Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => TCB Talk => Topic started by: joe of loath on October 22, 2009, 07:48:47 PM

Title: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: joe of loath on October 22, 2009, 07:48:47 PM

I couldn't find the min. sys. req. on the main page, so I thought I might as well post in the forum ;) I pulled an old laptop out of the loft yesterday. It's an HP omnibook 600C, circa 94/95 with a 75mhz 486 processor and 8mb of ram. Will tiny core run on it? Assuming I can pick up some kind of PCMCIA storage to replace the lost one, it'd be a neat little (it's of the netbook form factor :)) tool for programming (with the early 90's trademark 'clacky' keyboard) and controlling stuff via the parallel/serial ports. Damn small linux would be my first port of call, since I've used it before, but I'm sceptical of it working or not. I stumbled upon tiny core, and it looked up to the job :) I'm not even looking for a GUI TBH, it hasn't got anywhere to plug a mouse in, and I lost my serial mouse.

Thanks in advance
Joe

Title: Re: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: Guy on October 22, 2009, 08:37:40 PM

The absolute minimum to run Tiny Core is 48 mb of ram.

I think it just won't work on that computer.

If you have an old version of Windows, such as Dos 6 and Windows 3.1, or Windows 95, you could try them.

There are a few small operating systems you could try. I have never used them. Some have limited functions.

Also see http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=3394.0

Title: Re: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: MikeLockmoore on October 22, 2009, 11:21:58 PM

Maybe a really small Linux would work better:

http://www.toms.net/rb/

http://www.pocket-linux.org/

http://www.micheleandreoli.it/mulinux/
--
Mike L.

Title: Re: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: jls on October 23, 2009, 04:58:14 AM

u can also try basic linux

Title: Re: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: joe of loath on October 23, 2009, 09:11:48 AM

Thanks for the help, I'm going to try Damn small linux (for s***s and giggles), Mulinux, windows 3.1 and freedos (in that order).

Title: Re: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: bmarkus on October 23, 2009, 09:47:13 AM

Quote from: joe of loath on October 22, 2009, 07:48:47 PM

It's an HP omnibook 600C, circa 94/95 with a 75mhz 486 processor and 8mb of ram.

DSL requirements:

Quote

Run light enough to power a 486DX with 16MB of Ram

Title: Re: Tiny Core on 486?
Post by: tclfan on October 23, 2009, 09:52:59 AM

Reports of successful running Linux on this machine:
http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~fleck/iowa-lab/omnibook.html
In those times Linux was still lean...
If you do not want old release Linux, then you can try latest Kolibri, might run although normally it requires 12M memory.
Otherwise DOS it is...