linux distros

[jub3i]

I've decided to go with AdvanceMAME and AdvanceMenu and that I don't want to use AdvanceCD.  I've been looking at some smaller linux distros and I'm not sure what to go with.  I don't want something like Fedora Core, because it has a lot more than I need.  All I want is to be able to boot up, run AdvanceMAME, run jukebox software, browse the web, and ftp.

I have been looking at Damn Small Linux, Morphix and Knoppix.  DSL looks like it has everything I need, and it looks easy enough to install to a HDD.  My concern is if it has driver support or if I need to install drivers for everything.

Any advice on a small linux distro is appreciated.  What distro are you going with and why?  Thanks for the help guys!

[GadgetGeek]

Pretty minimal gentoo install.  Lots of config options.  Older machine so it allows me to eliminate bloat and optimize it for my machine.  And with AdvanceMame, I don't need to install X.

[qfour20]

I have to agree with GadgetGeek, gentoo is my favorite linux distribution because of flexibility.  You can very easily churn out an optimized, lean system for whatever purpose you need.

Other good places to start would be Debian or Slackware.  Again, like gentoo, you will be putting a linux system together (as opposed to a redhat / mandrake / lindows type "install linux" situation).  There's definitely a learning curve, but it's really not all that difficult.

Best of luck to you.

-q

[LaundroMat]

Just read about VectorLinux and how it's a very sleek distro for older computers. Might be worth looking into.

[muttonchop]

i couldnt reccomend anything BUT gentoo. 

[Grasshopper]

I'm currently running XP in a FAT32 partition. I would like to experiment with Linux but don't wish to make a new partition for it (I've done this before and it was a nightmare, too risky and difficult to reverse). So I'm wondering whether any of the main distributions can install Linux using the UMSDOS filesystem so there is zero risk of me screwing up my XP installation.

This would also enable me to have more than one installation in the same partition which would be useful for experimentation.

[SirPoonga]

Grasshopper, two words for you, Live CDs.  Knoppix and Gentoo have live CDs that you can use.  They boot off CD, no installing on computer.  Good for getting a tast of linux.  That's actually what advancecd is, it's a live cd of knoppix modified to start advmenu on bootup.

http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php

Good place to see latest distro news and find cheap CDs if you don't want to download an iso (if you are on modem)
http://www.distrowatch.com/
http://www.cheapiso.com/
http://www.cheapbytes.com/


There are also a couple of live dvds out there, my favorite is PiaPix, math and science software (and they have a 64bit version).

[Grasshopper]

But can the Knoppix and Gentoo live CDs be easily transferred to hard disk?

The trouble with live CDs is that there is a limit to how much customisation you can do. I did consider installing advancecd onto a USB pendrive but I'd prefer a full distro on my hard disk without risking messing up my XP installation.

[Goz]

But can the Knoppix and Gentoo live CDs be easily transferred to hard disk?

The trouble with live CDs is that there is a limit to how much customisation you can do. I did consider installing advancecd onto a USB pendrive but I'd prefer a full distro on my hard disk without risking messing up my XP installation.

Yes you can install KNOPPIX to a HDD very easily.

[Grasshopper]

Yes you can install KNOPPIX to a HDD very easily.

Using UMSDOS or equivalent?

[SirPoonga]

The point of me mentioning the live cds is because you mentioned oyu wanted to experiment with linux.  Well, this allows you to experiment with linux without doing anything to your harddrive.

I know gentoo and knoppix have the option to install on harddrive.  I don;t know aobut UMSDOS.

However, if you like it, and since you have XP on  FAT32 it would be wise to backup you redo your harddrive.  XP runs better on NTFS.   Then I'd pick up a cheap 20gig drive form somewhere and dual boot, installing linux onto that drive.

http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_vs_fat.htm
http://faq.arstechnica.com/link.php?i=1227
http://www.thundercloud.net/information-avenue/ntfs-vs-fat32/
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_20557455.html

[scottie4442]

If you read the documentation of the disk it tells you how to do a hd install of knoppix, but if you have  a recent version, I think 3.6 or newer (something like that), then just start a terminal window and type knoppix-installer, you answer a few questions and it takes care of the rest (make sure that you have a partition ready for it).  If you need to know more then just look around the knoppix.com site.  BTW Knoppix 4.0 is ready for downlaod, but you have to watch what you download, it comes in two versions, minimal on CD and full on DVD (and when it says full it means a full version, tons of software).  Once knoppix is installed it is then considered Debian (SID I think, which is the unstable version).

Hope this helped