Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:09:15 -0700 From: "Darren Spruell" <phatbuckett@gmail.com> To: DAve <dave.list@pixelhammer.com> Cc: User Questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Small Unix install Message-ID: <839aec700712281109m115aaef1tb09a2c5af165b6f4@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <477538C2.3070204@pixelhammer.com> References: <477538C2.3070204@pixelhammer.com>
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On Dec 28, 2007 10:56 AM, DAve <dave.list@pixelhammer.com> wrote: > Good morning, > > I am looking for a small install for an old laptop. I have an old but > quite reliable Toshiba 330CDT that used to be my personal laptop. I ran > FBSD 3.x/4.x on it for years but it has been wiped and in a closet for > years. I want to use it again just to access a few web forums and read > my email. I don't do POV RAY or 3D, I don't need Open Office, I don't > watch any Tubes. Mutt, Fluxbox and a minimal browser would make me happy. > > I don't have the time or inclination to roll my own again. PCBSD can't > finish the install due to only having 96mb of memory. Desktop BSD wants > more than 4gb of drive space just to complete the install. > > I currently have 98SE on it only consuming 300mb and it runs fine, but > it's 98SE ;^) Does anyone know of anything ready to install? BSD, Linux, > I don't care. Yes, there's plenty of options for very small Unix installs. Those you've tried have been the modern desktop-oriented distributions of FreeBSD and they of course don't shoot for the older class of systems. Unix has resisted bloat For example, I've put a smaller OpenBSD build on my Soekris that I run for a firewall on my cable connection. Fits in 22 MB: # df -h Filesystem Size Used Avail Capacity Mounted on /dev/wd0a 236M 22.1M 202M 10% / Granted your desktop build will be plenty larger, but 300 MB is certainly achievable. Follow the advice for a minimal installation of the vanilla FreeBSD 6.x or 7 + whatever packages you need and you'll be rolling. You can find similar options in any of the BSDs and GNU/Linux. DS
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