Easy distro for low end machines

[mattbutsko]

Hey, I'm really interested in Linux because I'm tired of windows. I know so far that there are many different versions of linux, and I need a version that can run on a low end machine.

Here are the specs;

833mhz processor
128mb of ram
40gig hard drive

Here's what I need in a distro:

Installable to a hard drive
Simple/graphical installer - preferably graphically cause I'm no good with text installers
Includes a desktop interface (GNOME or KDE if possible, if not, cool.)
Can run standard programs (ex RhythmBox, OpenOffice, Limewire - stuff like that.)
Simplistic to use, cause I'm not the only one intending to use the machine and no one else in the house is technically literate, and I'm not too smart at it either.

Heads up, I tried SLAX but I couldn't find a way to install it to a hard drive.

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

Take a look at Xubuntu to see if it might work for you:

Xubuntu Home Page | Xubuntu

You can also check this poll for favorite distro for older/weaker computer hardware, as voted by our members:

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/cof...re-2009-a.html

Hope you are able to find something you like.

[mattbutsko]

Well Xubuntu says it'll need 192mb of ram to run from the hard drive, would 128mb still work?

Debain's system specs are also too high, and the other options in the poll don't fit what I need in a distro, dang it.

Seems like I'm pretty much screwed!

[rokytnji]

You're not screwed. You just haven't looked around enough.

www.zenwalk.org - Ever tried zen computing?

[rokytnji]

You want a graphical installer?

Fresh install ZW - Zenwalk Wiki

[rokytnji]

Can run standard programs (ex RhythmBox, OpenOffice, Limewire - stuff like that.)

You can install all that using Zenwalk's Package manager, Netpkg. Its graphically based and the Zenwalk wiki is full of Instruction booklets on how to run it. Abiword is what is installed in the basic install in replace of Open Office. You can uninstall Abiword and install open office in Netpkg if you so Prefer.

www.zenwalk.org - Pages

[jmadero]

I've run Ubuntu on 128 megs of RAM before (although a little laggy) the requirements are significantly higher than Xubuntu so it should work

[coopstah13]

gnome or kde will probably not run on 128 ram, you need something lighter, I just installed a console based ubuntu system, and added X and fvwm-crystal to it, after booting and starting X, the machine uses about 80mb ram, this gives you ~48mb ram to use for user apps

[mattbutsko]

Thanks for all of the replies.

I ended up trying out Xubuntu because of the fact that I'm familiar with ubuntu and it's pretty much ubuntu without GNOME. xfce isn't too bad though.

The only way I could install it was via alternate installer, which was a lot simpler than I thought it would be. I couldn't even boot into the live CD due to ram issues.

It can be laggy sometimes, I generally have about 80megs of usable ram, but the processer dies after you open almost any app.

Even opening MPlayer takes about 25 seconds to load after hitting the icon, that's just opening without music/movie.

Firefox takes a while to boot up, 30 seconds to a minute - but after it boots it runs like a champ.

Now, I'm semi-good technically-speaking, and I noticed I have one more slot for RAM on that computer. If I were to put another 128mg of ram in the box, would that increase speed and reliabilty? I mean, 128mg of ram is likely dirt cheap. I've been told this could dramatically increase speed.

Last question here, is there any way I could increase speed software-wise. Perhaps some options I could disable? Programs maybe? Thanks a lot.

[TuxicSkillz]

Don't use Limewire, mate

It's got terrible selection

Use uTorrent and thepiratebay.org for P2P