looking for a linux distro

manadren_it · Post by **manadren_it** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:53 pm

I've been meaning to try to learn php and mysql for a while now, but the problem is, to really effectively learn something like that I need a webserver, and I really don't feel liek shelling out cash for a webhost, nor do I want to turn my main computer into a server. However, I do have an old 486 computer that I might be able to hook up to my home network and use a a webserver if I can find the right linux distro. So I was wondering if anyone knew of a linux distro streamlined enough to run effectively on limited hardware, that is easy enough for a relative linux newbie to setup with all the appropriate packages.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:53 pm

I never tried it, but I think freebsd would be good in your case. Red hat would work if you can get it to install, but chances are the video card can't handle the GUI efficiently enough for you to see writing. But if there's not allot of ram it might force you into text install which won't be so bad, but if you have "too much" ram it will do the GUI install and you won't be able to see nothing.

But if it's just for learning, you can just setup a windows box, it will be easier to setup then linux, but will be crap. (slow down every 5 minutes etc...)

See what others say but I'm pretty sure freebsd would be the best in your case.

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manadren_it · Post by **manadren_it** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:39 pm

hmmm. I suppose I could just try the text install of red hat and only install the absolutely essential packages. Only problem is, I'm not sure how big the hardrive is in this things, but it's really small.

I found one minimal linux distro called University Linux with a base install size of only 8mb that actually supports webserver services, ftp, and perl. But I don't know if I'd be able to install php and mysql on top of that. FreeBSD may work too. I'll have to check that out.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:48 pm

Red hat will take a few gigs even with minimum packages, from my experience installing it, and there's no way to decide what mode to go in, unless you can boot off the CD rom, but 486's usually can't boot off CD-ROMs, the only way is to use the win98 boot disk and then go in the d:dosutilsautostart.bat or something like that where d is your cd-rom drive letter.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:16 pm

Mandaren, excuse red's last comment. With any Distro that has a GuI install, they always, ALWAYS give you the option to use a text install. For the plain and simple reason that linux can run on anything... even your 486, which I do not reccomend. Just imagine running any OS on a 486, you wont like it.

Also, if you really want to learn php, mysql I can hook you up with some hosting, cuz I run LAMP (linux red hat 8, apache, mySQL, php) and you can have a shell and try out what you need.

But there are linux distro's that come n a floppy, that have FTP, MAIl, WEB and SAMBA servers on them, you just have to look around. Red hat 8-9 can both install without KDE/GNOME (the main space eaters) and be less than 500 mb's.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:22 pm

Actually, the autostart.bat (only possible way to install linux on an old computer) will not ask you anything before it loads the gui. If theres not enough ram for the gui, then it will go in text mode, but chances are such low ammount of ram will make it crash. Unless there's some kind of key I can press while it's loading the setup but I never saw anything. If there's a way let me know as I'll install it on my 486 so I can have an always-on server to play with.

I just realized I might be wrong about autostart.bat, it might be called something else, I forget. I think it's actually autoboot.bat.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:23 pm

AFAIK, when installing Red hat and mandrake, they both offered me text/gui installs. I installed red hat in text mode when i had 64mb of ram, but now I have 192, so it handled the install fine.

and here you go mandaren

http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:25 pm

How did you manage to choose? Did you boot off the CD? I know you can choose it when you boot off the CD, but not when you start it from DOS. And starting it from dos is the only way you can do in on an old computer such as a 486 as they usually can't boot off cd rom drives.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:18 pm

Red Squirrel wrote: How did you manage to choose? Did you boot off the CD? I know you can choose it when you boot off the CD, but not when you start it from DOS. And starting it from dos is the only way you can do in on an old computer such as a 486 as they usually can't boot off cd rom drives.

that might be the reason why I didn't know that and also why not to use a 486 anymore

Umm, I can't say exactly, but I dont see why it would just boot into text.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:18 pm

boot into gui, I meant.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:50 pm

Not sure why either. What it does is do the usual check routine, then goes to "starting anaconda" and stays there for about an hour (frigen slow 486) then goes into the GUI, this is the first place where it needs user input, the rest is all automated.

But since there's so many other distros, I'd get something smaller for a 486.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:52 pm

Red Squirrel wrote: Not sure why either. What it does is do the usual check routine, then goes to "starting anaconda" and stays there for about an hour (frigen slow 486) then goes into the GUI, this is the first place where it needs user input, the rest is all automated.

But since there's so many other distros, I'd get something smaller for a 486.

mine asks me in teh first 10 seconds... says "hit enter for gui install or type 'linux text for text based install'"

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:57 pm

weird, never did it to me, it did when I booted off the CD though but that was on my good computer so I wanted the GUI install. Actually, the P3 could not handle the GUI install and it kept crashing, I'll have to try the text. That one can boot off CDs so I won't have problems.

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manadren_it · Post by **manadren_it** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 1:05 am

That for the help guys. I foun done distro called Fli4L whihc may be what I need. It was designed for 486's and includes an optional apache package with php and i think mysql too, so I'll see how that works. Also I'm pretty sure that if you take out Xwindows and it';s associated components [like gnome, kde] you can slim down red hat a good bit, so I'll look at that too.

And thanks for the hosting offer wldkos, but I don't wnat to impose, so I want to see if I can pull this off on my own first.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 12:35 pm

Sounds like something that should be good. In fact, I should try it myself as I've been wanting an always on server so I'd be able to use a 486. Red hat CAN install on a 486 from what I heard but I never seen it done. I know my P3 won't take it though, but that computer is "special".

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 10:08 pm

some where on the net last year some time it was released there is a linx os that will run from a floppy you can stick it in the floppy drive and run linux and not windows. it was said to be a easy way to run a 486 as a web server or a router.

cant remember the name? sorry.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 1:28 am

rovingcowboy wrote: some where on the net last year some time it was released there is a linx os that will run from a floppy you can stick it in the floppy drive and run linux and not windows. it was said to be a easy way to run a 486 as a web server or a router.

cant remember the name? sorry.

You are correct, but your missing the main thing... it's just the kernel and maybe some extra software on the floppy, like a firewall using NAT or something. also, if you are going to go the text only route, it will definately save a HUGE amount of space... KDE and GNOME take up so much room, and if you manage to have a little extra room, try a WM like BlackBox or Icewm.

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manadren_it · Post by **manadren_it** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 1:29 am

There are a bunch of 1 floppy linux distros. But as far as I've seen there are none that feature more than router capabilities and maybe a limited webserver, there may be a few with decent webserver add-ons though. The best known one is the Linux Router Project (LRP), but that one isn't being developed anymore I think.

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