27.01.2016
Time goes forward, technologies are rapidly developing and improving, while becoming more accessible. Nevertheless, many still have, in addition to the main computer or laptop, some kind of outdated device, which it is a pity to throw away and use in full for its intended purpose for a long time.
There are plenty of reasons why you may have a weak computer on your hands, as you yourself understand. Another question is what operating system to install there so that interaction with this machine does not seem like torture. Obviously, the choice in this case will fall on Linux, now it only remains to decide which specific distribution of this OS is best suited for your PC or laptop. About that, and will be discussed below.
The name of the distribution kit speaks for itself - it is a light version of a full-fledged OS. If you are familiar with the Windows XP interface, then you will not have any problems with the development of "light" Linux - everything looks familiar and very friendly.
Part Linux Lite includes several preinstalled utilities and programs, including a graphics editor, an office suite from Libre, a VLC player and Steam (just a minute!). GIMP is enabled by default here, but Flash and Java initially do not work, as well as playing MP3 files. To solve this problem, you will need to install additional packages. They, like other necessary programs, are installed in a Linux way - from the console or synaptic.
Download Linux Lite you can with official site the creators of this distribution. There you can also familiarize yourself with the minimum requirements for this version of the OS.
Bodhi Linux
Another lightweight (500 MB) and undemanding Linux distribution kit, the installation of which will take you a few minutes.
Preinstalled apps in Bodhi Linux very little, which in our case is more a plus than a minus. You can always install the necessary software yourself. Once you have completed the OS setup, you will immediately feel the real buzz from how your weak PC or laptop “flies”. The only trouble that a user of this distribution may encounter is the Russification of the system. Sometimes, even after installing the full language pack, the OS will only partially "speak" to you in Russian.
Download the latest versionBodhi Linux you can on official website.
Minimum system requirements: processor with frequency 1 GHz, 256 MB random access memory, 4 GB free disk space.
Runtu Lite
Excellent OS distribution Linux for weak computers... A big plus of this version of the system is its regular update, numerous repositories with a huge software base, detailed descriptions of solutions to the most common problems that can be found on the Internet, as well as a huge community that will answer (or have already answered) all the questions of inexperienced users.
Runtu Lite, like the above-described distributions, is undemanding to system resources, has a simple but very attractive interface. Mastering this version of Linux will not be difficult, as well as customizing it for yourself. There is a preinstalled audio player, it is better to use VLC to play videos. There is a simple and convenient file manager, torrent client, browser (Firefox). Everything else can always be set with "knobs".
DownloadRuntu Lite you can on official website the creators of this distribution. You can also familiarize yourself with the minimum system requirements and a detailed list of preinstalled software.
Lightweight Linux distribution built on top of Unbutu. Actively supported by developers. The installation file weighs some 700 MB, including, in addition to the OS itself, the required minimum of programs.
Uses the LXDE working environment, which is very sparing on system resources. We should also note the extremely attractive interface of this distribution kit.
You can download it at the official Russian-language website by selecting the desired system capacity. There you can also find the minimum system requirements. It is also worth noting the presence of a large Russian-speaking community, whose members are ready to answer all the questions of inexperienced PC users.
That's all, for sure you have already decided for yourself, which Linux to choose for weak computers... We wish your machine a new life, productivity and high speeds.
Many of us have laptops or netbooks that have been around for a long time. They worked without problems with Windows XP or Vista, but the new versions of the OS from Microsoft are too tough for them. If, when you try to start Windows 10, your laptop starts to squeak, and trendy flatbed windows turn into a slideshow, don't rush to throw it away. Linux will help to revive it.
Installing the system is easy, just follow. Just download the distribution from the official website, burn it to a USB flash drive or disk and boot your computer from this disk. By installing Linux, you will forget about the sluggishness of the old computer and the problems with viruses and get an updated and supported system on the old hardware.
A few words about environments, or skins, of the desktop. Roughly speaking, it is the interface that allows us to interact with Linux. The most popular skins are KDE, GNOME, and Cinnamon, but for tried-and-true laptops and desktops, it's better to choose something lighter. These can be either Xfce or LXDE environments, or frame-based window managers such as Awesome and i3. They are more difficult to configure than full-fledged shells, but they can work on such hardware, where even LXDE fails.
1. Xubuntu
distroscreens.comXubuntu is the official flavor of the popular Ubuntu. With the difference that Xfce is used here instead of the not-too-agile Unity. It is a fast, yet functional and highly customizable desktop environment. Xubuntu is compatible with all Ubuntu applications and repositories.
processor with a frequency of 500 MHz, 512 MB of RAM, 7.5 GB of free hard disk space.
2. Lubuntu
distroscreens.com Another flavor of Ubuntu, this time with Lxde. Designed for use on even older computers. Lxde is not as functional as Xfce, but it is unpretentious and can run on almost any configuration.
Minimum system requirements: processor - from 266 MHz, 128 MB of RAM, 3 GB of free hard disk space.
3. Bodhi Linux
distroscreens.com Simple and fast distribution based on Ubuntu. Uses Moksha lightweight windowing environment containing Enlightenment 17.
Minimum system requirements: processor - from 500 MHz, 128 MB of RAM, 4 GB of free hard disk space.
4. Debian
arstechnica.com Debian is known for being stable and conservative. What else does an old computer need? It is one of the oldest and most popular distributions - Ubuntu is based on it. Debian, unlike the next distribution on the list, has a handy .NET installer. With a lightweight desktop environment, Debian will take root on any hardware.
Minimum system requirements: processor - 1 GHz, 256 MB of RAM, 10 GB of free hard disk space.
5. Arch
in8sworld.net Arch is not the best choice for those who have not dealt with Linux before and just want to install the system. Naked Arch installs over the Net, via the command line - it will freak out anyone.
Arch is nevertheless good and pretty darn fast. Combined with Xfce, Lxde, or better yet, tile-based window managers like Awesome or the i3, Arch will cheer up anyone or a laptop. And its extensive AUR repository gives you access to a wealth of one-click Linux applications.
Minimum system requirements: any i686 or x86_64 processor, 128 MB of RAM, 800 MB of free hard disk space.
6. Manjaro
distroscreens.com If you don't want to mess with installing Arch, try Manjaro. It is a fork of Arch with a user-friendly installer and a lot of its own features. Comes with Xfce for older computers and KDE for modern computers. Additionally, Manjaro's flavors with other environments are community maintained.
If you think that Manjaro has a lot of unnecessary installed, you can use Manjaro-Architect and build the system to fit your needs. Arch goodies like Rolling release and AUR are included.
Minimum system requirements: 1 GHz processor, 384 MB of RAM, 10 GB of free hard disk space.
7. Puppy Linux
puppylinux.com 10 GB disk space, 5 GB, 3 GB ... If you think this is too much for Linux, try Puppy. This distribution will only take 200 MB. At the same time, Puppy Linux is a complete system with its own programs and repositories.
Minimum system requirements: processor - 333 MHz, 64 MB of RAM, 200 MB of free hard disk space.
8. SliTaz
slitaz.org An even more compact distribution, aimed at running entirely from RAM. When deployed, it takes about 100 MB, and the Live CD image is less than 40 MB.
Minimum system requirements: any i686 or x86_64 processor, 128 MB of RAM, 100 MB of free hard disk space.
9. Damn Small Linux
damnsmalllinux.org Devilishly small Linux, as its name suggests. Despite the fact that the distribution kit fits in 50 MB, the developers managed to cram in here the XMMS player, Dillo browser, Ted text editor, Xpaint graphics editor, Xpdf viewer, emelFM file manager and much more.
Minimum system requirements: 486DX processor, 16 MB of RAM, 50 MB of free hard disk space.
Finally
Installing any lightweight Linux distribution will give you an up-to-date system on your old device. You can comfortably listen to music, view video files and edit documents.
However, this will not solve memory problems such as when working with heavy web pages in a browser. Therefore, here are a couple more recommendations.
On very old computers, you can use light browsers like Midori or Dillo. Or disable flash animations and scripts in Firefox or Chrome.
Use lightweight apps instead of web services in your browser. To save memory, YouTube videos can be watched in VLC or Mpv. You can connect to Spotify through Clementine. Connect your social media accounts to Pidgin, or try Geary's email client instead of the Gmail web interface.
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You don't have to throw away your old PC and laptop. Install a lightweight Linux distribution on them and they will be as good as new. Lightweight distributions do not have to be used on older hardware. You can install them on a modern computer and get maximum performance. Most distributions are portable and can run on Live CD / USB without a hard drive. Why should you use other OSes full of ads and unnecessary stuff when you can use Linux? All distributions are free and can run with 512MB or less RAM onboard.
Anyway, before we continue with the list, here are some quick tips:
How to choose the best lightweight Linux distribution
These guidelines should help you make your choice.
- Any Linux is better than Windows / OS X when it comes to old hardware. Linux distributions and the software that runs on them are much more optimized and compatible with older hardware. If you are using Windows or OS X and it lags, switch to Linux. You are guaranteed to see performance improvements. Some older versions of Windows and OS X are fast for older hardware, but they don't get any support or updates, unlike all the distributions listed here.
- Choosing the right lightweight distribution will depend on whether what are you going to use it for ... Some of them are optimized for certain types of activities, i.e. server or game. Are you going to use it for your daily internet surfing? If so, keep in mind that websites have evolved and while the browser and the OS itself will perform better, websites may still not be optimized and slow down your system. If you're going to use it for office tasks like word processing, spreadsheets, or presentations, it will work just fine. Maybe you want to use your old laptop as a media device and watch movies on it - no problem, but there is a lot of hassle with Blu-Ray.
Choose according to your needs
- One more note - what are you willing to sacrifice? How many OS features do you really need? Looking for beautiful UI animations and 3D effects? Some distributions have great modern UIs, but they require better hardware.
- Past experience is another important factor to consider. You are new? Then don't use Arch Linux. Have you used Ubuntu before? Then choose Lubuntu which is Ubuntu based or something new. Are you used to the Windows XP interface and want something similar? Of course, we have a large selection for you.
- Tip: spend a little research for your equipment and see how the system works with hardware. Most distros can run on a cheap USB stick - you don't even need an HDD / SSD. This is often referred to as a "live CD / USB device". We've included one for each, so you can check if the distribution will support your hardware. Most of them can run just fine on the Raspberry Pi.
A quick overview of the distributions included in our list
Now (finally) getting down to the main part, the best lightweight distros Linux for old computers / laptops ... Most distributions are easy to install and can be used via USB.
Click on a distribution's name to find more information, screenshots, and download links.
| Distribution kit | Minimum CPU | Minimum RAM (MB) | Minimum HDD (MB) | Graphical shell | The note |
| Any 64-bit processor | 512 | 1000 | Any | For advanced users | |
| Pentium 3 | 512 | 8000 | LXDE | Based on LUBUNTU | |
| Pentium 4, AMD K8, at least 266 MHz | 512 | 3000 | LXDE | For a beginner | |
| i686 or x86_64 | 256 | 700 | Openbox | Like Arch Linux, but simpler | |
| 233 MHz | 128 | 512 | JWM | Portable (Live system) | |
| 700 MHz | 512 | 2000 | XFCE | Good for Windows users | |
| i484 | 120 | 2000 | LXDE | Portable (Live system) | |
| 1 GHz | 512 | 30000 | XFCE | A very powerful and flexible system | |
| 1 GHz | 256 | 10000 | KDE | Stable, proven, popular distribution | |
| Any Intel, AMD processor | 512 | 10000 | Mate, XFCE, Cinnamon | Simple to use | |
| Any Intel, AMD processor | 48 | 220 | KDE | Portable, consists of modules | |
| x86 / 64 processors | 192 | 2800 | IceWM, FluxBox, JWM, Xfce | Excellent LIVE-USB system |
Infographics
Linux infographics for weak PCsLubuntu
Lubuntu is one of the most popular and most widely used lightweight Linux distributions. Some people use it as their main Linux distribution on powerful hardware just because of its performance and great user interface.
Minimum hardware requirements
It can work on anything.
- Pentium 4, Pentium M, AMD K8 or newer processor. At least 266 MHz
- 512 MB RAM
- 3 GB of disk space (or more)
Nothing else is just a plus. Requirements listed here for the 16.04 LTS release, other releases may have slightly different requirements.
Facts and Features
Lightweight Ubuntu.
- Ubuntu based, no bells and whistles;
- Has all the necessary software pre-installed (office, browser, media players, etc.);
- Uses LXDE. Future releases will use LXQt;
- Large and active community support. There are also several active Lubuntu social groups;
LXLE
As an alternative to Lubuntu, we have LXLE. Based on Lubuntu, it has good optimizations and performance. Has a beautiful interface.
Minimum hardware requirements
Likewise with Lubuntu.
- Pentium 3 processor
- At least 512 MB of RAM
- 8 GB disk space
Facts and Features
Plug and play.
- Easy to install - just install it and it's ready to use. No need for complex configurations;
- Great for Windows XP / Vista / 7 users;
- A wide range of pre-installed default applications;
- Based on LXDE;
- Has only LTS releases;
Arch Linux
Minimum hardware requirements
Depends on how you are going to use it.
- Any 64-bit compatible machine
- 512 MB RAM minimum
- At least 1 GB of disk space
Facts and Features
You have to do everything yourself.
- Fully customizable - you choose which packages, desktop environment, etc. you are going to use. You must install them yourself;
- The official wiki contains detailed tutorials from all over the world;
- Lightweight, it all depends on your choice. Only the necessary packages and functions are installed, nothing superfluous;
ArchBang
If you want the power and flexibility of Arch Linux, but don't want to go through complex configurations and installations, you can use ArchBang. It's based on Arch Linux and that's great.
Minimum hardware requirements
Lightweight and easy to use.
- i686 or x86_64 compatible machine
- 256 MB of RAM
- 700 MB disk space
Facts and Features
Arch Linux is only simpler and easier.
- Can be used as a full-featured desktop and as a Live OS;
- The Best of Both Worlds - Based on Arch Linux and inspired by CrunchBang;
- Openbox window manager;
- Rolling release;
Puppy Linux
A very lightweight Linux that can run fast without installing on a hard drive. It works with Live CD / USB. Also used as an additional OS, without changes to the main one.
Minimum hardware requirements
Extremely lightweight system.
- 233 MHz processor
- 128 MB of RAM
- 512 MB of free hard disk space to create an additional save file.
- No hard drive required
- CD / DVD / SD card or USB port
Facts and Features
Puppy Linux is not a single distribution, but a collection of many distributions with different purposes and different sets of software.
- No hard drive required. Can work on Live CD / USB / SD cards;
- Many different distribution options to choose from. The screenshot above shows "Tahrpup";
- Puppy Linux runs on your computer's memory as opposed to running on your hard drive, making it extremely fast;
- It is portable - you can save data on your flash card and run it on any other computer;
Linux Lite
Nice user interface, easy to use and often used as a gateway from Windows to Linux.
Minimum hardware requirements
Full of features but quite lightweight.
- 700 MHz processor
- RAM 512 MB
- VGA screen (1024 × 768 resolution)
- At least 2 GB of hard disk space
Facts and opportunities
Considering the user interface - this is a great alternative to Windows
- Based on the xfce desktop environment;
- Ready to use out of the box. Everything you need is already pre-installed;
- Each LTS release (5 years of support and updates);
- One of the best UI;
KNOPPIX
Yes, he is still alive. The first bootable Linux to be developed on the Debian platform, with a suite of GNU / Linux applications and various software. Just plug in the Live USB / CD, fire it up and use it.
Minimum hardware requirements
One of the lightest distributions.
- Intel / AMD-compatible processor (i486 and above)
- At least 120 MB of RAM
- Standard Definition SVGA Compatible Graphics Chipset
- 2 GB disk space
Facts and Features
Plug in and rejoice.
- Ease of Use - Boot from CD / USB quickly and use without hassle;
- All the software you need is preinstalled (GIMP, Firefox, Libre office, mplayer ...);
- Based on LXDE;
Manjaro
Another popular distribution for advanced users is Manjaro - you can use the Xfce edition with a preinstalled working environment that makes it easier to launch.
Minimum hardware requirements
Not the easiest system, but very powerful and flexible.
- 1 GHz processor
- RAM 512 MB
- 30 GB hard disk space
Facts and Features
Flexible, fast and powerful.
- Rolling release;
- Great for beginners and advanced users;
- Arch Linux based;
- Uses Xfce wrapper;
Debian
We have included many Debian based distributions, but we should definitely include Debian itself. The Debian system is very lightweight, stable and popular.
Minimum hardware requirements
Revive your old computer with a modern distro.
- 1 GHz processor
- 256 MB of RAM
- 10 GB disk space
Facts and opportunities
One of the most popular Linux distributions.
- Very active community and extensive documentation;
- Stable, easy to use;
- Uses only free software;
- For the server, you can use the server version;
Linux Mint
Linux Mint is one of the popular distributions in general. However, the Mate, Cinnamon and Xfce skins are pretty lightweight, so they deserve a place on our list. Note: shell KDE is not easy .
Minimum hardware requirements
Depends on the shell, but they are all pretty lightweight.
- 700 MHz processor
- RAM 512 MB
- 10 GB disk space
Facts and Features
One of the most popular.
- Very active community;
- Beautiful user interfaces;
- Stable, reliable;
- All software must be installed in advance;
- Many different editions to choose from;
Slax
Modular, portable and lightweight Linux based on Slackware. Since it is modular, you can install any software you like. Just download the module and copy it to Slax.
Minimum hardware requirements
Very lightweight, especially if you are using text editing mode.
- Any Intel / AMD processor will work. I486 processor or newer
- 48 MB RAM for text mode and 256 MB RAM for KDE shell
- 220 MB disk space
Facts and Features
Your pocket operating system
- Modular, you can install any software;
- There are all applications that need to be pre-installed;
- Portable Live CD or USB;
- Various editions to choose from, all with different purposes and functions;
antiX
The lightweight distribution is ideal for both novice and experienced users. It is used as a desktop OS and as a Live OS.
Minimum hardware requirements
Light and beautiful system.
- Any CPU
- 192MB of RAM is the absolute minimum. Recommended 256 MB or more
- 2.8 GB disk space
Facts and Features
All-in-one, lightweight system.
- Can be used as a Live OS with many functions;
- Can be used on a USB stick;
- Fully functional as a desktop OS;
- Debian based;
- Has a variety of window managers to choose from: IceWM, Fluxbox, JWM, and herbstluftwm;
Conclusion
The above distributions are our "main" lightweight Linux distributions. This should be sufficient for your purposes.
Probably, we all have old devices, laptops or computers that simply cannot work properly with a modern operating system, be it Windows or Linux. But such devices can still be put to good use. There are Linux distributions specially designed for the minimum consumption of RAM and CPU resources.
In this article, we'll take a look at the best Linux distros for your old laptop or computer that you can use on your devices. This is not a ranking, but just a list, and all the elements are worthy of your attention. Today there will be no long introductions, let's go straight to the review.
Lubuntu is one of the best distros for older laptops. It is based on Ubuntu, but lightweight and stable enough. LXDE is used as the desktop environment, it can work even with the lowest hardware specifications.
All the necessary programs are supplied with the system, but there are much less of them than in the regular version of Ubuntu, this makes the distribution even lighter and smaller. Lubuntu requires a Pentium II or Celeron processor with PAE technology to function properly. Minimum RAM: 128 MB, and hard disk space is 2 GB.
2. Puppy Linux
This is one of the lightest distributions. It is small, but quite powerful and can be used both on new computers and on fairly old hardware. Fresh images occupy about 300 megabytes, and contain only the OS kernel and a small set of the most necessary programs, such as a browser, player, etc.
Interestingly, Puppy boots and runs from RAM, so the programs start very quickly. After installing on USB, you can install additional programs, and all of them will also work from RAM. Puppy Linux uses JVM or OpenBox as its default window manager, which makes it even faster. Minimum requirements: 500 MHz processor, 128 MB of RAM and 512 MB of disk space.
3. Tiny Core
You've probably already heard about Tiny Core. It is the smallest Linux distribution. Even modern text editors are larger than this full-fledged GUI distro. The image size is only 16 MB. You can install it even on the most ancient machine.
The system comes with only the most necessary programs, but this does not mean that you cannot install other programs that you need. Tiny Core currently comes in three versions - Core, TinyCore, and CorePlus. The first is 11 MB in size and contains only the console interface, the second is 16 MB, has a FLTK / FLWM graphical interface, and the third is 116 MB, and this is an installation image with utilities for configuring the system.
4. Bodhi Linux
Bodhi Linux is another Linux distro for an old laptop based on Ubuntu. It is fast enough and not overloaded with applications. It comes with only the most essential programs like file manager, internet browser, text editor, terminal. But you can install whatever you need with apt.
Enlightenment is used as the desktop environment. It consumes little memory and has a very nice and simple interface. Minimum requirements: 500 MHz processor, 128 MB of RAM and 4 GB of disk space.
5. Peppermint OS
Peppermint is based on Lubuntu, which can already be considered a Linux distribution for low-end notebooks. It also uses the LXDE desktop environment. But the set of programs is more interesting. The distribution does not include the usual cloud applications, but links to Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, etc. Applications open in the pre-installed Chromium browser.
However, you can install all the programs you need through the package manager. The minimum amount of RAM for the distribution kit is 192 MB, which is 62 MB more than other options.
6. Macpup
If Puppy Linux looks too simple and ugly for you, you can try Macpup Linux. It is based on Puppy Linux, so it has all its advantages, including running out of RAM.
But the system looks more beautiful, Enlightenment is used as the desktop environment, there are transparency effects, an animated dock bar at the bottom of the screen, and much more. The system comes with everything you need, including word processing software. The distribution kit needs 164 MB of RAM to work.
7. BunsenLabs Linux
This is another lightweight distro capable of running on older hardware. It is based on Debian and you can start the system if you have at least 256MB of RAM. Openbox is used as a window manager, which has been specially modified to reduce resource consumption.
8. MX Linux
The latest version of MX Linux is based on Debian 8.2. It is a very fast distribution that can be used on both newer devices and older ones. LXDE is used as the desktop environment, and the distribution also includes programs such as the Whisker menu and the Qupzilla browser.
9. Porteus
This is a Slackware based distribution primarily intended for installation on removable media, but can be used on a hard drive as well. All Porteus data is compressed and the file system is created on the fly. All additional programs are supplied as modules.
XFCE or LXQt can be used as the desktop environment. To run the graphical environment, 144 MB of RAM is enough.
10. Slitaz
Slitaz can start and run normally on a system with 256 MB of RAM. It uses the Openbox window manager as well as several native tools such as TazPanel. With TazPanel you can install programs, change system settings, bootloader settings and much more.
The distribution has several editions, the simplest of them can run on 20 MB of RAM, but only in the console interface. All necessary programs are supplied with the system.
conclusions
In this article, we've covered the best Linux distros for weak laptops. From this list, you can definitely choose what is right for you. What lightweight distributions would you recommend? Write in the comments!
Modern popular distributions have immodest requirements for
iron. And on standard computers 7-10 years ago, if they start, then
they will definitely not fly. And such dinosaurs are still preserved in large numbers in
government offices, educational institutions, in the closets of geeks. The life of such
computers will prolong the correct choice and setting of the OS.
To get Linux that runs smartly on equipment of venerable age,
there are two ways: use an existing distribution with low system
requirements, or finish your favorite distro to the desired condition. Every path
its pros and cons. The first way is faster, but the second gives you more freedom.
action and experiment :). As a rule, modern distributions need 384 MB of RAM or more
for normal operation, the CPU frequency is not so critical, 400 MHz is enough). But
you need to understand that it's worth starting Firefox - and a system with 384 MB of RAM right away
will go to the swap. So for normal work with the browser, mail and IM, it is desirable
512 MB - 1024 MB. I'll try to choose an OS for a "spherical configuration"
the beginning of the XXI century:
- Processor: Intel Pentium-III 800 MHz;
- RAM: 128 MB SDRAM;
- Video card: built-in or discrete with 8 MB of memory;
- HDD: 20 GB.
Ready-made solutions
Distributions built to run on old hardware appear almost
not every day. Unfortunately, in most cases, they disappear just as quickly.
as they appear. There are very few centenarians in this niche. Usually these are respins
popular distributions with "light" DE and a set of progs.
Perhaps the most famous lightweight distribution is DSL (Damn Small Linux). V
the magazine has already been written about him more than once, so I will not repeat myself. But a long
the lack of new releases and the old 2.4 kernel make it not the best
choice. The most popular distribution has two options for the old
hardware: xubuntu (by modern standards - a long-lived distribution kit) and a newbie
lubuntu.
Xubuntu is the official Ubuntu variant with Xfce instead of Gnome and somewhat different
a set of software (Abiword + Gnumeric instead of Openoffice, Thunderbird instead of Evolution, and
etc). Xubuntu can be called a "light" distribution only conditionally -
minimum requirements include 192 MB of RAM (but highly recommend at least
256 MB). However, practice has shown that on 128 MB (with swap) xubuntu is still
starts up (but not in Live mode) and even tries to work, but very thoughtfully.
It is not recommended to run any applications :). Distribution image size
- 681 MB, and the full installation takes about 2 GB. But the distribution kit has advantages
huge Ubuntu package base and good localization.
Lubuntu is an unofficial Ubuntu-based distribution with LXDE instead of Gnome and
a significantly revised set of software. Besides the standard replacement for the voracious
OpenOffice with Abiword + Gnumeric, Firefox replaced with Chromium (in terms of consumption
RAM is a pretty good replacement, Xubuntu should do the same.)
At the time of this writing, the distribution is still in beta status, the release is scheduled for October 2010
(along with the Ubuntu 10.10 release). Lubuntu is already "lightweight"
distribution kit, since it is more or less efficient on 128 MB of RAM (and even
runs in Live mode, although with so much RAM it has to be perverted
with installation). The size of the distribution is 521 MB, and the full installation takes about
1.5 GB.
Antix is another derivative, this time of a distribution kit that is not very well known in our country.
SimplyMEPIS with the addition of packages from Debian Testing. At minimum requirements
declared PII 266 and 64 MB of RAM (with a minimum of 128 MB swap). True, it is recommended
still 128 MB of RAM. There are two versions: full (485 MB) and base (264 MB). Full
installing the full version takes about 1.5 GB. The latest release is 8.5, came out in
April this year. IceWM is used as DE (although fluxbox, wmii and dwm
also installed). The Russification of the distribution kit is very conditional, it is included
non-trivial and replete with pearls like "office". But out of the box there is
(thanks to the debian-multimedia repository) most of the necessary for comfortable
life of codecs.
Another fairly well-known distribution kit for old computers is puppy
(constantly hanging in top10 on distrowatch). Although a new one came out in May of this year
Lucid Puppy 5.0 release (based on Ubuntu Lucid Lynx binaries), 4.x branch (with
the latest stable release 4.3.1) is still supported and is planned to be released soon
4.4. The installation ISO version 5.0.1 takes only about 130 MB, and the OS in
installed form - a little more than 500 MB. Despite its small size, it contains
a considerable number of applied software: abiword, sylpheed, inkscape, gxine (as well as
all the codecs you need), geany and much more. When the browser starts, it pops up
a window asking which browser you want to install (just like in Windows :)).
Although you can run the pre-installed PuppyBrowser based on Firefox.
In general, the distribution kit tries to resemble a small-soft OS as much as possible, and does not
only by the design, but also by the principles of work (for example, work by default
suggested from the root). The OS works fine on 128 MB of RAM as after installation,
and in Live mode, practically without using swap. As a window manager
used written in C and has a minimum of JWM dependencies. One more
an interesting feature of puppy - when the LiveCD exits, save the modified
data to external media.
Slitaz is a relatively young distribution. Release 1.0 came out in March 2008.
since then it comes out on release once a year, current at the moment - 3.0. Surprises
ISO image size: only 30 MB (less than DSL!). In addition to the distribution itself with
offsite, you can download a separate disk image with all available packages (less
1.5 GB). Openbox is used as the window manager, the panel is LXPanel. On the
30MB LiveCD fit Firefox, gFTP, transmission, mplayer, leafpad and
many more pleasant little things. There is even built-in HTTP (lighttpd) and
SSH (dropbear) server. Russian localization is available, but not complete (installer,
for example, it is not at all Russified). To run the standard version in the mode
A minimum of 192 MB of RAM is recommended for LiveCD, it refuses to start at 128 MB
categorically. For those unfortunate people who do not have so much memory, the developers
released special versions of LiveCD: slitaz-loram (80 MB of RAM is enough for
launch) and slitaz-loram-cdrom (only 16 MB is enough).
Tiny Core Linux is the most amazing of the "lightweight" Linux systems. Developers
managed to cram a full-fledged OS with X into a 10-megabyte image. For graphics
the FLWM window manager and the FLTK toolkit are responsible. No wonder the software suite
minimal: no browser, no text editor of any kind. But you can
just a couple of clicks of the mouse to put. There is no installer as such either -
it is suggested to partition the disk using cfdisk, format partitions, manually
transfer files and install grub. Tiny core manages to perform well at 64 MB
RAM. Unfortunately, such a small size of the distribution was achieved not only in
by throwing out almost all applications. Many drivers were also excluded.
For example, a lot of firewood for wireless cards was left overboard. So I
would use this distribution only if no other
does not start anymore.
Hand made
It is not necessary to install a separate one for fast operation of an old PC.
distribution kit - you can always finish your favorite to the desired state. Here again
There are two ways: use ready-made DEs or assemble your environment piece by piece.
The first way is easier, the second is more interesting :).
Light DEs include LXDE and Enlightenment (yes, Xfce is not the same ...)
LXDE is available in the repositories of most distributions. For example on Ubuntu LXDE
is put like this:
$ sudo apt-get install lxde
This way we will practically end up with lubuntu (practically because
after all lubuntu has its own additional ppa repository).
Enlightenment is also in the Ubuntu repositories (in 10.04 - only E16, in 10.10 -
both E16 and under development E17) and set accordingly:
$ sudo apt-get install e16
$ sudo apt-get install e17
Once installed, the bootable DE will be selectable when you log into GDM. If
collect your graphical environment, then the number of possible solutions can be
limited only by fantasy. A conditionally graphical environment can be composed of
following components:
- Window manager;
- Session manager;
- Desktop and file manager;
- Panel;
- Some useful software like a terminal emulator, archiver, etc.
like that.
The agony of choice
The window manager is responsible for the interface and behavior of the windows in the graphical environment.
The choice of window manager is very wide: from the well-known metacity, compiz and kwin to
"light" openbox, fluxbox, IceWM and JWM. I opted for openbox -
because of the speed, convenient configurator (ObConf) and habit :). Moreover, in
unlike many other window managers, openbox is under active development.
Is there life in the console
Not in the last place in the list of RAM eaters in the lungs
distributions are x. In some cases, giving up xs will be good.
solution, and sometimes the only way out. Surely life in a bare console
requires some preparation and adaptation. But you shouldn't think that everything is completely
sad - there are dozens of excellent console applications for all cases
life. With the framebuffer, you can even view images and videos,
and with gpm, use the mouse. Here is a small list of good console
programs:
- Browsers: lynx (the grandfather of text browsers), w3m (there is support
mice, cookies and a few other useful things), links (in version 2
supports displaying graphics via framebuffer);- Mail client: mutt, alpine;
- IM: finch (multi-protocol client, "console version of Pidgin"),
CenterIM (another multi-protocol client. From version 5.0 there will also be
be based on libpurple), irssi (IRC client), mcabber (jabber client);- RSS readers: newsbeuter, snownews;
- Viewing images: fbi (and fbgs is a wrapper to it, allowing
view PDF and PostScript), fbv, zgv;- Music players: ogg123, mpg123, mpg321, mpd, moc,
mp3blaster;- Video players: mplayer, vlc.
The next component is the session manager. This is the kind of thing that is responsible for
starting other programs (including the window manager), restarting them if
crash, and also provides the ability to save a list of running
applications. The element is, in principle, optional, but nice enough. How
as a rule, each DE has its own session manager: gnome-session, lxsession,
xfce-session. The staybox, intended for launch, stands somewhat apart.
openbox (and other * box window managers). But it is not in the repository, and it is unknown,
whether it will develop in the future. In principle, there are special differences between these
there are no solutions, so I chose lxsession (part of the LXDE project). Unconfigured
Openbox may seem somewhat austere - black background, lack of panels,
the only menu on the right button. Panel choices are probably wider than choices
window managers: tint2, pypanel, fbpanel, lxpanel and many others. Requirements to
my panels are simple: lack of demand for resources, the presence of a switch
virtual tables, menu with applications, clock, layout switcher
keyboard. Stopped at LXPanel. Nice bonus: applet support
(keyboard layout, clock, menu ...), the ability to run multiple copies (if
want, like in Gnome - top and bottom), a simple graphical configurator.
As a rule, for drawing icons (and sometimes a background image) on the desktop
a specialized utility (like
), or file
manager. Using a standard gnomish nautilus does not fit into
general concept of light environment. There are not so many suitable "light" options
a lot: pcmanfm, thunar, rox-filer, emelfm2, xfe, gentoo (not to be confused with
distribution kit :)). I like pcmanfm the most for the presence of bookmarks and tabs,
automounting flash drives, support for file type associations (applications for
default), and in general, for a pleasant interface. The new environment should be
select accompanying software with low system requirements.
It is better to change gnome-terminal to something lighter: terminator, termit,
lxterminal, sakura. I want a little from the terminal emulator: UTF8 support
and tabs. Lxterminal is quite suitable for these requirements. Browser, along with
terminal is my main working tool. Although there are "lightweight" browsers,
for example, dillo, midory or arora - they all do not suit me as
tools for everyday work for one reason or another: lack of necessary
technology or work instability. Therefore, as a browser, I have left
chromium.
I don't need much from a text editor - just to have it (anyway
configs are mostly edited in nano or mc). I'll put leafpad for text
files, abiword - for odt and doc, gnumeric - for ods or xls. In case of
needing syntax highlighting might come in handy geany. As
image viewer can use Eye of GNOME, or you can
find an easier alternative, fortunately, there are many options: geeqie (fork of gqview),
ristretto, mirage and others - for every taste and color. I chose geeqie.
It remains to replace network-manager with wicd, and file-roller with xarchiver, and
we get a complete graphical environment. True, somewhat foreign in such
a lightweight environment will look like gdm. Therefore, it is also better to replace it with
something simpler, for example, slim (Simple Login Manager) - this will reduce the time
downloads.
Light monitor
A nice addition to a lightweight distribution would be the conky system monitor.
He is able to monitor any parameter of the system (including using
calling an external script), while consuming a minimum of resources. Install
simply:$ sudo apt-get install conky
Then you need to create the ~ / .conkyrc file. The program has a lot of parameters,
so it's easier to take the ready-made .conkyrc and edit it to suit your needs.
Examples of .conkyrc files with screenshots can be taken from the official website:
.
Installation and napilling
All system components are now selected. You can set and customize. Everything
the above is in the repositories of almost any distribution kit. I will
describe using Ubuntu as an example, but I think for other distributions significant
no differences are expected. So, we put:
$ sudo apt-get install slim openbox obconf lxpanel pcmanfm lxterminal
chromium-browser leafpad abiword gnumeric geany geeqie wicd xarchiver
The installation process will ask you which login manager to use. We choose
slim.
Since we have already taken up apt-get, we can clean out all unnecessary from the system along the way,
for example, uninstall avahi-daemon and kerneloops-daemon. Sane and cups are used (by
at least by me) not very often - they can be removed from startup for
reducing RAM consumption and system start time:
$ sudo /etc/init.d/cups stop
$ sudo update-rc.d -f cups remove
But back to setting up. First you need to teach the login manager to run
correct session manager. Slim can work with different sessions (for the choice
the session is answered by the key
managed to get it to correctly launch openbox as a default session. Simpler
register the launch of lxsession in ~ / .xsession:
$ nano ~ / .xsession lxsession -session default
To let lxsession know which window manager to launch, create a file /etc/xdg/lxsession/default/desktop.conf
with the following content:
$ sudo nano /etc/xdg/lxsession/default/desktop.conf
window_manager = openbox-session
The programs that lxsession should run at login are written in the / etc / xdg / lxsession / default / autostart file:
$ sudo nano / etc / xdg / lxsession / default / autostart @lxpanel @pcmanfm --desktop
The "@" sign indicates that lxsession will keep track of the state
running program and restart it in case of a fall. ‘—Desktop’ option
indicates that the drawing of the desktop (icons and wallpaper) will be handled by
pcmanfm. You can specify the path to the picture that will serve as wallpaper either through
GUI:
$ pcmanfm --desktop-pref
or in config.config / pcmanfm / pcmanfm.conf. I recommend to also specify pcmanfm
display the window manager menu instead of your own.
To make lxterminal open from the openbox menu instead of gnome-terminal, you need
enter:
$ sudo update-alternatives --config x-terminal-emulator
And select lxterminal from the list that appears.
Conclusion
Today, when the amount of RAM in new computers is measured in gigabytes, and
single-core processors are already bad manners, a modern OS capable of running on
a computer with the configuration of the beginning of the century seems fantastic. And yet it is
is quite real.
