But tiny linux distributions are powerful innovations. Gentle touchdowns for dos bailouts is the official slogan. Below you will find links to iso images for mainstream linux distributions. A linux live distro is very useful either you are a linux user or a windows user. Peppermint uses lxde desktop environment that is lightweight and easy to use. Manually download windows subsystem for linux wsl distros. It provides outofthebox solution and include browser,media supports java and lots of other components. Go to the official website to download bodhi linux.
The linux distribution archive is a growing collection of media for the installation of linux on various systems from the past 20 years. Best linux distros for laptop whatever may be the purpose of using linux os or laptop, the basic needs remain the same. In todays article, i am going to talk about top 6 best. Oct 06, 2017 linux lite depends upon the xfce desktop environment figure 1 and includes the likes of libreoffice, firefox, thunderbird, vlc, gimp, gnome disks, and much more.
The size of puppy linux is very less, somewhere around 300mb. Lubuntu is an ubuntu derivative that uses the lxde desktop environment. Puppy linux is one of the best lightweight linux distros available out there. We were excited to again offer this great desktop environment.
There are lots of versions of linux to choose from, all of them free and awesome. Microsoft windows, apple macos, and various linuxbsd distributions. When you run this, the file that you browse to is your. Linuxconsole 115 linuxconsole is an independently developed linux live cd with different editions designed for desktops, servers, gaming consoles, and old computers.
Below youll find links that lead directly to the download page of 25 popular linux distributions. If it wont boot from cd, download floppy boot images of damn small linux and puppy linux wakepup for puppy linux 1 and 2 series and once extracted onto a floppy disk, insert them into your old pc. Starting from the best linux distros for beginners, well provide you a list of best lightweight linux distros for old systems. Dec 07, 2019 the 5th lightweight linux for old computers is peppermint. If you run a standard desktop computer or a laptop, youll likely find nearly every distribution works well on your machine. Pdf file, links in bold allow direct download of the. This site is a small software museum, which allows you to download old software. Puppy linux is one of the oldest lightweight distros out there.
Why you should choose lightweight linux distros to get a few more years out of an aging machine over other operating systems the main reason is, unlike older versions of windowsos x, the listed lite linux distributions get support and timely. Considering that linux mint as one of the best linux distros, you can also try other editions like cinnamon available. Oct 22, 2019 puppy linux is regarded as one of the best lightweight linux distros that you can find out there because of its small memory footprint, ease of use, customizability and flexibility. Puppy linux is regarded as one of the best lightweight linux distros that you can find out there because of its small memory footprint, ease of use, customizability and flexibility. If you are new to linux and want to install linux on your older hardware then peppermint is a good choice for you. If you are currently using windows use this guide to do so. I am very interested in collecting old linux distributions prior to 1995. With the use of xfce and the inclusion of a full complement of software, linux lite makes for an outstanding distribution for new users, working with old hardware. This page provides general information about notable linux distributions in the form of a. Damn small linux, a small linux distro designed to run on older hardware. If you are unfamiliar with these linux versions, please see our distribution page for. Iso images are mainly used as source files from which to create cds. Before you download absolute linux make sure that your system is compatible. Presenting a nice assortment of lightweight yet fullyfunctional linux distros for all occasions.
Absolute linux uses icewm and rox for its window and file managers. The next generation enterprise linux operating system developed and publish by red hat. Lightweight linux distros for slow and old computerslaptops 2020 download. For running linux on an older pc in 2019, ill recommend you to go with ubuntu mate.
The project has been turning out slim, sleek and fast distros for 15 years now. Ubuntu mate for running linux on an older pc in 2019, ill recommend you to go with ubuntu mate. In fact, some arch linux users have replaced all graphical applications with their cli equivalents to prove to themselves that beautiful icons and visual effects are overrated. Quick overview of the distros included in our list. Top 10 free linux distributions linux operating systems are one of the most sophisticated software that has been prevalent from the evolution of oldenday computers. These images are usually available from anonymous ftp servers.
Here is the list of top 10 linux distributions to free download latest version of linux operating system with links to linux documentation and home pages. Elementary os elementary os is a beautiful, fast, lightweight linux for 32 and 64bit x86. Mar 18, 2020 lightweight linux distros for slow and old computerslaptops 2020 download. Iso files, for burning to cd dvd or use it with virtualbox. Linux mint is similarly perfect fit for both newcomers and advanced users. If you have an old computer in your storeroom or you are still using an older pc. A lightweight linux server operating system for lans, based on the 4mlinux distro.
All of these are full distros that do not depend on cloud services. Then today is the day you take out that pc from the storeroom and clean all of the mud on it and then start utilizing it. If youre looking for a linux distro with a cute name but with a special purpose, then you definitely need to check out puppy linux. Scrollout f1 designed for linux and windows email system administrators, scrollout f1 is an easy to use, alread. The 5th lightweight linux for old computers is peppermint. Weve already talked about some of the best lightweight linux distributions in details. It is based on ubuntu lts, its lightweight and easy to use linux distributions. Then go for linux distribution for hacking, not want to use windows 7 then see the linux alternatives for windows and last for those have an old computer and wants lightweight linux distros. With linux, the underlying kernel may be the same, but the software around it the apps, skins, window managers, and package managers commitment to free and opensource software. Apr 03, 2020 while being an ubuntubased distro, it also features the xfce desktop which makes it good enough for some old computers. Few best android os for pc for fast and lightweight performance. To help you make the most out of your siliconebased friend, weve picked 5 best linux distributions for an old laptop. Many unconventional but effective and useful apps and tools come prebundled like homeback for finance management, abiword, myplayer, and. Softlanding linux system was founded by peter macdonald in may 1992 and it was one of the first linux distro in the world.
Debianbased distribution designed for pcs that are 10 years old or more. Since its formation in the early 1990s, the open source nature of linux has ensured great variation in the release of distributions, including variations on floppy disk, cdrom, dvdrom and onlineonly. It can easily run on an old pc or laptop and has many apps that come bundled in the installation disk. I have been toying with installing a linux distro on an aging sony laptop vaio vgn fw 11e, circa 2009 2. If you have any old distros around on cdrom or diskettes, i would appreciate a copy. Here, we shall only mention what really stands out from that list and some new additions. Lubuntu is based on ubuntu and they share same repositories, but instead of ubuntus gnome and unity shell it. Best linux distributions for everyone in 2020 its foss. Head to their official website to download the iso 32bit. In the interest of posterity, i wish the images for these old linux distros could be made available as cloud compute instances in aws, gcp or any other cloud service providers. The following old releases of ubuntu are available.
The project has been turning out slim, sleek and fast distros for 15 years now, and offers different versions depending on the. These distributions are freely available for download and distribution under. Jun 12, 2019 puppy linux is one of the oldest lightweight distros out there. It comes with all the components youll need to run. Linux has builtin tools for this, but since you must be on windows, you will need to download a free tool to help you for now. And finally, well wrap up with the best linux distros for programmers and. Top 10 best lightweight linux distros of 2020 blackdown. So, dump all your worries about lesser storage space on your old pc in. Its one of the smallest linux distros on this list for 2019. Now finally, onto the main part, the best lightweight linux distros for old computerslaptops.
Note that we are primarily interested in whole runnable old systems, not just the kernel source code. As an example, most distributions of linux release iso images of the installation cds. They comes very handy if you screwed up your linux system beyond normal recovery or your windows system is infected with a nasty malware. But its too hard and timeconsuming to download and try every linux distros in computer and then decide which one is better. A virtual linux museum for historical archiving purposes, spawn one and indulge in nostalgia. If you have an old pc laying around or if you didnt really need to upgrade your system you can still try some of the best linux distros available. The biggest advantage with such operating systems is the amount of customizability that can be embedded along with the user interface. Oct 31, 2019 best linux distro for old laptop and desktops.
Download respin 7 march 2017, install libreoffice and then compare, for example, opening libreoffice writer inside peppermint 7, extix 17. However, if youre retrofitting linux on a very old computer, the processor matters much more. Zorin os the name starts with z, but it is the first one in the list of the linux distributions with the best user interface. Top 10 best linux distro for old laptop tech viral. It can easily run on an old pc or laptop and has many apps that come bundled in. All the official puppies since version 2 are hosted at ibiblio ibiblio also hosts the puppy specific packages pet used to build puppies as well as squashfs files sfs with kernels, kernel sources, large applications and application frameworks. This distro takes very little resources to run on an old machine and is aimed at turning out slim, sleek and fast distros. The plan is to swap to an ssd drive as old drive about to fail and create a dual boot machine. Dec 17, 2019 for running linux on an older pc in 2019, ill recommend you to go with ubuntu mate.
Download and install an app called etcher from etcher. Never tried linux before, have an old laptop how do i install. However, linux distros come with a variety of different. Then lightweight linux distributions would be the perfect choice to resurrect your old buddy. That will help you to make sure that all the hardware drivers are available for the operating system before you try this os on your. You will find it easy to use and can also install it on your older computers with no issues. Everyone does some common task on a laptop like the use of office suite, enjoying movies and music, personal files management, etc. While being an ubuntubased distro, it also features the xfce desktop which makes it good enough for some old computers. Looking to resurrect or transform a laptop or desktop. Dec 26, 2018 the size of puppy linux is very less, somewhere around 300mb. Jul 18, 2014 presenting a nice assortment of lightweight yet fullyfunctional linux distros for all occasions.
The linux distribution archive and source for linux information. These ubuntu variants simply install a set of packages different from the original ubuntu, but since they draw additional packages and updates from the. The best linux distros that you can install in old pc. One thing to here is that puppy linux isnt like some other distro. And also when it comes to old hardware any linux distro is better than windowsos x. Apart from linux based os another lightweight for your pc, if you are looking for an os to turn your old laptop or pc into media centre the geexbox could be the one, however, you can see our article. Sls contains around 500 tools designed to provide the computer operating system for. Ever wanted to go back in the time and try distros youve never tried or old versions. Alternatively download smart boot manager, install on a floppy disk and boot the computer you should now be able to boot from your cd drive. Apr 14, 2020 according to the the oss website, linux mint is now the leading linux distro, surpassing ubuntu and all other distros to become the main competition against windows and mac os. Jan 01, 2020 quick overview of the distros included in our list. Top 10 best linux distros for beginners in 2020 ultimate guide. Jan 01, 2020 manjaro linux comes in xfce, kde, gnome, cinnamon and a host of more desktop environments.
The installation process for arch linux is not as streamlined as it is in other distributions. Not just lightweight linux distros, but any given list of linux distributions is incomplete without lubuntu. Linux lite depends upon the xfce desktop environment figure 1 and includes the likes of libreoffice, firefox, thunderbird, vlc, gimp, gnome disks, and much more. Slant best linux distros for old notebookslaptops as of. Different linux distros can all work with linux software and applications, and of course, any cloudbased apps that run through a browser. Top 5 best lightweight linux distros to boost up your old. Unlike other lightweight linux distros on this list, however, absolute doesnt have a 32bit variant as the operating system was specifically designed for 64bit machines. In this article, well discuss about what is actually a live cd linux distro, some example and their usage case.
Manually download windows subsystem for linux distro packages. Sls contains around 500 tools designed to provide the computer operating system for the general user. Never tried linux before, have an old laptop how do i. Linux lite isnt as small as some tiny distros, but it wont make you scream, either. The consumer operatingsystem market has largely settled on three platforms. Why you should choose lightweight linux distros to get a few more years out of an aging machine over other operating systems the main reason is, unlike older versions of windowsos x, the listed lite linux distributions get support and timely updates. Slant best linux distros for old notebookslaptops as. Pearl linux began many yrs ago with the xfce desktop environment. We recommend you to download and set up a bootable usb check here for os to run from usb with the operating system you choose to test with your hardware. Once you download the image, you can use cd burning. Dec 12, 2019 a linux live distro is very useful either you are a linux user or a windows user.
Further, well also cover the best linux distros for gamers, and also help you choose the best linux distro if you are a privacy buff. Most linux distros including us will no longer provide security updates for 32 bit after 42023. The main motto of linux mint is from freedom came elegance which provides a stable, powerful, easy to use, and a complete out of the box experience. To install any of the above 6 operating systems, you need to create a bootable usb stick.