Ubuntu for Pentium 166 with 32 meg ram

[chevyiron420]

I have a old pentium 166 with 32 meg ram. It has win98 on it. What system could I load on it and what could it do? Could it do anything on the internet?

[dino99]

32 meg ram ? are you sure ?

thats so low spec for a desktop, but if w98 runs, then Lubuntu might be able too, or try puppy

[gdesilva]

Slitaz is worth a try....

[codemaniac]

I have a old pentium 166 with 32 meg ram. It has win98 on it. What system could I load on it and what could it do? Could it do anything on the internet?

You can run Damn small Linux (DSL) with x windows with as little as 16 mb ram , where CLI (non-graphical Linux) Minimum Requirements is 8 mb .
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

[mastablasta]

another option is Tiny Core
CPU-i486DX
RAM-48Mb
CD Drive
Wired Internet Connection
TinyCore CD

but oyu might need more ram. seriously if you want to use it as a desktop you will have problems. you might just want to bin it or use it for some old dos games :-)

[mörgæs]

Such hardware is of no practical use. Don't waste time on it.

You can get a great 3-4 years old computer for a very modest price.

[mörgæs]

You can run Damn small Linux (DSL) with x windows with as little as 16 mb ram , where CLI (non-graphical Linux) Minimum Requirements is 8 mb .
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

Please don't recommend DSL, not even for older gear. Development stopped several years ago, so today this project equals one big security hole.

[Lars Noodén]

Puppy Linux (http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview%20and%20Getting%20Started.htm) is another option for low spec'ed machines. I'd still look into getting more RAM. Regardless of what you put on it, it's not going to be fast.

[sanderj]

I have a old pentium 166 with 32 meg ram. It has win98 on it. What system could I load on it and what could it do? Could it do anything on the internet?

Wow, that's old indeed. And low specced!

My advice: keep Windows 98 on it. Or even better: don't use it. With 32MB RAM, you can't do anything graphical with out. "Internet" would be limited to non-GUI lynx.

Even my 700 Mhz 256 MB Raspi is too slow for graphical Internet stuff.

[chevyiron420]

You can run Damn small Linux (DSL) with x windows with as little as 16 mb ram , where CLI (non-graphical Linux) Minimum Requirements is 8 mb .
http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/
Sounds like it may be a fun project. I would like to run it as the only OS. I have another hard drive around someplace. Can I watch video's with it? Check email?
Where do I go to get it and what do i click on? I am dumb as a chunk about downloading stuff. I think my laptop can burn a CD if I can figure out how.

[mastablasta]

Please don't recommend DSL, not even for older gear. Development stopped several years ago, so today this project equals one big security hole.

development just restarted a few weeks ago. though it still uses old kernel.

Besides it is still usefull if old maschine has no serious use (like online banking etc.) and for offline use.


Sounds like it may be a fun project. I would like to run it as the only OS. I have another hard drive around someplace. Can I watch video's with it? Check email?
Where do I go to get it and what do i click on? I am dumb as a chunk about downloading stuff. I think my laptop can burn a CD if I can figure out how.

here at the download link in developers post is the latest RC: http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/forums/index.php?topic=11.0

[MG&TL]

Sounds like it may be a fun project. I would like to run it as the only OS. I have another hard drive around someplace. Can I watch video's with it? Check email?
Where do I go to get it and what do i click on? I am dumb as a chunk about downloading stuff. I think my laptop can burn a CD if I can figure out how.

Check email-probably.

Video- not going to happen, unless much mistaken. Or if it does, it will be very jerky. Although I'll be impressed if you do get it working. :)

[codemaniac]

Please don't recommend DSL, not even for older gear. Development stopped several years ago, so today this project equals one big security hole.

The objective was to inject some life into a dead hardware . ;)

And its not dead yet .

http://damnsmalllinux.org/forums/index.php?topic=11.0

[chevyiron420]

It just sounds like a fun thing to do. It wasnt to long ago our broadband was out and I plugged the phone line in the thing and got my email. I think I could have mowed the lawn by the time it got loaded though. I want to see what it will do without having to carry the load of win98 and IE6.:lolflag:

[mastablasta]

Video- not going to happen, unless much mistaken. Or if it does, it will be very jerky. Although I'll be impressed if you do get it working. :)

well i guess it depends on resolution and comrepssion type. i know i ran videos on 486/DX2 80 mhz & win95. afterall i got a whole bunch of them for free (some documentaries) when i bought the sound card. they just gave them to me.
:-O

edit: i read Curiousity has 200mhz CPU and 256 MB ram.

[MG&TL]

well i guess it depends on resolution and comrepssion type. i know i ran videos on 486/DX2 80 mhz & win95. afterall i got a whole bunch of them for free (some documentaries) when i bought the sound card. they just gave them to me.
:-O

edit: i read Curiousity has 200mhz CPU and 256 MB ram.

Hm. Interesting...I wasn't very old at the time, but my dad's win 98 system (quite well specced) looked bad compared to the TV set, and the TV was horrible at the time.

Guess the message is, 'Your Mileage May Vary'.

[mörgæs]

development just restarted a few weeks ago. though it still uses old kernel.

Besides it is still usefull if old maschine has no serious use (like online banking etc.) and for offline use.



here at the download link in developers post is the latest RC: http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/forums/index.php?topic=11.0

This was news to me. DSL getting back on its feet - I wouldn't have guessed that. Thanks for posting.

Still this particular computer does not serve any useful purpose today, sorry. A 166 MHz computer is probably built around 1997, 15 years ago.

[chevyiron420]

Well, I found another 32 meg in my junk box so now i'm up to 64 meg. I havent had much luck with DSL yet but she is running Puppy from the cd rom. I'm having trouble getting it to install to the hard drive so far. I'm use it now!!!! Thats right, i'm on line with a Pentium 166. This is fun.

[carldhickman]

Run Puppy Linux - I am using both WaryPuppy on an old laptop that wae running WinMe and is the only Linux that I got to run.

[claracc]

I have found this link: http://www.linuxlinks.com/Distributions/Mini_Distributions/ for mini-linux distros, in particular BasicLinux seems suitable for your old pentium.

I had a pentium 133 MHz with 16 MB Ram ( which is dead now) working with Deli Linux: http://linux.downloadatoz.com/deli-linux/, it is desktop oriented linux distro and has a gui web browser named netsurf.