which Linux distro for 1998 PC ?

[jeanrev]

Hi everybody,

 

can you help me find a mini distribution ?

 

which linux distribution will be able to manage the internet or at least the mail on a 1998 PC 233 Mhz and 32 Mo RAM

 

thank you

 

[aRTee]

I think without graphics you could even use Mandrake, but I'd seriously check if you cannot arrange to have some more memory on that system. The cpu is not too bad, don't expect stellar performance, but for 2.5 years I ran a P200 (not even mmx) as a server (internet, printserver, firewall,..) - it did have 120MB ram..

I gave it to a friend who now uses it as a desktop system with mdk9.2. He is the patient type though.... :D

[chris z]

i agree with aRTee. i'm currently running MDK9.2 on a vintage 1998 Aptiva with an AMD 333mhz. i have the RAM maxed out at 256 megs. RAM is very affordable these days, so if you really want to get some use out of that machine, invest a few bucks to up the RAM & you should be fine running just about any of the latest versions of MDK. i run several apps at the same time, all of the time & have no degradation in performance. just don't expect to run any video/CPU intensive games or movies & such & you should be fine.

 

Chris

[spiedra]

Okay, I am going to be the odd one and suggest to try Peanut Linux. It is for systems with similar specs, doesn't take up much space, yet very powerful, and supposedly also user friendly. Not to say Mandrake without X wouldn't work, but Peanut is more geared towards what you got. Or if you are brave, Slackware, but if you are a noobie, I wouldn't go with Slack.

[bvc]

Slackware

Debian

[jeanrev]

thank you I will try peanut

[jeanrev]

I installed mandrake linux 9.1 with text boot and minimum install

but

how do I install a package without urpmi in command line ?

 

How do I install urpmi with the command line

thank you all

[jlc]

slackware

vector

[spiedra]

As root type:

 

urpmi <package name>

 

If you want to add sources, there is a little tutorial floating around here that'll show you how to add sources. Try tips and tricks or faq's on easy urpmi.

[jeanrev]

My problem is : how to install urpmi after installing mandrake 9.1 in text mode with the minimal configuration ?

 

or how to install the minimum configuration in text mode with urpmi only ?

I want to use Linux only to send & receive my mail on an old PC

 

thanks

[Cannonfodder]

Just out of curiousity, why are you working with such an old machine?

[ShadowFoxLSU]

if I were you I would run Slackware or Vacotr Linux

[jeanrev]

I am on this machine because it works fine with WIN98SE

it is for my wife who plays freecell only and the mail

her machine is infested with virus on Windows

so a small linux to send & receive mail that's all we need

[Crashdamage]

Since this machine runs Win98SE ok, it should be able to run Mandrake 8.2 fine. It should be faster than 9.1 because of the older versions of KDE an Gnome in 8.2. Even with 8.2 KDE and Gnome will be painfully slow, but if you use a lightweight window manager like Fluxbox or ICEwm you should still get pretty decent speed without having to give up running X and going text-only. Even so, staying more with text-based apps like Mutt or Midnight Commander instead of GUI stuff like Kmail or Konqueror will help too.

Edited April 17, 2004 by Crashdamage

[Crashdamage]

I'd think that if Win98SE rons OK on this machine, you should be able to install Mandrake 8.2 OK too. It should run considerably better than 9.1 Even with 8.2 KDE or Gnome will be painfully slow, but at least should run. Better, use a lightweight window manager like maybe Fluxbox or ICEwm. That'll giv you some decent speed.