Best Linux distro for 32 bits old computer with 2GB ram?

[j2ee]

I just find out none of the Ubuntu distro will support 32 bits. Which distro would you suggest? I would use it for years so hope it has long term support. I just start to use Linux so I need something user friendly. Thx.

[guiverc]

Lubuntu 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Xubuntu 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Ubuntu-MATE 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Kubuntu 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386

and there very well could be more, can be downloaded from https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours or http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/re...18.04/release/ (where you replace the lubuntu with the flavor you want)

http://ubuntu-news.org/2019/08/08/ub...-lts-released/ which states

"Maintenance updates will be provided for 5 years for Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Cloud, and Ubuntu Base. All the remaining flavours will be supported for 3 years."

with the 3 years starting from release, ie. 2018-April (thus 2021-April)

FYI: I'm using Lubuntu 18.04 LTS on a IBM Thinkpad t43 which has 1.5gb of ram, though it also has xubuntu-desktop (Xubuntu) installed too. I also have it installed on a dell latitude d610 (1gb ram)...

[sudodus]

If you want a 32-bit Ubuntu flavour [for Intel/AMD PCs] that will be fully supported after April 2021, there is only Ubuntu Server, that you can get directly. You can create Ubuntu Desktop from the 32-bit mini.iso file, but I think it is a bad idea because

- standard Ubuntu Desktop has a desktop environment that is too heavy for old 32-bit computers
- 32-bit versions of some application programs are no longer supported (developed/maintained)

So if you intend to use your old computer after April 2021, I think it is a better idea to get another linux distro, a distro with a 32-bit version that is still developed and maintained, and where there should be a set of application programs that are also fairly well developed and maintained.

- The security aspects are particularly important. You should not run a distro and application programs, that lack security updates.

Debian is a 'full size' linux distro that still develops and maintains 32-bit versions.

There are also some linux distros, that focus on really old computers, for example Tiny Core and Puppy Linux.

See also the 'mega'-link Old hardware brought back to life.

[The Cog]

I agree with sudodus.
I am going to have to migrate several of my computers from Xubuntu to Debian in the near future. Debian is the rock that Ubuntu is bult on anyway.
I use Xubuntu on them at the moment, and as a personal choice will go for XFCE because I'm reasonably familiar with it, and know it can manage with limited memory.
I can't comment on Tiny Core and Puppy Linux, I've never tried them. They may be better or worse for you.

[ajgreeny]

Yes, Debian is probably the best way to go.

I installed Debian-10 (Buster) on an old 32bit netbook with an Atom 270N cpu, 1G ram and a 160G HDD, and whilst not fast it is definitely faster than Lubuntu was on the same machine.

I installed using the netinstall iso which you get from https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd...86-netinst.iso and then during installation I chose to add the LXDE desktop to it, along with epiphany browser which is a lot faster and smaller than firefox. I could have simply added openbox as that is what I am now using on it rather than LXDE itself.

Definitely worth a try; just avoid the standard huge packages and go for smaller faster ones, eg abiword and gnumeric instead of libreoffice, and one of the much lighter image managers than GIMP.

[CatKiller]

Getting a Raspberry Pi will give you a much faster computer that uses way less power than something that old, and with far fewer headaches.

[bernard010]

Antix-19 i386 full iso. Debian based O.S. Needs 256 MB and up RAM. 4 GB Hard drive space.
Lubuntu still has 18.04 Bionic LTS - LXDE desktop
I have not tried Raspberry Pi
Linux Lite is now 64 bit OS. except older the version.
Their is LXLE 32 bit OS 18.04 which stays with the LTS of Ubuntu and Lubuntu I have not tried.

[j2ee]

Lubuntu 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Xubuntu 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Ubuntu-MATE 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Kubuntu 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386
Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 LTS is supported until 2021-April using x86/i686/i386

and there very well could be more, can be downloaded from https://ubuntu.com/download/flavours or http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/re...18.04/release/ (where you replace the lubuntu with the flavor you want)

http://ubuntu-news.org/2019/08/08/ub...-lts-released/ which states

"Maintenance updates will be provided for 5 years for Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Cloud, and Ubuntu Base. All the remaining flavours will be supported for 3 years."

with the 3 years starting from release, ie. 2018-April (thus 2021-April)

FYI: I'm using Lubuntu 18.04 LTS on a IBM Thinkpad t43 which has 1.5gb of ram, though it also has xubuntu-desktop (Xubuntu) installed too. I also have it installed on a dell latitude d610 (1gb ram)...

2020 just few days away, you think using something that will be outdated in a year is a good idea?

[Irihapeti]

BunsenLabs also looks interesting, if you're OK with Openbox. It's the new incarnation of CrunchBang.

I've switched my own EeePC 900 from Ubuntu command-line plus Openbox to Debian Buster command-line plus Openbox. I find it hard to tell the difference most of the time.

[cpt-ankitsharma]

Lubuntu