133mhz, 2GB HDD, which distro?

[mrblack]

Hey everyone;

Im getting a machine from my friend on friday: 133mhz AMD ATHLON, with a couple of 2GB HDD's.

What do I want to do?: Learn Linux. And preferably hook it up to my router for internet access (though I dont particularly intend on surfing the net with it, rather I would like to be able to remotely access my Linux box).

[paj12]

Slackware would probably be your best bet. Whatever distro you choose, you'll probably wind up running the command line or a very minimalist WM.

No KDE for you. :p

As for accessing it remotely, ssh is definitely the way to go.

Good luck! :)

[bosox79]

Slack or Debian with a lite VM like paj12 said maybe xface. keep us posted on your progressess

[eisman]

Debian or any kind of Linux distro that is small.

BTW if you want to run a windowed enviroment you can try twin, which is a windowsmanager for terminals.

You should run either ssh- or telnet daemon (ssh is more secure ;-)

[mrblack]

Thanks alot for the feedback guys. :) I wasnt expecting to be able to run a window manager, but Im glad there are some small ones I can use. :) I think Ill run Debian, as it has been mentioned a few times in this thread, and I hear its one of the easiest to install... and if not, the experience can only do me good.

[bosox79]

mrblack,

Your welcome, let us know how the install goes:)

[leonpmu]

Peanut, Vector, or Damn Small Linux, using XFce, ICE WM

[CoffeeMan]

Gentoo would run best on the system, because you have to build it from the ground up from source, so you only install what you want and it is optimized to your machine, If you want something easy, go with the Slack Pack or Debian.
Also, Debian 3.1 is out in unstable testing, the installer kicks ***

[fatTrav]

Originally posted by mrblack
I think Ill run Debian, as it has been mentioned a few times in this thread, and I hear its one of the easiest to install

Bar-none the WORST installer I've ever seen. Maybe the new installer will be better, I've not seen it. Unless this installer is world's better, I'd say stick with Slackware.

Gentoo would be an ok choice, but it would take forever to compile anything.

[bosox79]

CoffeeMan,

that would depend on how much ram the system has the install guide say the minium is 64MB of ram to even attempt the install you may find this thread interesting http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?p=63411#6341 and even if he did a grep install it would take forever on that system:)

[bosox79]

fatTrav,

I guess I should of been more clear when I suggusted debian, it would definatly be smart to use one of the sarge
install images

Thanks

bosox

[CoffeeMan]

The Debian Sarge installer is a HUGE improvement on the Woody installer. Barnone is unintuitive and a pain in the neck to get a system up and running. It took me three tries to get it right.

[mrblack]

Hi guys;

Ive downloaded Debian Sarge, and burned it to CD. I booted it up on my pc (with no intent to install) and the installation seems pretty straight-forward (well, up untill the install to partition stage)... Im also downloading the latest stable release of Debian, but I have been told to go with Sarge, as it is easy to install.

[fatTrav]

If the installer is that much improved I may have to try out Debian again. I always loved apt-get.

[paj12]

Gentoo would run best on the system, because you have to build it from the ground up from source, so you only install what you want and it is optimized to your machine
You're not going to get that much more performance out of Gentoo compiled for i586 as opposed to Slackware which is compiled for i486. Not to mention the fact it would take ages to install on a system like that.

[ibzrg470]

Peanut. One disc, easy install.

[MighMos]

I run gentoo on a similar system (only with a lot more RAM) and I did it simply because I had two other machines running gentoo. I really wouldn't recommend running it for anything under a pentium II. Besides, when you realized you screwed up your kernel config, and have to run 'make' again, its not fun.

[rsmither]

I have successfully run Debian with the ICEWM windows manger on a Pentium 120 IBM Laptop with 40MB memory and 6GB HD (on a 2GB partition), so you should have no problems at all running Linux on this. Obviously compiling is a little slow. But with ICEWM, it behaves a lot like Win9x (useful for starting out learning how to use X) and it runs acceptably. A little on the slow side, but certainly useable.

[thedreampolice]

No such thing as a 133mhz athlon maybe its a AMD K6?

[paj12]

No such thing as a 133mhz athlon maybe its a AMD K6?
Or a K5. I have a K5 100 MHz.

[DimGR]

Originally posted by paj12
Or a K5. I have a K5 100 MHz.


AMD K6s came in 333Mhz.
I know, i had one:)

[fatTrav]

Ok, I installed sarge. Wow is all I have to say. The installer sucks much less than it previously did. It's still fairly un-intuitive comared to Slackware (some of the disk options are confusing) but it is *much* better. Tempting to switch to Debian for apt-get ....

[bosox79]

why not install both Debian & slack? then you can compare apt and swart;)

[CoffeeMan]

Okay,
I'll shut up now, I get the point. I just suggested it because with an older system like that, It would be best to compile thing from source, regardless of how long it takes. Slackware is a fine distribution, I have used the 'ol Slack Pack, but Gentoo is evolved past anything I have ever seen, I have worked in 11 different distributions, including SuSE, RH9, Fedora, Mandrake, Debian, Slackware, Gentoo, Knoppix, Damn Small Linux, Linspire, and Xandros. I have really grown tired of dependecy problems. I like debian and gentoo the most, because they have a WORKING PACKAGE MANAGER! RedHat has a terrible one. I think RPM is a piece of /sh/it!
/home/tobi/alias/CoffeeMan

[bosox79]

no biggie CoffeeMan, I understand how you feel about Gentoo, I just swichted to gentoo recently myself, so I understand how you feel, gentoo is a great distro;) :cool:

[Rinias]

I say Slackware 10.

Why? Because I just did it on a system worse off than your's.

I installed it on an old IBM Thinkpad with 16MB RAM, 1.2 GB harddisk, and a processor that I think only ran at like 100 MHz...

The key, however, is to know what to install. When you want a GUI, I suggest fluxbox, which is clean, simple, and very fast.

You ONLY need the first install disk. Everything on the second disk is WAY too big.

Try to install the base packages first (package series "a"), the X11 packages (series "x"), fluxbox from series "xap", and of course the kernel part.

When sifting through the information (You NEED to do a "MENU" install!!), if you don't need printing, don't install ANYTHING that works as a printing service!

You see where I'm going... :D

Basically, don't install anything that you don't _need_ in the very beginning- you can install it later. Just try to get a system up (console), then work on X. (Yeah, in fact, just install X after you have the console up...)

Remember the command df which will show you the amount of disk still available. When installing, hit Alt-F2 to go to another console to use this command.

Remember that if the disk usage gets above 90%, you should probably stop, because at approx. 95%, your computer will slow to a halt.

Go slow, take your time, and do things one-by-one. You'll get it up, I'm sure!!

Just as a note, I did an install (with more than I need), that incorporates flux and some other big X apps and I only used about 600 MB. Of course it can be done in less, but it was my first try too;)

Good luck! And if you need anything, we are here!

[fatTrav]

Originally posted by bosox79
why not install both Debian & slack? then you can compare apt and swart;)

quite possibly the funniest comment i've seen on this board.:D

swaret sucks compared to apt-get, and for multiple reasons. the biggest being the fact there are more packages for debian out there than for slackware.

[bosox79]

Trav,

I'll have to take your word for it, I have never used swart and I have only installed slack one time, and it didn't last all that long, no flame intended, it just wasn't for me:)
but you are correct about apt it is a good tool

[fatTrav]

no flame taken either :D

[mrblack]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. :)

I slapped in an old harddrive of mine and decided to try installing Linux on my current system. (I just couldnt wait.) Sarge installed beautifully... I think the only thing I had to do was type in my username and password!

Today, I bought Linux Magazine, it came with a DVD with Slackware 10, Gentoo 2004.1, Knoppix, OpenCD and some other stuff... so thats cool. :) I also bought myself a little Linux book to get me started. Ill be getting the machine tomorrow, Im looking forward to being a fellow Linux user, learning programming, networking... and so much more.

[bosox79]

your welcome mrblack and I am gladf you had good luck with the install have fun with Debian and reading out Linux, as I am sure you already know this forum is a great resource:D and if you have a larger HD and feel adventurous you could install all your new distro's if you were so inclined, but I would recommend finding a distro you are comfortable with and sticking with it for a while, your Linux adventure begins :cool:

Bosox

[crow2icedearth2]

i agree gentoo is a good distro but for me to compile KDE it took 12 hours ona pent 2 266mhz latop dont go throu that .

slackware will be installed very quickly and i run slackware and gentoo and debian and LFS and arch .

stay away form RPM based distros.......

i would recommend installing fluxbox for your window manager its fast and doesnt use alot of resources...... stay away from gnome and KDE which u need alot of ram for and memory intense. (i do use KDE thou on my faster comptuers )

good luck

[arkaine23]

Yoper with icewm. Optimized for P2's and up! Suped-up rpm's, but handled by apt-get! Latest kernel! Fast as you can get!

[mrblack]

Hey guys. I got the machine on friday. I need an AT adapter though (which my friend found, so I just need to collect it from him.)

So, Ill be making a real attempt at installing Linux very soon!

[EnigmaOne]

Yeah! What arkaine23 said! :D

Yopper is one, cool, distro.

What'd (s)he say again?

[mrblack]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

I set up the machine yesterday (I got the AT - PS/2 adapter for the keyboard) and put in my Debian Sarge CD. I learnt some stuff about the hardware: AMD-K5 100mhz, Quantum Fireball 1GB HDD.

It installed fine, but all I have is a command line. Is it possible that I can install FVWM and a C++ compiler on this machine? If so, how? Please bare in mind: the only thing I know from the command line is how to move, remove and create files and directories. I dont even know how to shut down the thing!

Thanks. :)

[fatTrav]

If you want a C/C++ compiler, try installing the gcc.

apt-get install gcc

that might do it. hopefully a Debian user can provide the exact command as my debian system is currently doing a state 1 gentoo install (celery 667, 256 ram) on its spare partition...

[paj12]

Please bare in mind: the only thing I know from the command line is how to move, remove and create files and directories. I dont even know how to shut down the thing!
halt now:p

If you ever need to know about a command, type "man command". You can also google for info.

BTW, my comp is twice as good as yours. K6 200MHz and a Quantum 2GB. :D

[mrblack]

:) Thanks for the replies. I installed Debian 3.0, the install was easy... I dont see what all the fuss is about. I also installed g++ and all is working well. I wont attempt to install X, because the unit doesnt have a PS/2 mouse port! Looks like Im gonna have to get another adapter.

Thanks all.

[fatTrav]

what version of Debian did u use? the latest sarge with the debian installer? that installer is good. it's the installer for stable that sucks and is nigh impossible to figure out.

[mrblack]

Originally posted by fatTrav
what version of Debian did u use? the latest sarge with the debian installer? that installer is good. it's the installer for stable that sucks and is nigh impossible to figure out.
I used ordinary Debian 3.0! Sarge installs quicker, but the CD I had didnt seem to have g++ on it... so I installed Deb 3.0, which did.

[spork2000]

I was going to suggest Feather linux.

Based on Debian but the developer has stripped out everything but the truely necessary packages to make it run.

Runs fluxbox and you can install packages using apt-get. It is a live CD distro but it does have a hard drive install script.

Less than 64mg in size, might be worth a look.

[XiaoKJ]

slax, puppy,dsl

[blackbelt_jones]

I got a computer with similar specs, and a malfunctioning mouseport to boot, and I installed debian without X. I use it to browse with lynx and chat at the command line.

[angustia]

does files-ystem make any difference?
i tend to think that ext2-3 are slower (and more robust, no defrag) than fat32 on slow PC's.