Its worth noting that antix comes with some of the same. Quick overview of the distros included in our list. There are several scenarios in which you may not be able or want to, install wsl linux distros via the microsoft store. Formally known as debian gnulinux, debian is free operating system that uses the linux kernel. I am going to list the best lightweight linux distributions that you can use on old computers. Im putting it on a small embedded system controller. Elive is a debian based desktop lightweight linux distribution and live cd featuring the enlightenment window manager. Home linux top 5 best lightweight linux distros to boost up your old computer.
Every distro has extremely low hardware requirements and its great. What is the smallest installed size ubuntu based distribution. Slitaz is possibly the smallest distribution with a desktop gui on the planet. It provides screenshots, package information, size and specs and project information on the distro. Best lightweight linux server distros without gui h2s media. Bonus distros if you are constrained by lowend hardware specs, then give the following lightweight linux distros a try. Damn small is small enough and smart enough to do the following things. Sometimes the choice of which linux distro you use on your servers is down to personal preference, sometimes market forces, and sometimes due to small advantages a particularly distro will have in. Originally, steamos was designed for the steam machine. Additional software available as dsl extensions and using the debian apt tool, which has to be installed. Each version listed contains direct link to the download page for that version. This is a very small list of best lightweight linux distros. So, you might want to check that if youre new to the linux universe.
Its such an extremely efficient model that it doesnt even include an application to install the os although you can download it from the tiny. Rancheros includes only the bare minimum amount of software needed to run docker. It is based on the excellent linux from scratch books lfs and blfs. Are there any smaller distros beside dsl and feather. Debiandog is very small debian live cd shaped to look and act like puppy linux. Depending on your internet connection, you may download either of the following. Postx is a lightweight linux distribution with a fluxbox desktop based on debian 7.
How to get the smallest possible linux setup for a desktop closed. Elive includes many international languages, even some which are uncommon to find in other distros. Its name stands for simple, light, incredible, temporary autonomous zone and with a total core livecd size of 35 50mb. Oct 22, 2019 the distro is the cloning of linux distribution crunchbang linux known for its simplicity and lightweight. Debian, the mother of all ubuntubased distributions, doesnt often make it to these kind of lists, but the fact is that debian is a very lightweight distribution. Damn small linux is a very versatile 50mb mini desktop oriented linux distribution. If hd is only 50mb, you can believe memory footprint is small too. If your client machines bios supports it, you can then boot the debian installation system from the network using pxe and tftp, and proceed with installing the rest of debian from the network. Everything else can be pulled in dynamically through. This single cd contains just the minimal amount of software to start the installation and fetch the remaining packages over the internet.
This is just a simple link repository of some of the most recognized live linux cddvd compilations available today. Nutyx is actually a french linux distro which was slowly added multilanguage support. Manually download windows subsystem for linux wsl distros. 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. Apr 03, 2020 i am going to list the best lightweight linux distributions that you can use on old computers. The very existence of several linux distributions is an advantage over windows and macos. If you have an older pc, or a small single board computerbased system, you probably want to run a version of linux thats light on resources and easy to download. Its also important to note that puppy while having official releases, is more of a design philosophy for how to build a small distribution, and there are dozens and dozens of variants built by the community from different distro binaries ubuntu, slackware, arch, gentoo, etc and compatible with those distros. Slax is a really portable lightweight linux distro based on debian which you can use it on a usb drive without installing it. This page is powered by a knowledgeable community that helps you make an informed decision.
Deepin is developed with a design forward desktop experience. It runs directly from your usb flash drive without installing, so. The distro is minimalistic with very few installed software. But i have chosen the above one based on stability, less resource consumption, easy to use, simple interface and solid security. You have access to all debian repositories using aptget or synaptic. Top lightweight linux distributions 2020 linuxandubuntu. How to get the smallest possible linux setup for a desktop closed ask question. Lxde is specially designed for low hardware specificationsolder machines and it is known for its extremely fast performance. Debian based distro, provides mate livecd 32bit on its download server. It features timely security updates, support for the arm architecture, a choice.
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. Debian runs standard gnome, xfce, kde it doesnt use its own special desktop environment, which means that users benefit from the work of the whole linux community, debian developers can focus on the distribution itself, and any support for your desktop environment on other distributions should work on debian as well. The very best linux distros are tailored to specific types of users. Im looking for a very small footprint linux distro with networking, no desktops, no audio and just a command line interface.
With the correct linux distribution, you can restore your old glory and enjoy it for a few more years as we told earlier. Slackware on the other hand is another matter as the generic kernel image is very small and the distro is not a resource hog, it would be interesting to try it, but probably not on a doorstop. Damn small linux would be a fine choice for a small embedded system. If you like damn small linux, please consider donating. As a result, they have become too bloated for older machines, even if you. Manually download windows subsystem for linux distro packages. This is an overview of small operating systems and linux distributions, most of them work well on older hardware predual core era. Dec 27, 2019 ok, the first rule to remember here is. This is a very small list of best lightweight linux distros, but there are hundreds of tiny distros out there you can find on distrowatch. The overall system is designed to be lightweight and as such it uses low amount of ram and remains suitable for an. Here ill be listing the most beautiful linux distros for 2019 that have impressed me and other linux users. Install a lightweight linux distro on them and theyre as good as new. Which distro is very small with networking, no desktop. There are tons of small linux distros for laptops and desktops but here are some best options for old machines.
Just like centos and ubuntu, you can find it on almost every cloud service provider as server linux distro. Debian based distribution designed primarily for speed and ease of use. This tiny linux distro is really very small in size which is just 12mb without a graphical user interface and on. Today, ill be telling you about the best linux distro for students. Top 10 best linux distro for old laptop tech viral. Now, onto the tiny linux distros, all of which are free unless otherwise stated. Jan 04, 2020 elive is a debian based desktop lightweight linux distribution and live cd featuring the enlightenment window manager. The distro is based on debian 9 with a minimal interface design that uses the open box window manager. The distro comes with a beautiful ui and provides an easy to use system for nonexperienced users and includes incredibly useful tools for the advanced ones. Deepin is a linux distro that was once based on ubuntu, however recently switched back to a debian base. Boot from a business card cd as a live linux distribution livecd boot from a usb pen drive.
It is maintained and updated through the work of many users who volunteer their time and. Dec 26, 2018 10 best lightweight linux distros for old computers 2019 edition. Yet another debianbased distro, this one specifically designed to run valves steam platform. Sep 23, 2019 best linux distros for small businesses. It is an elegant linux distro that optimizes the desktop experience as per the capability of your hardware. Probably you would have heard of this ubuntubased linux distribution, lubuntu. Oct 31, 2019 top 10 best linux distro for old laptop and desktops. Its a diy load of debian tailored for old computers. Its based on knoppix, which is based on debian, so afaik, it uses apt.
Top 10 best linux distros for beginners in 2020 ultimate guide. Continue this thread level 1 deleted 3 points 1 year ago. It is small in size, powerful and feels awesome to use. Do you have an old laptop that no longer works like it used to. Each image is much smaller than the full set of dvd images, but. By default the distribution uses only free software. In addition, what you consider to be the best linux distro for you, will often change over time to match your experience level. Very often we undermine the small linux distros that dont use a lot of. Elementary os elementary os is a beautiful, fast, lightweight linux for 32 and 64bit x86.
Best lightweight linux distributions for older computers. This keeps the binary download of rancheros very small. Puppy linux is not a single linux distribution like debian. All of these are full distros that do not depend on cloud services. Click on the distro s name to find more info, screenshots, and download links. A network install or netinst cd is a single cd which enables you to install the entire operating system. Slax is a really portable lightweight linux distro based on debian which. There are many things that make lubuntu small, faster and stable. Deepin is a linux distro based on debian and is one of the leading names when it comes to a fast, easy to use, secure and reliable operating system for laptops as well as desktops.
Click on the distros name to find more info, screenshots, and download links. Students require their computer operating system to be highly dependable, fast and have the tech that gives them an edge over others. Focus goes to its own app store and a mix of proprietary applications ranging from wps office to skype. Debian is an operating system and a distribution of free software. Oct 21, 2019 best linux distro for students howdy friends. Some of the distributions mentioned here are also a part of the best linux distributions for beginners. Yet it runs better on lxle than it did on any other distro including the very minimal and ingenious openbox debian derivative crunchbang. Top 5 best lightweight linux distros to boost up your old computer. Jun 12, 2019 best lightweight linux distro of 2020.
Index applications packages download notes off site milestones faq wiki forums blogs miniitx store income guide donate browse the mydsl repository. Alpha board boot into debian prompt no gui was timed taking about 34 seconds. For most people with 32 bit systems that means the release notes for intel x86. Archbang is based on arch linux and inspired by crunchbang, which was another small linux distro. Jul 18, 2014 presenting a nice assortment of lightweight yet fullyfunctional linux distros for all occasions. Steamos is probably the closest linux distro to an actual games console. This page gives directions on how to upgrade your debian distribution. Debiandog is very small debian wheezy live cd shaped to look like puppy and act like puppy. The entire emphasis of the distro is tied almost exclusively to gaming. All the above lightweight linux distro is very easy to install, simple interface and runs smoothly on older. Puppy linux is also not a linux distribution with multiple flavours, like ubuntu with its variants of ubuntu, kubuntu, xubuntu, etc though it.
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. To use this, you will need a machine with an internet connection. You can also install arch linux or debian and use a lightweight. The 8 smallest linux distros that are lightweight and need almost. It runs directly from your usb flash drive without installing, so you can carry it everywhere you go in your pocket. Simply use the frugal install option which simply copies the compressed files from the cd and sets up lilo. The 8 smallest linux distros that are lightweight and need. Boot from within a host operating system thats right, it can run inside windows.
Some are very fundamental like debian, some is a fork of a base distro like ubuntu, arch linux and. Users can install a bare minimum system and then choose the lightweight des available for it, including xfce4, mate, lxde, etc. Aside from being a convenient size to download and as mikieboy said above, it produces a minimal install which keeps your server simple not much. 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 other bootable storage. While antix is not a complicated distro, its a touch more involved than its cousin, mx linux. These days, linux mint is giving a tough competition to ubuntu as its very beginnerfriendly. Debian structure and debian behaviour are untouched and debian documentation is 100% valid for debiandog. Aug 28, 20 i found a minimal debian lenny install, only just about usable with a box wm on an old pentium ii 200mhz laptop with 128mb of ram. A live install image contains a debian system that can boot without. Top 10 free linux distributions for desktop and servers. Now finally, onto the main part, the best lightweight linux distros for old computerslaptops. Elive is a very optimized linux, it works very fast in old computers, featuring a unique experience and beautiful desktop being a perfect os for daily use. Jul 05, 2019 the same choice allows one to find a beginnerfriendly linux distro, gaming distro, gaming distro, etc.
Compilation of 32bit gnulinux distros with mate desktop. Apr 04, 2020 top lightweight linux distributions to try in 2020 nutyx. Jan 01, 2020 quick overview of the distros included in our list. Very stable is the primary reason people pick debian gnulinux over the competition.
There are quite a few debian rolling release distros available, but less common. Nov 25, 2019 if you have an older pc, or a small single board computerbased system, you probably want to run a version of linux thats light on resources and easy to download. Presenting a nice assortment of lightweight yet fullyfunctional linux distros for all occasions. Known as one of the lightest linux distros, tinycore has a very small memory footprint of only 16 mb it was developed from the small project into something that can run independently. Archbang is essentially arch linux made easier and reduced in size. For instance, if you have a lowend system, you can find a lightweight linux distro or if you want something to resemble the look of macos, youve got another linux distro. If your goal is to have a very small or minimal linux system i would suggest investigating the. I know there are server versions, but even they have a lot of extra bulk. For most with 64 bit systems that means the release notes for amd64. The distro uses the fltk fkwm and busy box desktops by default. Slax is a modern, portable, small and fast linux operating system with modular approach and outstanding design. Most of them are based on debian unstable and debian testing, but ive fond them surprisingly stable though certain components like plasma desktop, gnome 3 are somewhat troublesome. Rancheros is a tiny linux distribution that runs the entire operating system as docker containers.
Op asked for the smallest debian distro, and arch is not a debian derivative nor does it use aptdpkg. The elive linux is debian based linux distro and uses the enlightenment desktop environment as a user interface. Slitaz is a secure and highperformance gnulinux operating system designed to be fast, simple to use, and completely customizable. The distribution can also be burnt to a single cd or a usb stick due to its small size. This includes system services, such as udev and rsyslog. In this gallery, we look at very small footprint linux distros. The debian project is an association of individuals who have made common cause to create a free operating system. Install minimal installation with commandline ui using lightweight debian linux server distros netinst cd image which is of 300 mb only. Linux is a completely free piece of software started by linus torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. All i need is networking, serial ports, vga with just a command line interface. It comes with a default roxicewm desktop user experience and can run on very, very old hardware configurations with ease. Absolute linux is a lightweight distro designed for desktop use, and as such. List of debian rolling release distributions pcsuggest.
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