Linux on a slow comp?

[admin4000]

im wondering what linux distribution to use if i hav a pentium 200mhz - 300mhz and 20 - 32 mb ram. please help me cuz im thinking to upgrade to linux. I want one with a decent GUI.
thanks in advance!

[randomgypsy]

try ubuntu....

it now requires lower specs

hope this link is useful

http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story...10-35-RV-OO-RL

[darrelljon]

I couldn't get Ubuntu Lite to work. I'd recommend Puppy 1.09CE, XPuppyPro and those at http://puppylinux.org/wikka/Distros

[locustfurnace]

Getting an eye-candy filled GUI is not going to be too successful with those specs. You might be able to use Fluxbox, Blackbox or XFCE desktop. Unlikey you will get KDE, GNOME to run smoothly.

Now if you ran a rather old distro you would be able to run just about any of them on those specs. Maybe older distros like Red Linux 5 would work, though they would really be outdated, but since the hardware is outdated they might be the best bet.

[Constance]

How about DSL (Damn Small Linux) ?
Anyway, the choice of the distro doesn't depend only on your system specs, also depends on what you want to do on that computer.
Linux might not be the best choice depending on what you plan to do... for example, if you want to make a small web server with low traffic, I'd recommend EZ-NOS instead.

[locustfurnace]

EZNOS runs on an 8088 or higher. This would be ideal if you wanted a DOS based web server. Though I do not see much in the way of PHP, javascripting...etc.
Since the OP's system is a 200Mhz, it is plenty fast for an older Distro of GNU/Linux. I remember running Red Hat 5, Mandrake 5, Caldera, GNU/Debian, Armed and many other distros on my 'then' NEW 200mhz Non-MMX system way back in the day.

[admin4000]

thanks! I think, because everyone on some other forums are saying ubuntu is the best, ill try that. Im still trying 2 find a better one through, but still thank you all for your help!!

[locustfurnace]

Ubuntu is the latest "HOT" distro. Once it was Red Hat, once it was Debian, once Mandrake, once Gentoo ...etc...etc.

You never stated exactly what you want to do with this, replace MS Windows entirely? Run in along side.
Just remember GNU/Linux does have a steeper learning curve. But the OS is much more powerful.
The great thing is if you can download these distro's. You can try as many as you like.

[admin4000]

I wanna run it aside ms windows so I can monitor my network n stuff like that

[locustfurnace]

Running is aside, as in dual-booting or within a Virtual machine.
I do not think you will have enough power to run Windows and GNU/Linux within a VM. If that's the plan.

Best bet is to dual-boot.