| Forum Home | ||||
| Press F1 | ||||
| Thread ID: 30322 | 2003-02-16 01:36:00 | Linux on 486 PC | tandy (3109) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 121624 | 2003-02-16 01:36:00 | I have a 486 DX4/100 running at 120MHz, with 16Mb Ram and 2 HDD's totalling about 2.2 Gb. (One is system and one is data and applications) Would this system be big enough to run Linux and if so which distribution. I have been given some CD's with various Linux distros on them. At the moment I am running W'98se on it. Would I need to do the full low level format and restart building the software from there. I am reasonably computer literate, so be as technical as needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated |
tandy (3109) | ||
| 121625 | 2003-02-16 01:53:00 | Hehe, You're in luck. I just asked a similar question, have a look here: pressf1.pcworld.co.nz (pressf1.pcworld.co.nz) Good luck :-) Chilling_Silence |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 121626 | 2003-02-16 05:20:00 | Try a search on google for basic linux or have a look at www.peanutlinux.org There are some old versions for download there... |
rmcb (164) | ||
| 121627 | 2003-02-16 08:20:00 | Just about any version of Linux that uses the i386 optimisations should be able to be loaded. Definitely not the latest Mandrake as this is for i586 cpu's. The main problem you will find is the amount of RAM will probably exclude you using a Graphical User Interface. Also you might find that some of the newer kernels will need more room for their RAM disk than the 16MB that you have. I am actually in the process of loading SuSE 6.4 on a P1/75 with 16MB of RAM so if I manage to get a GUI up I'll let you know :) One thing to keep in mind is that linux doesn't appreciate overclocking as it is very hard on the processor. |
Gorela (901) | ||
| 121628 | 2003-02-16 20:59:00 | Oooh, no, dont over-clock with linux. Heard some very bad stories... !! Ive just installed RedHat 8.0 with Window Maker as my GUI. Works a treat. You may wanna see if you can get some second-hand RAM chips to upgrade it a little, but give it a shot anyway. I would suggest that you go with Redhat, seems to work, and I can recommend a very good vendor of Linux CD's: Linux-shop (http://www.linux-shop.co.nz) let us know how you get on, as my PC was a P166 with 32MB RAM, but only a 1.7 gig HDD Cheers Chilling_Silence |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 121629 | 2003-02-17 04:08:00 | Thank you everyone for all the help. I have been given a copy of Redhat 7.1 (all 7 CD's). Will that do? Seeing as nobody answered my other question about formatting, I'll ask it again. I assume I will need to do a complete format to remove the W'95 B that lives on that machine at the moment. I have just been rumaging around in my storeroom and have found a mobo fitted with a P166 chip. I am assuming that this mobo will run Linux better than a i486. Hope to hear from you soon Tandy |
tandy (3109) | ||
| 121630 | 2003-02-17 04:23:00 | Sorry, I thought you would get enough information from the other thread. You don't need to "format" the disk ... just use FDISK to remove the Windows partition. It is best to give the Linux installation an "empty" disk ... with no partitions specified. It sees the space and will partition and format it automatically. The pentium will go faster. Use the one for which you can find "the most memory cheapest". :D 16 MB is a bit small for a GUI, even the "small" ones. |
Graham L (2) | ||
| 121631 | 2003-02-17 04:40:00 | Thank you GrahamL | tandy (3109) | ||
| 1 | |||||