Lightweight GNU/Linux distributions
Posted by Bob Jonkman on June 13th, 2011
This is a list of lightweight GNU/Linux (or other free/libre OS) distributions.
I’m specifically looking for a free/libre operating system that will run a Graphical User Interface on a 10-year-old laptop, 700 MHz Intel CPU, 256 MiBytes RAM (but 128 MiBytes would be better), an 8 GiByte hard drive and an 800×600 screen.
If you know of any other lightweight distributions please leave a comment. Also please leave a comment if you can help fill out the chart – the distributions’ documentation is pretty inadequate when it comes to listing minimium system requirements.
Name | Minimum System Requirements | Windows Manager | |||
CPU | RAM | Disk Space | Video | ||
Mandriva XFCE 2010 Spring | Xfce | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xubuntu | Xfce | ||||
Lubuntu 10.04 | Pentium II or Celeron | 128 MB | 1.5 GB | LXDE | |
Linux Mint Xfce (201104) | 114 MB | Xfce | |||
Linux Mint 10 “Julia” – LXDE | x86 processor | 256 MB | 3 GB | 800×600 | LXDE |
Trisquel Mini | LXDE | ||||
Crunchbang | Openbox | ||||
SlimPup | 35-50 MB | 150 MB ISO | |||
Debian | Fluxbox | ||||
Arch Linux 2010.05 | i686 or x86_64 | 64 MB | 7.5 GB | xmonad | |
Tiny Core Linux | i486DX | 48 MB | TinyX | ||
WCLP | 25 MHz 486 | 16 MB | 400 MB | ||
antiX | PII 266 MHz | 64 MB | 2.2 GB | VGA | |
Dragora GNU/Linux-libre | Intel 486 | 64MB (1GB suggested) | 4 GB | VGA | |
Bodhi Linux | 300+ MHz | 128 MB | 2.5 GB | Enlightenment |
I expect this post to be a continuous work-in-progress.
–Bob.
Added 14 June 2011: Thanx for the suggestions from @dwa, @headphonica, @darkestkhan, @flying_squirrel and @circuidipity, all added above.
Added 17 June 2011: @schestowitz points me to a Linux Devices article on Tiny Core Linux.
Added 28 July 2011: @chaslinux reminded me of The Working Centre’s distribution, WCLP.
Added 4 August 2011:Just saw antiX mentioned on Identi.ca.
Added 12 October 2013: @tekk writes: @bobjonkman If driver support isn’t an issue, maybe look at http://dragora.org . I’d also put slackware on the list for that, maybe freebsd as well?
Added 23 November 2013: Bodhi Linux