Linux Footprint Sizes

feylya

Forgive my ignorance but I'm just wondering which Linux has the smallest footprint, space-wise. I've "acquired" an old p133, 2 gig hard drive, 16 mb ram that I basically want to use as an mp3 and DivX server and I want to install Linux on it. Any ideas?

BTBB

I use debian and just managed to squeeze the base systme and a few networking utils into 120MB on a 386 with 4MB of ram. Also have a 486 - more utils so its around 360MB but 160 of that are kernel sources.

I do have a 166 with a 1.2 GB Hdd and it uses about 400MB but it doesn't have any X stuff installed. I have used mpg321 on it with success. So you can do mp3 anyway, but where are you going to fit the DivX s? Normally they are around 700MB. And the chances of a 133 being able to decode a video stream (even using -vo aa) are pretty low (Haven't tried it yet though). Altough I did ssh into my main system(Full X etc - takes about 1.6 GB probably could trim it to 1GB) and did a 'mplayer -vo aa'. No sound though...

The only way that I can see you using it for Divx is as a file server. Just install samba and watch it from another computer over a network. Might want to add a bigger HDD as well though.

As a side note I'd suggest setting aside at least 64MB of disk space for a swap partition.

BTBB

niallb

If you choose expert install with Mandrake
and unselect all Office/Multimedia screen options
(All of them) it will offer you a screen with 3 new options.

Minimal install, minimal install (no X),
and truly minimal install (no urpmi).

The no X on 9.1 is about 120M.
without urpmi it would be a good bit smaller,
but I kept it because it's such a good tool.

If you do a truly minimal install with urpmi
you can pick some software you want to run,
and just urpmi packagename.
urpmi will install all dependencies and nothing else,
which will keep things down in size.

2G isn't that small anyway! You'll probably need to run the installer in text mode if it'll even work at that.

You'll find it hard running most intallers in 16M,
try VectorLinux - it's built for tiny machines.
vectorlinux.com
for something really small with multimedia capabilities.

NiallB

Typedef

I've done Slackware installs on a 386, with 16mb of ram and an 80mb hard disk.
Used it as a firewall.

I think, it's eventual install size weighed in at about, err 40-60mb, with a little tweaking.

You could try checking out small linux.

For your purposes.
Install Slackware and then install VideoLAN

In fact VideoLAN seems to have a Gentoo port, which is good, since with an old box like that, Gentoo with some tweaks, should be pretty fast.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-gentoo.html

niallb

vectorlinux is a slackware,
just a stripped down installer and pre-chosen options.
You get latest slackware in 450M and pkgtool etc
allow you add anything that isn't there.

Slackware's alwaysplayed fair with older systems.

fisty

slackware would probably be your best bet for what you're trying to do.

BTBB

Correction:
Mplayer can run in VESA mode (640x480 at worst) in a console. There is no need for X. Should be able to fit the lot in ~150mb.


Also install it on a faster system and transfer the HDD. Trust me - you don't want to 'make menuconfig' on a 386 unless you have a lot of free time on your hands.

BTBB

Capt'n Midnight

You can network boot. - no footprint - no drives.

gigabit ethernet cards now cost about €40 for the cheap & chearful ones..

Ok you need one HDD on a central machine to store data - but it can boot offa Knoppix CD which can act as the terminal server....

Best bit - when you want to upgrade the entire network - you change one CD and reboot (purists would probably use a scheuled apt-get install)

BIG PROBLEM - YOU NEED 32MB RAM EVEN WITHOUT THE GUI.
(and unless you had a boot prom in your NIC you'd need a floppy disk or HDD to pull the config off the net.)