Re: Installing Linux on an old 486 compaq laptop

[Tom Cooper <tom_cooper bigfoot com>]

I'd recommend an old version of Linux.  Keep in mind that not much fits
in 80MB.  Newer kernel versions require lots of RAM.

Take a look at old mirrors of RH or slackware.  4MB RAM isn't lots of
headrom, either. From a RedHat perspective, you'll have to go back at
least as far as RH 4.2, perhaps further.

Alternatively, you might look at some floppy-based distributions, and
add things from there.  I doubt any version of X will fit on that box. 
Sorry.

Another idea would be to find a way to use that machine as an Xterm -
storing binaries on another network attached machine to overcome the
80MB limitation - perhaps qnx has something that might help in this
space?

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Tom Cooper

Marie-Thérèse Lorentzen wrote:
> 
> Hi!
> A friend's 16 year-old would like to put his old 486 Compaq laptop (with
> only has 80 MB on it's hard drive, no CD-ROM and 4MB RAM) back into use
> again. He's never tried Linux and would like to try it on the laptop.
> Has anyone had any luck installing Linux on an older Compaq laptop? Does
> anyone have any suggestions as to which version Linux he should use?
> Where can it be found? Any ideas as to what kind of problems he could
> run into?
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
> Thanks!
> 
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