[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: distro for 486 with 32 MB ram



On Tuesday 20 March 2007 11:00, Douglas Allan Tutty wrote:
> I have a 486 with 32 MB ram, ISA bus NIC, currently running
> Sarge.  Now that Etch RC2 is out I'm starting to plan for the
> future of this box. The Etch install manual says that it needs
> 64 MB ram.  I know that Sarge will continue to be supported
> for a while but I may as well start planning.
[snip]
> I want a distribution with security support since if I didn't
> want that I could just stick with Woody.
>
> DamnSmallLinux needs to boot from a CD.  The 486 will only
> boot from floppy or hard drive.
>
> FreeBSD will run, does anyone have experience with it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Doug.

I use Slackware 9.1 on a Pentium 166 with 32MB of RAM.  Security 
updates are still being provided for releases back to 9.0.

The Slackware web site indicates that they still support the 486.
http://www.slackware.com/install/sysreq.php
I take this to mean that even Slackware 11.0 can run on a 486.  
You probably would want to use the default 2.4.33.3 kernel 
rather than the optional 2.6.x kernels due to memory 
limitations.

My system was installed from a CDROM that I borrowed from another 
computer then removed afterwards.  It now boots from a floppy as 
the BIOS hangs when trying to boot from the large, modern hard 
drive.

My $0.02

-Steve



Reply to: