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NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2025 05:06:48 +0000
Subject: Re: What old Linux distro to run on a old Pentium III PC?
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc
References: <1031ot5$36t1$1@dont-email.me> <1031uio$4o2c$1@dont-email.me>
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Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2025 01:06:16 -0400
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On 6/19/25 5:14 PM, Robert Heller wrote:
> Why old Linux distro? Any modern Linux should run. While *most* modern Linux
> distros don't provide 32-bit install images, all of the 32-bit libraries and
> kernels are in fact available and maintained (people commonly set up 32-bit
> VMs for various purposes). You might have to manually create an installer
> image, but I don't believe that is partitularly difficult.
> 
> I believe there might be 32-bit install images for older releases for some
> distros (eg Ubuntu 16.04) and then you could then do successive release
> upgrades.
> 
> Note: depending on how much memory and/or diskspace, you might have issues
> with some GUI desktops.  You might stick to a lightweight desktop like xfc4
> and avoid the heavyweight desktops like gnome or kde.
> 
> At Thu, 19 Jun 2025 21:37:07 +0200 "Matthew Camilleri" <bunkertoshimatty@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>>
>> I posted a simmilar question on comp.os.misc, but that was generally for
>> what operating systems to install on this old thing (a Pentium III, 385 or
>> so megabytes of ram, 80 gb harddrive).
>>
>> What old Linux distro would be cool to run on this thing?

   Most of the 32-bit distros - NOT old - will still
   run on older CPUs.

   There ARE a few distros specifically tuned for old
   systems. Check distrowatch.org

   Original IBM-PCs ... ummmmmm ...... probably better
   with 386's on up.