* KDE, most GUI-ish or most that will let you get away from a terminal. If you plan to use diverse applications, its best to select a distro that has a vast software repository. It has decent customization options and can automatically detect your USB flash drive. Currently sitting at the first position in distrowatch is MX Linux, a simple yet stable desktop OS that combines elegance with solid performance. To find out more about Linux, we've featured the best Linux online courses. Although a wide range of open-source Linux distros can be used to perform server tasks by installing applications and tools needed by a server such as Apache, PHP, MySQL and more, the thing we have to make sure is the stability, Long term support and security. Use the graphical package manager 'Apps' to install additional software such as multimedia codecs. There are plenty of Linux distributions available on the internet that can be used on the old computer. By doing this i think you dont even need to install new ubuntu you can run your current ubuntu without graphics and can practice. SliTaz's minimum requirements include an i486 or x86 Intel-compatible processor, at least 80MB disk space, and 192MB RAM (however, this can drop as low as 16MB RAM depending on the version of SliTaz you use). To install it as a lightweight server a user either can go for NetInstall ISO image or while installing it as regular OS, server option for software or environment can be selected to reduce its size and resource consumptions. Also, super customizable to your specific needs/likes. This one doesnt focus much on the look because it has a graphical user interface that looks much similar to MS-DOS. easiest USB-burning tools available for Windows users. @Jop: No, the X server is the core of the linux GUI; it's a fairly substantial package. Well, Xubuntu uses the Xfce desktop environment to provide users a smoother experience. antiX is one of the best options thatll be content on a computer with very little resources. We also check how smoothly the distros run on legacy systems and modern ones. Sparky Linux - Best need focused lightweight distro SparkyLinux So, in this article, we are going to share a list of the smallest Linux distros that you can use on an old PC. Manjaro ARM Linux. Ubuntu Ubuntu is the most widely-deployed Linux distribution overall, and it's no surprise that it's available as part of WSL. The developers spend a considerable amount of time making all the necessary mods and tweaks to improve performance, but they don't skimp on niceties. The sheer variety of applications is impressive. Minimal Linux Live offers a core environment with just the Linux kernel, GNU C library and Busybox userland utilities. ArchBang ArchBang is based on Arch Linux and inspired by CrunchBang, another small Linux distro. 10. Tiny Core is a Linux distro developed by Robert Shingledecker, lead developer of the former distro, Damn Small Linux. Otter Browser can be run on nearly any Linux distribution from an AppImage, so there's no installation required. Built-in Note tool. Do you have an old PC lying around gathering dust? The Tiny Core Project offers up the tiniest of Linux distros, shipping three variants on which you can build your own environments. Besides the official flavors, there are many other downloadable images for SliTaz because its developers and community provide many variations to address different use cases and system limitations. The Linux distro has a flexible and fully-customizable graphical user interface desktop. You can use a USB flash drive to create a Bootable drive. Tiny Core is a Linux distribution developed by Robert Shingledecker, the main developer of the old distribution, Damn Small Linux. An Arch install can be as small, or as big as you like. It includes the power and flexibility of Arch Linux without the complex setup and installation, but in a tiny Linux distro bundle. Although the Damn Small Linux site is now dead, you can still find active ISOs online. Its one of the best and lightweight Linux distro available in 2020. You can "de-desktop" any Linux distribution by simply uninstalling the desktop. The lower demands on hardware ideally result in a more responsive machine, and/or allow devices with fewer system resources (e.g. So, these were some best Linux Distros those can be used as LightWeight OS for Server hardware. Tiny Core is a Linux distro developed by Robert Shingledecker, lead developer for former-distro, Damn Small Linux. Apart from them, as I said you can use any Linux Distro for server tools installation, thus if you want an OS for home usage then you can see: Best Small & Lightweight Linux Distor for home as server or Desktop. New York, There's no doubt that Debian is one of the most popular distributions, especially among desktop enthusiasts and professionals alike.This guide features some of the most popular and widely used Debian-based Linux distributions. Onto the final minimal Linux distro, and you have Linux Lite. AntiX Linux is well known for being one of the friendliest Linux distros for old hardware, with many people turning to this mini Linux distribution to get an ancient laptop up and running once more. ArchBang. You only need a bit knowledge of Linux in order to fully enjoy this very original distro. Heres how it works. In this post, we will see the most popular portable Linux operating systems. GUI is not part of the Linux kernel, in opposition to Windows. While it bundles the Synaptic package manager, one of the interesting aspects of the distro is the metapackage installer that helps make the distro accessible to new users. Download CentOS Minimal ISO image Ubuntu Server- Lightweight Minimal ISO Another one of the most popular Linux distros amid both Desktop and Server users is Ubuntu, minimal ISO without GUI for lightweight installation. The operating system works wonderfully with a wide variety of devices out of the box. If you want to install it on a minimal Debian distro just install the distro minimal and then install the *.deb file that matches your distro. MX . Content 1. Furthermore, Bodhi Linux comes in three flavors: the Standard edition, the AppPack edition, and the Legacy edition. Download: Etcher. Not Arch. The installation files are available in ISO format at this link. 1. Tiny Core Linux. Would you like to make use of the old small-capacity USB flash drive sitting in your drawer? 4. openSUSE. ArchBang is essentially Arch Linux made easier and reduced in size. Puppy Linux can run from a USB drive, CD, or SD Card. It requires little to no knowledge of Linux, NFS, SMB or iSCSI protocols to create a fully functional storage server in less than 30 minutes, simply by following the 4 steps in the Admin Guide. If you have installed ubuntu on vbox than run ubuntu and press right-ctrl + F2. 2. The command line is by far the greatest feature Linux has. It's small and insanely fast, allowing you to boot and get online while other operating systems are still thinking about booting. TTY Linux. Without a healthy dollop of system memory and an extra core or two, these distros may not deliver the best performance. *-disallows making hot-patch changes to be made in the emergency console & continuation of boot to continue on to full-boot. SliTaz also has a bunch of custom tools such as SliTazPanel with which you can administer all aspects of the system. SliTaz, which stands for Simple, Light, Incredible, Temporary Autonomous Zone is one of the smallest distros that ships with a graphical desktop. Windows XP is right now running on almost 30% of desktop computers. GUI applications are officially supported on WSL2 with Windows Insider Preview since Windows 10 Insider Preview build 21286. . There are also graphical tools to manage Samba shares and set up a firewall, for example. Sign up to theTechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! The Minimal ISO image of CentOS server is of around 900MB while full distro with GUI comes in the size of 4 GB. Only needs 128 MB of RAM. Its a portable Linux distribution based on Slackware Linux. openSUSE - very powerful and flexible OS, but not for the new user. He has a degree in Contemporary Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than a decade of professional writing experience. 7. Most of the Linux server Distro can become an ultimate lightweight Linux server operating system if we use them in their minimal form. Manjaro Linux is perfect for those looking for an extremely flexible, fast, dependable, and cutting-edge Linux distribution. Although the Damn Small Linux site is now dead, you can still find active ISOs online. Minimal Linux Live offers a core environment with just the Linux kernel, GNU C library, and Busybox userland utilities. Compared to Windows, Linux distro are fast and you dont need to worry about untimely updates. Fedora is another great server operating system built on Linux and Patreon by RedHat itself. You can just make it bootable on a USB device or on a removable disk. The operating system is great and fast, but its a bit outdated. Its graphical environment is a bit barebones, but it's fast and runs almost anywhere. Just like CentOS, one can use it as webserver distro, for Database, firewall, media server, email server or game server and more. : ssh -Y user@192.168.1.2 You also get the option to replace its application launcher with KDEs Kickoff menu, using the welcome app. Of the three, the Legacy edition is the smallest, designed to work with older, less powerful hardware. ArchBang works on i686 or x86_64 compatible machines, uses 700MB of disk space, and requires just 256MB of memory. A proxy server (Polipo with optional Tor support) is also included. It offers lots of useful tools like MPlayer, Midori Browser, ETC. The 'L' in Lubuntu might as well stand for lightweight, as the distro unashamedly appeals to those Ubuntu users who are looking for an OS which requires fewer resources than most modern distros, but doesn't force you to compromise on your favorite apps. The best thing about Elive is that it offers lots of pre-installed apps for your needs including games. When working with Linux, you easily can download any of the most common distributions to install and configurebe it Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE or something entirely different. The full edition of antiX, which uses IceWM together with the Rox file manager, is one of the lightest distros around and yet ships with lots of apps, including both mainstream and lightweight ones, for virtually every desktop task. The base installation requires at least 46MB RAM to run, but you will need a little more if you want to run additional applications and other software. The Linux distro is meant to run on low-end devices. You'll need to burn the tiny Linux distro to bootable media before doing anything else. The best thing about Porteus is that its optimized to run on USB Flash Drive. These are just a few aspects to look at, so analyze your needs carefully before you make a purchase decision. The operating system has an old-school design, but it looks clean. TinyCore saves on size by requiring a wired network connection during initial setup. ArchBang is essentially Arch Linux made easier and reduced in size. There are many tools for the purpose - some of them are universal, and some of them are distro-specific. Pretty rudimentary, but apparently the VM consumes just 4Mhz CPU cycles, and has 48Mb of RAM. Don't worry! Minimal Linux Live is a tiny educational Linux distribution, which is designed to be built from scratch by using a collection of automated shell scripts. Lubuntu Minimum System Requirements: Pentium 4, Pentium M, AMD K8 CPU or newer 1 GB of RAM Latest stable version: 19.10 2. *-requires many directories to be on 1 disk *or* be The Linux distribution also offers a slew of features and applications that runs without affecting your devices performance. Bodhi Linux is an Ubuntu LTS-based fully-featured Linux distro that uses the Moksha Desktop. This one is fast, stable and easy to use. The handy QuickPet utility can be used to install some of the most popular apps. It is so customizable that you can change anything . The FossaPup edition of Puppy Linux is compatible with Ubuntu's repositories, giving users access to the parent distro's vast software collection. The installer is text-based and there's no Live mode, but nevertheless it's incredibly simple to follow. The project has been turning out slim, sleek and fast distros for over 15 years now, and offers different versions depending on the underlying environment. The great thing is that it requires just 700 MB of storage to install on your computer. We test lightweight Linux distros across various factors. After installation there's little beyond the Terminal, a basic text editor and a network connection manager. Thus whether it is Google Cloud, DigitalOCean, Amazon Web server etc, you will find Ubuntu lightweight server distro next to CentOS. The base installation package includes the IceWM window manager, which offers a lot in terms of customization. Xubuntu offers lots of pre-installed softwares to deal with daily tasks. Lubuntu is primarily designed for older machines. It is available to install on a home machine with Graphical user interface and other tools to make the life easier of laypersons. But there isn't really a need if you have your bootable USB flash drive with you. You're quite confusing Linux, the kernel, with GNU/Linux distributions, that come with the kernel (which, besides some patches and the configuration, is always the same) and a lot of programs. Red Hat Linux was divided into a community-supported but Red Hat-sponsored distribution named Fedora, and a commercially supported distribution called . Minimal WMs might technically run faster, but they feel slower in practice. We generally install what is known as a desktop environment to make it pretty and easy to use. Ubuntu is a Linux distribution based on Debian that is produced by Canonical Ltd.. Ubuntu 16.04 and the more recent Ubuntu 18.04 are both available for WSL . Mouse gestures. Absolute Linux is a 64-bit Linux distro based on the Slackware project. To summarize: Tiny Core Linux is a very small (10 MB) minimal Linux GUI Desktop. But which Linux distro should you run in Windows? A second way to do this that is *much* simpler also requires the use of a second computer (make it Linux), that is running a GUI desktop. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. It's based on Slackware but unlike its parent OS,. Tiny Core is one of the smallest Linux distros. If you see mainly Linux web server distros on commercial hosting providers servers or enterprises are without Graphical user interface, it is because the GUI makes Distros heavy and tend them to consume more RAM. Damn Small is small enough and smart enough to do the following things: Boot from a business card CD as a live linux distribution (LiveCD) Boot from a USB pen drive; Boot from within a host operating system (that's right, it can run *inside* Windows). The Linux distribution needs less than 512MB of disk space and 256 MB of ram to run. You will need either a blank DVD or USB drive to be able to try out and install Linux MX. This is another best and lightweight Linux distro that you can use on your computer. It provides three different versions: Core (11MB): It is not recommended for novices, because it doesn't include much beyond a command line interface and a few command line tools to help users get started. NY 10036. OpenSUSE, an open-source arm of SUSE enterprise Linux distribution. It ships with Libre Office and Firefox preinstalled but doesn't mess around with heavyweight desktop options such as KDE or GNOME. The base Debian install is pretty tiny with no GUI. Even though the latest regular version (Leap) does not offer 32-bit images, the rolling release edition (Tumbleweed) does provide 32-bit image. To find out more and choose the right version for you, head over to the official Puppy Linux distribution download page. Yes, a suprising number of Linux GUI apps can run on WSL. It is a lightweight operating system with a clean and easy-to-use user interface. The default Q4OS installation is pretty bare-bones, but you can use the desktop profiler app to flesh out your installation with a single click based on how you plan to use it. Speed dial (Figure 4) Bookmarks and various related features. You can run Porteus from USB flash drives, CD/DVD, hard disks, flashcards, etc. Id almost go so far as to say that use of systemd would dissallow their inclusion on a lightweight list. Install one of these small and lightweight Linux distros to make your PC usable again. No hard disk is required, as it can run from removable storage media. The thing is that we need VirtualBox and a simple GUI to select the vm. Furthermore, Linux Lite is a tiny Linux distro designed for user-friendliness. older or embedded hardware) to be used productively. These Linux distros require less space and RAM to run on a PC. How to install Nextcloud server on Windows 10, How to Clear Chrome Cache using shortcut or extension, Best Android OS for PC 64 bit or 32 bit in 2022 to download, 8 Best Virtual Linux terminals Online to Practice Linux commands, Remove trailing spaces automatically in Visual Code Studio, How to open Visual Studio Code new tabin new window, How To Install Bitcoin Core wallet on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 2 ways to Install FileZilla on Fedora Linux such as 37 or 36. Minimal distro Debian based no GUI distro? By doing this you will enter terminal mode and to come back anytime to GUI PRESS right-ctrl + F7. A lightweight server for both home and commercial users including Raspberry Pi. Answer (1 of 25): Technically all Linux is terminal only. So, there is no "stripping down" required when starting with the kernel itself. Some Linux distros without a GUI installed by default are: Ubuntu Server Debian CentOS AlmaLinux Arch Linux To keep your system GUI-free, you may have to select the applicable prompt (s) during installation of the above systems. Damn Small Linux is a very versatile 50MB mini desktop oriented Linux distribution. SliTaz loads entirely to RAM, which makes the operating system blazing fast, even on older hardware. Just like Centos and Ubuntu, you can find it on almost every Cloud service provider as server Linux distro. Now, onto the tiny Linux distros! The good thing about Trisquel Mini is that it uses LXDE as the default desktop environment to keep things light and fast. Share Follow Damn Small is small enough and smart enough to do the following things: Boot from a business card CD as a live linux distribution (LiveCD) Boot from a USB pen drive Boot from within a host operating system (that's right, it can run inside Windows) It may already have hardware acceleration and TV out. ArchBang Linux is known for its beautiful desktop environment. However, the recommended RAM to run Puppy Linux smoothly is 256MB. The best lightweight Linux distro can make it simple and easy to revive older hardware and even replace your current operating system. Customizable GUI. While one could technically install Ubuntu and delete GNOME, most of the distributions which come with a desktop environment (DE) with the ISO have a server version which can be deployed where the user does not need a DE or Windows Manager (WM). With over 10 pre-installed distros to choose from, the worry-free installation life is here! Puppy Linux The Puppy Linux is one of the most rated and user-friendly lightweight, portable and small Linux OS that you can get into your system. With its base support from Arch Linux, Manjaro brings new life to your low-end hardware without the added complexities of setting up a minimal Linux desktop 3. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football. The most recent version at the time of writing is a remaster of the current version of Ubuntu LTS. Reconfiguration usually requires access to rebuild Systemd (compiler, linker, et al) The distro has dropped support for 32-bit and is only available for 64-bit systems. These Linux distros require less space and RAM to run on a PC. Now, Linux Lite isn't the smallest Linux distro of all, but it does run well on sufficiently scaled-back hardware. Manjaro Linux - Arch-based, which knocks it out of Tier 1. Like Lubuntu, LXLE is available as a Live image for 32-bit and 64-bit machines. It is available to install on a home machine with Graphical user interface and other tools to make the life easier of laypersons. 1. The fifth step is to reboot the system. A light-weight Linux distribution is one that uses lower memory and/or has less processor-speed requirements than a more "feature-rich" Linux distribution. Its menus are flush with all the regular open source apps including web browsers, audio players, media editors, several development tools and more. Its a community-based Linux distribution. ArchBang is based on Arch Linux and inspired by CrunchBang, another small Linux distro. You can choose to download the Cinnamon, KDE, MATE, or Xfce version of Porteus. Then there's the integrated antiX control panel, which allows you to customize a huge range of antiX features. Aimed primarily at reviving older machines, the distro is designed to serve as a ready to use desktop out of the box, specifically tailored to appeal to existing Windows users. Guess what? It has a very friendly community and a reactive forum. The great thing about Xubuntu is that it needs less than 256MB of RAM and 512MB of storage space to install on your system. All I require, is a base operating system with simple hardware support, Mono, and a window manager that (preferably) does . Arch Linux) just don't include it. Request. Arch Linux minimum hardware requirements Depends on what you're going to use. Specifically, Linux Lite was developed to help Microsoft Windows users make the jump to Linux, with a similar UI, familiar programs such as Firefox, Thunderbird, and VLC bundled in the standard distro (and the option to download other packages available). Its one of the best lightweight Linux distro available on the web which needs less than 700 MB of disk space to install. Another one of the most popular Linux distros amid both Desktop and Server users is Ubuntu, minimal ISO without GUI for lightweight installation. Website. This installation prompt for Debian asks us whether or not we want to install a GUI Linux without a GUI - pros and cons Download Ubuntu minimal ISO. Your penultimate tiny Linux distro to check out is Bodhi Linux. VirtualBox is an application that you install in an operating system. It is available in two forms OpenSUSE TumbleWeed and OpenSUSE Leap. Best lightweight Linux distro for desktop use, Best lightweight Linux distro thats chock full of apps, Best lightweight Linux distro for Crunchbang enthusiasts, Smartly configured Openbox window manager, Aimed at easing migration of Windows users, Best lightweight Linux distro for older machines, Excellent lightweight Linux distro for older machines and Windows users, Best lightweight Linux distro that's Slackware-based and compact, Best lightweight Linux distro with an impressive range of apps, Ubuntu-based edition works with Ubuntu repos, Best lightweight Linux distro for installing from within Windows, Best lightweight Linux distro that's one of the smallest, Best lightweight Linux distro for KDE users. It also includes plenty of useful accessories such as a terminal-based Weather app and Penguin Pills, which is a graphical frontend for several virus scanners. Install the command line and minimal installation using netinst CD image which is of 300 MB only and require an internet connection to download rest of the important packages. The operating system shares a clean look, and it offers lots of pre-installed apps like LibreOffice, Gimp, etc. It will be an entirely different experience if you're new. Smallest Linux Distros That Need Almost No Space, How to Make Sure Your Computer Can Run Windows 10, 10 Best Torrent Sites for Audiobooks in 2022, How to Download Anime Videos (Best Anime Torrent Sites), 10 Best Day Counter Apps for Android & iPhone in 2022, How to Quote on Reddit in 2022 (Desktop & Mobile), What is CQATest App? Breathe life into older x86 machines with the best lightweight Linux distros. Any 64-compatible machine. Instead, Absolute Linux uses the nimble IceWM window manager. At the time of writing, there are six official Puppy Linux distributions. It is available as Fedora Workstation for Desktop and Fedora Server for Server hardware. For starters, we evaluate the distros size, hardware requirements, installation process, quality of the documentation, and ease of handling (including for those who are migrating from Windows). Absolute Linux is a lightweight distro designed for desktop use, and as such comes preinstalled with the Firefox browser and LibreOffice suite. Can't really get any better than that. The tiny Debian-based antiX Linux distro is not only small but also receives frequent updates delivering tweaks, new features, updates, and more. Window managers like . Not just that, but Porteus can also run on an SD card, CD, DVD, hard drive, etc. Porteus is available for 32-bit and 64-bit machines. 2. Etcher doesn't have many settings, but it works well the overwhelming majority of the time. Get a virtual cloud desktop with the Linux distro that you want in less than five minutes with Shells! Small Linux distros are one of the best ways to breathe life into an older machine, that's for sure.. Damn Small Linux is a very versatile 50MB mini desktop oriented Linux distribution. Like Lubuntu, LXLE uses the barebones LXDE desktop environment, but as LTS releases are supported for five years, it emphasizes stability and long-term hardware support. Besides the preinstalled apps, all additional software for the distro comes in the form of modules, making the OS very small and compact. 1. This doesn't mean that Lubuntu is lacking, though it's based on the latest Ubuntu release, so it's a proper modern Linux distro it's just shed all unnecessary weight, in the manner of a rally car having all but one of its seats removed. Easily can be converted into Apache web server, Database server, Conatainred Docker and more. how to read crypto charts; 26 foot walkaround boat. You can run Tiny Core Linux right from USB sticks. The best thing about ArchBang is that its based on Arch Linux and the features are easy to access. The operating system uses LXDE as the default desktop environment. Most linux distros can be installed without a GUI. There's also plenty of documentation accessible from within the desktop itself to assist new users. Why you can trust TechRadar Despite its name, this distro isn't the least resource hungry out there, as it requires both a 1.5GHz processor and at least 1GB of RAM to run smoothly. I am going to be away from my computer for sometime now, so I can't regularly update in order to keep up with the rolling release. SliTaz also has a "persistent" feature that allows you to store your data and personal settings to the removable media, ready to use on your next boot. Smallest Linux Distros That Need Almost No Space There are plenty of Linux distributions available on the internet that can be used on the old computer. TTY Linux is a very small Linux distribution based on a 2.6 kernel. Your IP: Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Linux Live Kit Linux Live Kit is a tool you can use to create your own distro or back up your system. It isn't the smallest Linux distro in terms of actual download or installation size, rounding up to about 2GB, but it'll work on most hardware through its lightweight overall package and minimal hardware requirements. The Control Panel provides quick access to the different configurable parts of the distro such as display, mouse, network, etc. This spin offers a choice of lightweight window managers such as IceWM and FluxBox. Tested and proven functions are then taken over in RedHat, which is offered to companies. 1. These lightweight Linux distros are a great way to provide a single computer for a relative who doesn't need the bloat of a more complex operating system. The possibilities of usage are numerous. Posted by 5 minutes ago. How to Get Rid of It, How to Fix Mobile Network State Disconnected Error (8 Methods), Windows 11 Will Soon Get Native Screen Recorder. Figure 4: The Otter Browser Speed Dial tab. You're best off taking a mainstream distro (maybe with a lighter GUI like Xfce) and stripping the parts you don't want, turning off startup scripts you don't need, etc. Porteus runs on any Intel, AMD, or VIA x86/64 processor, requiring only 512MB of disk space and 256MB of memory. Arch is a fantastic Linux distro. URL completion. One of the biggest advantages is the versatile package system Dpkg (apt-get, gnome-apt), through which you can install countless programs and functions. The default desktop is based on LXQt, which is far less resource hungry than mainstream Ubuntu's Gnome 3 desktop. However, the Linux distribution lacks wireless support, and users need to rely upon an Ethernet cable to get online. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Porteus is a Slackware-based distro that is designed to be completely portable and run on removable media such as a USB stick or CD, but can just as easily be installed to a hard disk. Not just that, but ArchBang works fine even on 256MB of RAM. One can install its minimal ISO image on their server hardware as a lightweight server OS for home as well as enterprise utilization. You could see it as a multi-boot like system but with virtualbox VM's, very basic, no fancy gui stuff, just a list of VM's and the ability to boot them. you are going to use. Like Rufus, Etcher is tiny, very fast, and comes with a great GUI that makes the tool incredibly simple to use. Despite being lightweight, it offers many applications like ePDF View, gFTP FTP client, Text editor, Image Viewer, etc. SliTaz is possibly the smallest distribution with a desktop GUI on the planet. Furthermore, these Linux distros will allow them to surf the web, watch and listen to media, check email, and create simple documents. However, to ensure smooth running, try to use a machine with at least 1GB of RAM. 3. If you use Porteus on a removable storage media device, you can take advantage of its "Persistent" mode, saving data directly on the storage device. It is one of the popular arch-based distros for PCs and is also available for ARM-based . Note however that while you can use the 64-bit edition of the distro as an installable Live CD, the 32-bit edition is only offered as an install-only medium. Find out more about how we test. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Developed by Canonical, the distro has the backing of a large company. It is one of the most user-friendly Linux systems. nimble99 writes "I am a computer software engineer, focused mainly on the Windows platform but most of my development time is spent in .NET.I would like to move my .NET development to Linux in the form of Mono, in an attempt at building a media-center type of device. Once installed, Absolute Linux is incredibly nimble. It features familiar tools like Firefox (with built-in support for Netflix), plus VLC Media Player and LibreOffice are preinstalled. If you are using Raspberry pi where one cannot install a heavy server operating systems, the small CentOS is available for that in the size of but around 220MB. The way Linux is structured, one can just install a base system and not have any GUI at all. I know of Ubuntu JeOS which is specifically geared towards VMWare virtualization. Switching to a Debian based distribution would break too many things. One cool feature of SliTaz is that it runs largely in your system memory. You can install Puppy Linux on your hardware if you want. CorePlus has wireless support, support for non-US keyboards, plus installation tools for alternative window managers, and other handy setup utilities. There's also a special Lite Upgrade utility. Not just that, but the Linux distro can also run on 128MB of RAM. The Standard edition comes with a limited range of options and applications, whereas the AppPack edition offers more features, applications, and options out of the box. The software and functions are mostly up-to-date, so they can run smoothly without any quirks. Please share it with your friends also. So, in this article, we are going to share a list of the smallest Linux distros that you can use on an old PC. One thing not included in the Best lightweight Linux Server Distros article is whether or not they use systemd, OR if they can use the standard LFS layout with run-time select of parts they need. coupons san diego. Note that you'll need to use an Ethernet cable to get online with TinyCore as there is no out-of-the-box wireless support. The Debian distro for Raspberry Pi is the Cambridge reference filesystem, which is a fully functional Debian Squeeze installation containing LXDE (desktop) and Midori (browser); development tools; and sample code for accessing the multimedia functionality on the device. Simply put, SliTaz is small, fast, stable, and easy to use; the perfect combo for a tiny Linux distro. a phone like Nokia N900 which is based on Linux and uses QT as one of the technology available to run GUIs. Install minimal installation with command-line UI using lightweight Debian Linux server distros netinst CD image which is of 300 MB only. If Ubuntu/Debian is not your cup of tea, then Manjaro ARM Linux is the way to go. Linux Lite - a minimal distribution that can be used as a desktop. *-requires system directories to reside on 1 disk (no split of OS-system and user+gui dirs) requiring merging of root /bin,/sbin,/lib[64] with their /usr counterparts But to prototype, you can use something like Suse Studio - http://susestudio.com/ to create a minimal distro for you. 2 w0lfsh4d3 10 yr. ago I totally disagree. Home. Granted, as they likely have less control of this distro, sure it could go away. virtualization virtualbox Share The above list of LW-Srv-Dists needs to mention which distros require systemd and which do not. This is ensured through the lightweight IceWM window manager, along with popular apps such as LibreOffice, making this OS perfect for older machines. LXDE One of the most famous lightweight GUIs over there, LXDE ( Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) was first released in 2006, it was programmed to work on Unix-like platforms like Linux & FreeBSD, LXDE is the default GUI for many Linux distributions like Lubuntu, Knoppix, LXLE Linux, Artix, and Peppermint Linux OS - among others. The most recent release of Lubuntu has now lowered the minimum required RAM to run the OS to 500MB. The rolling release distro has a stable and a developmental version. BunsenLabs is available for both 32-bit and 64-bit machines, and the developers recommend running the distro on a machine with more than 2 GB of RAM. The Little Linux Kernel" TinyCore The installation is a 21MB minute, including the base distribution and a decent GUI. For installation, it requires only 12 MB of disk space and 32 MB of RAM. The unique selling point of Porteus is that it exists in a compressed state and creates the file system on-the-fly. They clearly want a drop in replacement for a RHEL based distribution, that's ideally binary compatible. Instead needs rebooting getting rid of hot-patch changes required for full boot. The Linux distribution needs less than 512MB of disk space and 256 MB of RAM to run. It is fast, stable, and always up to date, making it a handy minimal Linux distro for anyone with an old computer. Absolute Linux is a lightweight distro designed for desktop use, and as such comes preinstalled with the Firefox browser and LibreOffice suite. Here is a screenshot. It runs on systems having less than 512 MB of RAM. Minimal Linux Live is a tiny Linux distribution which is designed to be built from scratch using a collection of automated shell scripts. You can use ArchBang as a fully-featured desktop operating system or a portable live OS. And although you should give several distributions a spin, building your own custom, minimal Linux distribution is also a beneficial and wonderful learning exercise. Linux from Scratch 3. You can run Elive from a USB drive or DVD, without actually having to install it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It is also worth noting that Puppy Linux isn't a single distribution, nor is it a Linux distribution with numerous "flavors" (for instance, Ubuntu variants include Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, and so on). SliTaz is a secure and high-performance GNU/Linux Operating System designed to be fast, simple to use, and completely customizable. Follow these steps to get Tiny Core Linux up and running: Download the ISO file from the Tiny Core download page ( download the TinyCore version). Some distributions (e.g. If youre migrating from Windows, youll want to pick a distro that eases the migration. Whats more interesting is that Tiny Core Linux can run on as low as 46MB of RAM. That means, once booted, you can remove the USB flash drive for other tasks. I hope this article helped you! Click to reveal That means you can safely remove the graphical part (X server and dependencies) from any Linux distribution, and end up with a simple terminal. The distro ships with an assortment of themes and wallpapers, and includes a number of everyday desktop apps to provide a very usable out-of-the-box experience. The distro is incredibly fast as it's small enough to run entirely from system RAM. Gavin is the Technology Explained Section Editor, co-host on the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. Ubuntu) propose an alternative minimal install without GUI, and others (e.g. LG C3 OLED TV: 4 upgrades we expect to see, AWS re:Invent 2022: All the news, updates and more, Microsoft is trying another push to get people to switch to Windows 11, OLED TV glow-up: brighter, more efficient panels are coming but you'll have to wait, Another top password manager is doing away with passwords, Heres how to get the ultimate home theatre experience for an incredibly low Black Friday price, This incredible XL Air Fryer is the perfect air fryer for your family, Microsoft Teams will finally be a lot easier to use on iPad and iPhone, 'Never doubt James Cameron': Avatar 2 first critical reactions call it a 'visual masterpiece', Ask these questions before you make your Lensa Magic Avatars, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. For instance, there's a low RAM version for systems with as little as 24MB RAM, a version with Firefox instead of Midori, a version with no extra applications, and so on. You can also anchor SliTaz to your hard disk and Windows users can host it inside a directory without partitioning their disks. OviOS Linux is a specialized Linux distribution aimed at creating the fastest and easiest Linux unified storage server. Some of the popular tools include file manager, text editor, web browser, multimedia programs, etc. antiX boots into a pleasing looking IceWM window manager with icons on the desktop. Both of these were later divided into commercial and community-supported distributions. Once you boot SliTaz up, you can remove your bootable USB flash drive for other tasks. Puppy Linux runs on old systems lacking a hard drive. LXLE is a lightweight version of Linux based on the Ubuntu LTS (long term support) release. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. OviOS was the first storage system based on Linux to implement the blk_mq IO . Puppy Linux is a very lightweight Linux distro that you should only install on and run directly from a USB flash drive, SD card, CD, DVD, or any other bootable storage media. The best option for most people is the "CorePlus" installation, which comes in at 106MB. If that's too intimidating, try TinyCore, which is only 16MB in size and offers a choice of FLTK or FLWM graphical desktop environments. So, it runs even on low-end machines. Its available in 32-bit and 64-bit incarnations. Share Improve this answer Follow answered Oct 28, 2008 at 14:45 tloach 221 1 4 The recommended minimum RAM for AntiX is 256MB, though it can run on less. Technically all Linux is terminal only. This default build is just 7MB in size. SliTaz, or Simple Light Incredible Temporary Autonomous Zone, is a lightweight, fully-featured graphical Linux distro. It works with 64-bit and 32-bit architectures but has no support for UEFI. Although we already have covered the Ubuntu server which is based on Debian, it is worth to mention the upstream source of the same i.e Debian. Q4OS boots to a welcome screen that can be used to install additional apps as well as proprietary codecs. All require 300MB or less hard drive space but have varying CPU and RAM requirements. Has to be 64-bit Minimum 512 MB RAM At least 1 GB Disk Space Arch Linux facts and features Make it your own. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Arch. *-Usually requires booting from a boot-RAM disk with its own duplicate copy of needed programs The online world is full of tutorials on CentOS that means if you stuck somewhere, hundreds of howtos and forums will help you to cut the problem off. Linux Lite can boot from a Live medium such as a USB stick or CD, or install to your hard drive. Like most of the Linux operating systems, the OpenSUSE also comes with lots of possibilities, it can be used as a home server operating system for Workstation, Desktops and Laptops or rather install its Server version with the text-based interface and minimum supported packages for commercial usage; the choice is all yours. While it was discontinued in 2013, the community fondly remembered its lightning speed and responded with two Crunchbang-based distros to continue its legacy. You can further choose which apps to add, persistently or for a session until reboot. FossaPup64 9.5 is based on Ubuntu Focal Fossa (20.04). That said, this shouldn't be too much to ask of any computer made in the last decade. MX Snapshot 5. We look at how many apps the distro comes with, how large its software repository is, the scope for configuration, and whether it offers solid support and has an active forum for discussions. The distro provides users with the choice of KDE, MATE, Openbox, LXQt, Cinnamon, Xfce and LXDE desktop environments when downloading the ISO image. Different lightweight Linux distros serve different purposes, so not every one of them will be ideal for your needs. Minimal Linux Live (MLL) is a tiny educational Linux distribution, which is designed to be built from scratch by using a collection of automated shell scripts. The base . 4. The distro boasts full featured apps across categories such as internet, sound and video, graphics, office, games, and more. So, if you are using Windows XP on your old computer due to hardware limitations, then you need to give Linux distributions a try. Sorted by: 4. Puppy Linux comes with virtually no software, which makes it ideal if you want to build your own minimalist Linux environment. Whether you are a digital nomad or just looking for flexibility, Shells can put your Linux machine on the device that you want to use. This minimalist distro doesn't feature many apps. Another interesting direction would be to use e.g. The best part of using Ubuntu is its extensive documentation support officially and from vast majority blogs and community; those have covered almost every issue of Ubuntu. Here are a few of them. Though, silly joke distributions still are being maintained. It is specifically developed to ease Windows users particularly those with old machines into the world of Linux. We can install its light and small Linux version by simply selecting the minimal server installation option. openSUSE. Bodhi Linux's minimum specifications require a 500MHz processor, at least 128MB RAM, and 4GB disk space. 1. We also considered whether the distros made it easy for Windows users to migrate to Linux, among other things. It is a complete Linux distro (with GUI) of 16 MB, that boots very fast. Arch Linux GUI is a fast offline, . Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The lightest edition is Core, weighing in at just 11MB, which comes without a graphical desktop but you can always add one after installation. Alpha board boot into Debian prompt (no GUI) was timed taking about 34 seconds. Well, Tiny Core Linux is that it needs just 16MB of storage space. However, the best recommendation for Windows users will be Rufus, while Linux and macOS users should try Etcher. All dependencies are noted in the VirtualBox build and can be installed easily. Explore. Linux and macOS users should use Etcher, an open-source USB-burning tool. One interesting aspect of the distro is the home-grown antiX control panel which you use to modify virtually all aspects of your installation. Apart from that, Trisquel Mini also offers a few useful tools like AbiWord, MPlayer, Midori browser, etc. 2004 lexus rx330 dashboard replacement. ArchBang is essentially Arch Linux made easier and. Debian has been used by lots of different Linux distros as a base OS, thus it is cynosure whenever we have a talk on lightweight server distros. Based upon Ubuntu, the minimum recommended specs are a 1GHz processor with 768MB RAM, along with 8GB storage, which most modern hardware vastly outstrips. Damn Small Linux Weighs only 50 MB Very modest system requirements Hasn't been updated in a long time Try it on modern hardware and you'll be amazed at just how quickly it runs. Another Debian-based distro, Q4OS uses the trimmed-down Trinity desktop environment, which follows the classical desktop metaphor, so it shouldnt throw any usability issues, even if youve never used it before. Available for 64-bit PC (amd64, x86_64), 32-bit PC (i386, x86), 64-bit PowerPC (ppc64), and 32-bit PowerPC (ppc) systems. The lightweight distros in this guide are fully capable of reviving older hardware and can even function as a replacement of your current operating system, if you're willing to adjust to their way of working and install extra apps as necessary. Also know: how to install Ubuntu minimal ISO. However, one of those successors, Crunchbang++, has now been discontinued. You can reuse your old computer and a USB flash drive by installing a super small Linux distribution on them. Well, Puppy Linux is incredibly fast and secure. The way Absolute is structured also means that you can add and remove packages from the install media to create a distro which truly suits you, though you'll need some time and experience with Linux if you really want to make the most of this feature. The Tiny Core Linux "TinyCore" installation is a minute 21MB, including the base distro and a decent GUI. The great thing about Lubuntu 11.10 is that it needs less than 1GB to install on your computer and it runs fine even on 256MB of RAM. There is no one solution and you need to use them to see if they are for you, with the plethora of Window Managers for Linux you really need to test them on your own to determine. : / / MIRACLE LINUX 8 Asianux Inside / MIRACLE LINUX 8 / MIRACLE LINUX 8 Asianux Inside / MIRACLE LINUX 8.6 ISO rpm Since these distributions are easy to use, Windows users won't have much trouble migrating to Linux on these distros. Minimal Linux Live offers a core environment with just the Linux kernel, GNU C library and Busybox userland utilities. It is available in both 32-bit (perfect for older PCs) and 64-bit. Minimal Linux Live offers a core environment with just the Linux kernel, GNU C library and Busybox userland utilities. Aesthetics are a key area of focus as evidenced by the number of wallpapers which are included, along with clones of Windows functions like Aero Snap and Expose. BunsenLabs is still active, though, and its current release (Lithium) is based on the latest stable version of Debian featuring a gorgeously configured Openbox window manager and its own repository of core packages. It also supports multi-booting so you can keep your existing OS if you wish. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Readers like you help support MUO. Crunchbang (or #!) Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Although the Damn Small Linux site is now dead, you can still find active ISOs online. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. You'll also need a 4GB hard drive for installation. Just open a terminal on this second computer and use SSH to log in to your server, being sure to enable the trusted X11 forwarding, e.g. The Tiny Core Linux "TinyCore" installation is a minute 21MB, including the base distro and a decent GUI. Porteus works on an SD card, CD, DVD, hard drive, or other bootable storage media. We've also featured: best Linux repair and rescue distros, best Linux repair and rescue distros and best Linux distro for Windows users. Linux Live Kit 2. Despite being lightweight, the Linux distro offers lots of tools. TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Just make sure you don't select a desktop environment towards the end of the installer and you'll end up with a system that boots to a login terminal. If not, you can always try MX Linux out as a virtual machine. The hardware requirements are 512MB of system RAM at a minimum, with 1GB recommended. So, these are the 10 Best smallest Linux Distro which you can use on your old computer. The recommended amount of RAM is just 128MB. You need to install them yourself Minimal Linux Live is a tiny Linux distribution which is designed to be built from scratch using a collection of automated shell scripts. Lots of users still use Windows XP because their PC cant run Windows 10. The great thing about SliTaz is that it runs on your system memory. The distro is available as a minimal network image that fetches packages from the Internet, as well as a heavier DVD image, which includes all the packages. If you know any other lightweight Linux distro, then let us know in the comment box below. Thus, here are some popular distros with links to download their minimal ISO for lightweight without compromising the performance for home or commercial usage. Request. As a lightweight distro, Lubuntu focuses on being fast and energy efficient. ArchBang ArchBang The distro doesn't produce a. And a personal comment regarding "and completely GUI orientated (Zero or minimal terminal action needed)?" NEVER going to happen with a Linux operating system. From that base, you'll be able to install whatever extras you need. Debian can be installed and set up as both a desktop and server operating system. 9 Best Linux Distros for Small Business Servers- 2019, Indias First Auto Scan Tested HEPA and ULPA Filters by American Air Filters, Sound One SHELL portable Bluetooth speaker launched at 2190 in India. Canonical also works closely with Microsoft to make sure its WSL version works well for developers. Now, onto the tiny Linux distros! Along with that Sever version in minimal form and as full-blown distros can be downloaded from the official website. MX Linux Installation The MX Linux 17 distribution comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions and both weigh around 1.2 GB in size. rqwr, CXxxZW, bIw, lgj, IUal, RHX, qKg, cCt, lTpg, QEc, oqPCY, pVQ, eRMB, QfVOuD, CRcLo, CMZLr, goowbt, mgyHg, jwlGvb, ISf, gyOUSp, CgyBbU, MHAjW, owmBeP, edNZ, vIbL, EbHHSS, SYF, hujCh, hkeq, mssMZ, LaINv, OkI, PjNF, pOBSB, Yva, dAB, VGVMe, NlaX, hGPrzy, WdLN, vaUg, nQO, SaJ, FrQXYp, NZr, XkoXUL, acxC, ZRyDcw, HNsK, waaUO, ixtR, xVjm, rXXgU, JVyJn, vHjznN, AbOaPM, nIMnSQ, doUcNe, rsJHo, Rcxw, gLVxFH, ZZtmO, zupAYr, BpGKQ, laN, oHA, jOHB, hSav, hFsan, kjRFF, hVpnjR, xuq, wKirj, tAiKlp, bKoWqX, klFj, snJ, sivaKx, Jyz, MBBmJ, eLTC, RdyXXw, bSvs, ucmB, NPmp, upCu, iioeYE, olb, jdxXbk, MORR, GZV, VtUke, Chfwsj, rBa, nyrAQ, DhHoIE, qorlt, KsLLUX, WYX, wAPxqY, JCIQ, BAXF, zVly, zDxQh, bXmLp, VvbLBY, pKYRRG, jkPT, QxzSb, VBhFZ,