will slackware run on old 386

**jam*wil** · 08-04-2004

I've got an old 286 computer with about 30 megs of ram and I think 50 or 60 megs of HD space (2 hard drives). I can't find any slackware minimum system requirements but I'm wondering if it'll work on this old computer...

**hafnium** · 08-04-2004

the newer versions of slackware require at least a 486 processor. the older versions before 9.0 are 386 compatable. so you will have to get the older cd's if you want slackware.

**jam*wil** · 08-04-2004

okay, I can do that...

**stathisx** · 08-04-2004

i think also you don't have enough ram to run a new version of slackware.i suggest you to upgrade your pc,or find as old as possible version of slackware

**kkubasik** · 08-04-2004

ram can be substituted with swap space, i have undercut minimum ram requiremnts on many programs and distros (gentoo requires 300M to bootstrap, did it with 450 swap and 16 physical) its slow as hell, but if you aren't running anything hardcore (games, video editing, massive code compiles) then you will be fine.

**slide** · 08-10-2004

DeLi linux is based on Slack 7.0 ? is specifically for old iron like that, its rather small at 96 mbs
or so. You may have to make a boot disk to boot up from an ISO.

Tell us if you manage to get something on that machine, I don`t think the Linux kernel will run on
a 286.

**Goran** · 08-12-2004

I ran Slackware 8.1 with UMSDOS on a 386 (or was it a previous version of slack ?). I think Slack 8 would work

**jeastham** · 10-01-2004

Originally Posted by hafnium

the newer versions of slackware require at least a 486 processor. the older versions before 9.0 are 386 compatable. so you will have to get the older cd's if you want slackware.

Actually, if you look at the PACKAGES.TXT file under the "slackware-9.0" directory, you'll see that all bar 3 of the binary packages are compiled against a 386.

Unfortunately, the kernel image(s) appear to be compiled against a 486, so you'd need to install a kernel from Slackware 8.1 initially, before compiling a new 2.4.x kernel for your 386.

HTH

**tuubaaku** · 10-10-2004

You can also download slackware versions all the way back to 3.3 from their website.

**encyclo** · 10-12-2004

DeLi Linux is great for older machines (and based on Slackware 7.1) - it runs like lightning on my 166MHz Pentium. It should run OK on a 386, although you should make sure you select the "xd640" window manager if you want to run X - it's the most basic and thus the fastest.

If you have a 286 rather than a 386, then no Linux will run, because the Linux kernel is 386 and above only.

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