Was just given an ancient PC

[Minyaliel]

A Micronet 500, to be exact, and I want to use it as a storage space/ writing machine. Anyone have any ideas about what Linux distro to use? I think the machine already has Win 95 or 98 installed on it. Oh, and, does anyone know if there usually were sound cards installed on machines this old? Thanks a lot for your time :)

[Lord Illidan]

I think DSL might help. I have no idea bout the soundcards..prolly be an ISA one.

[Minyaliel]

Ah okay. Thanks a lot! =)

[Minyaliel]

Oh dear... it won't run the cd-r on bootup. It's not even an option in the set-up menu thing. Damn. Now I really wish my laptop had a floppy drive...

[jason.b.c]

Maybe one of these might be of use to you , Hey , they are Linux...:D

All Floppy Sized Operating System's...

http://www.visopsys.org/

http://www.delilinux.de/ <= Won't fit on floppy's , but still cool..

http://www.angelfire.com/anime/db/gcl/ <= I would maybe recommend this one... You put it on floppy's...

http://www.pocket-lnx.org/

http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/baslinux/

http://www.menuetos.net/screens.htm <= Not a linux system..

Then ofcource you could alway's make a router out of it...

http://www.freesco.org/

[K.Mandla]

Oh dear... it won't run the cd-r on bootup. It's not even an option in the set-up menu thing. Damn. Now I really wish my laptop had a floppy drive...
You can still boot from CD, you just need to install Smart Boot Manager (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SmartBootManagerHowto) on a floppy and boot to the floppy. SBM will get the installer CD going after that.

It'll need at least 36Mb to make it through the installer program, if you're keen to put Ubuntu on it. Less than that and the installer goes berzerk.

Tell us more about the guts of that machine (I googled, but got nothing conclusive). Is it worse off than this one (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=259901)?

[Minyaliel]

Jason - thanks :)

K. Mandla - actually, I have no idea. How do you tell in a Win98 machine? But on the back of the machine it says something about MT-500/ P133/16Mb/1280Mb, if that makes more sense to you than it does to me :P Well, the main problem here really is that the only machine in the house with a floppy disc drive is that one and it's also the only one not connected to the internet... so umm, yeah. I guess I could move the entire system over into the hallway and find an ethernet cable there, but that's going to take a while to do since the machine is heavy (not to mention the screen which seriously is the largest thing I've ever seen - it takes up most of my desk now...). *sigh*

[K.Mandla]

Well, if those numbers are to be trusted, it could be a bit slow/sparse for Ubuntu. It needs quite a bit more memory to do get going, if it really is a Pentium 133Mhz with only 16 megabytes of memory and a 1.2 gigabyte hard drive.

That being said, memory chips for that machine are practically giveaways any more. If you find a local geek and hit them up for SIMM chips, you're likely to come away with a bag full for free.

If you can put more than 36Mb in it, you're golden.

:mrgreen:

P.S.: Can you right-click on My Computer and get a properties screen? That might tell you how much memory it has in it, and what speed the processor is. To be honest, it's been a dreadful long time since I used Win98.

[3rdalbum]

Visopsys is not Linux. It's not even useful.

[jason.b.c]

Visopsys is not Linux. It's not even useful.

Well it sure does look and sound like a linux system to me man..

There are a number of command line programs that are superficially UNIX- or DOS-like, (http://www.visopsys.org/about/index.html)

http://www.visopsys.org/img/screenshots/screenshot6.jpg