]

As long as there are emulators available I'm fine with dedicating it. Besides, isn't there a program to run .exe applications in Linux? I may want to take Flight Sim 98 a spin once in a while. The computer I'm talking about does not have access to the internet, is that going to be a problem? I found another RAM stick laying around and now I'm up to 64MB. Let's see how it goes....

EDIT: Thanks to everyone who helped! I installed Puppy and it runs great. The best part is what Windows formatted as a 5GB HD, is 40 GB with Puppy! Now I can fit all my music and pictures! I'm still going to try some other distros before I settle, but I've made the transition. Thanks!

[computerophil]

I an old computer and would like to dual boot it with the best Linux possible.

Here's some specs-

Windows 98 SE
Intel Pentium III don't now the exact Hz, but chances are it's pretty low.
32MB of physical RAM
5GB Hard Drive

P.S. If I have to I can delete Windows.

You are in troubles - Pentium III would be perfect, 5 GB hard drive not really mich but if you have only 32MB RAM I don't really know what to reccomend you.

I doubt the Pentium III ( this wouldn't fit with 32MB RAM, 5 GB HD, and w9 sounds more likely as Pentium I

First boot the PC - at the starting screen it will tell you usually which Prozessor the rate (Hz) and also how much RAM you definitively have.

With less than 64 MB RAM even Puppy has it's difficulties (you would have to go back to an old version) 128MB would be good.

Please take a close look and tell us more about your PC