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Need a linux recommendation
February 23, 2010
8:27 PM
8:27 PM
Pwnana
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Often I find myself wanting to get a file off of my laptop or want to check a website that my portables cant handle. The only problem is that my laptop is entirely shutdown and would take a while to boot up, much too long if I want it for 2 minutes >_<. So I was thinking of installing a linux on a tiny partition for just this purpose. My only requirement is that it must start up FAST!! I dont need any features beyond web browsing and file browsing. I've looked at a few distros, but I need another opinion.
DSL was my first choice. Because of its minimalist nature I assumed it would start quickly. It was pretty fast, but I've been unable to install it for some reason. It just doesn't >_<.
Puppy Linux was my second choice, because it is similar in its minimalist nature, but not in the extreme of DSL. I was wondering if there was anything faster.
I thought of using Parted Magic, because it is already my partition editor of choice so I could kill 2 birds, but again, there is probably something faster.
All the rest were too slow, but obviously I couldn't have checked them all. Any suggestions?
You got Pwnd
February 23, 2010
8:40 PM
8:40 PM
karen
Washington, DC Metro Area
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How about a bootable linux that can be run off of a CD/DVD? That way you wouldn't have to put it onto a separate partition.
The name of them escapes me at the moment though.
Most of my unix/linux experience is through the command line on production servers.
February 23, 2010
8:52 PM
8:52 PM
Pwnana
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Sorry, I should have been more clear 
. I wanted to install it so I always have it, and so it starts faster. BTW, that's called Live-CD, and most Linux distros support it. However, loading from a CD is a lot slower than loading from a hard-drive.
You got Pwnd
February 23, 2010
9:59 PM
9:59 PM
Ashraf
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Look at xPud. I have been meaning to write an article on it for so long.
February 24, 2010
1:19 PM
1:19 PM
Pwnana
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That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for! Ill check it out.
You got Pwnd
February 24, 2010
2:15 PM
2:15 PM
sean
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you could always just get an ASUS laptop, i personally love them.
They have an express boot mode, it takes 8 seconds (seriously, i've timed it) to start up and you have media, web and a few other things too.
February 24, 2010
3:07 PM
3:07 PM
Pwnana
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… or I could save $700 and use xPud… O_o
You got Pwnd
February 24, 2010
5:28 PM
5:28 PM
Ashraf
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You can also try Madriva InstantOn ($10) or Presto ($19.95).
February 24, 2010
8:00 PM
8:00 PM
sean
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Pwnana, I said it as a general option, if you were looking at a new computer. and $700? i got mine for 1300 and it's worth $2000
February 25, 2010
5:39 AM
5:39 AM
meanpt
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February 25, 2010
February 25, 2010
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Hi. If you never tried linux before, you'll better experiment with virutalbox, seriously. At least to teach you and let you evaluate the procedures of an installation until you feel safe with it and do it in the real machine. Moreover, the fastest distro will usually be the trickier ones to install. After that it will be bread and butter :).
Now, I can't give you recommendations as I'm also a newbie but learnt that the fastest is tinycore, followed by slitaz, knoppix cd version (be carefull to not pick the one with adriane) and, still to be tried, webconverger. There is also a puppy derivative called browser linux, there is Oh … and there is a thing called Haiku but the software available for this is almost nothing.
I did test xpud and found it too unstable with firefox sudenly crashing. JolyCloud is too heavy from my standards point of view. EasyPeasy is a no no … as any UNR you may find around.
After testing all the *buntus, mandrivas, suse's, and so on, I'm currently using as my virtual working machine something that's not even listed in the distrowatch.org, an ubuntu derivative made by chinese people and called Ylmf OS, and you can find it at http://www.ylmf.org/en/index.html
Why am I telling you this? … :) Well … I also started looking for the same as you …
Mean ... as meaner one can be :)
February 25, 2010
5:45 AM
5:45 AM
Gvape
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You could always install Debian, Fedora, etc. and install LXDE or XFCE. They're user interfaces that use MUCH less ram than the standard Gnome or KDE. I just installed Debian on a 10 year old computer with XFCE, so it does save a lot of ram.
Also, check this out: http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/
It helps pick a Linux distro with a quiz on what you need. It picked my favorite two when I did it, so it's got something right :P
Guh-vah-pay
February 25, 2010
6:40 AM
6:40 AM
Refpeuk
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I agree that the fastest booting one would probably be xPud. I don't know how to install it to a hard drive, though – so far I have just booted it off a USB drive.
Anyone know how to install xPud to a hard drive?
I want to do it on my Asus EEEPC (which is tricky since it doesn't have a cd drive)
If you think I should've start a new thread with this question instead of putting it on here, sorry. Just let me know.
Any comments? Questions? Outbursts?
February 25, 2010
8:14 AM
8:14 AM
meanpt
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Well, regarding XPUD, I installed it in a virtual Windows 7 Machine and everything ran fine … but didn't install it as THE native OS … nor did it in the real machine 
I just wanted to add that my decision to work with Ylmf OS resulted from the agility of this distro with the minimum working ram of 384 MB. All the others struggled to do it, even some Fluxbox desktop equiped ubuntu and other non ubuntu derivatives.
Mean ... as meaner one can be :)
February 25, 2010
2:11 PM
2:11 PM
Pwnana
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I think Ive decided to stick with xPud.
@Refpeuk
There is a separate installer on the site. On the download page you have to click "install on hard drive" to get the installer, and then you run it from Windows.
I'm no stranger to linux, but DSL is so basic and retro (in order to fit in 50mb) that the installation process is a command line procedure. I type in everything I need but it just does nothing. =( It just wasn't designed to be installed I guess…
You got Pwnd
February 25, 2010
5:43 PM
5:43 PM
Ashraf
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The Windows installer seems to be a bit buggy with Windows 7 which is why my article on xPud has been delayed for so long.
February 25, 2010
7:36 PM
7:36 PM
Pwnana
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Really? I was able to install just fine.
You got Pwnd
February 25, 2010
11:28 PM
11:28 PM
Ashraf
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Pwnana said:
Really? I was able to install just fine.
They must have fixed it since I last tried it. I guess time to write the article, then =).
February 26, 2010
1:18 PM
1:18 PM
Pwnana
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Nope, your right. It installed but its not a boot option. However, I think I can just live boot linux from a USB and install it through linux.
You got Pwnd
February 27, 2010
2:28 AM
2:28 AM
Ramesh Kumar
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Refpeuk said:
I agree that the fastest booting one would probably be xPud. I don't know how to install it to a hard drive, though – so far I have just booted it off a USB drive.
Anyone know how to install xPud to a hard drive?
I want to do it on my Asus EEEPC (which is tricky since it doesn't have a cd drive)If you think I should've start a new thread with this question instead of putting it on here, sorry. Just let me know.
As far as I can make out the internet still does not provide an answer for "how to transfer the USB boot content files" to hard disk 
Ramesh
February 27, 2010
5:43 AM
5:43 AM
Ramesh Kumar
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@Gvape
You do have an interesting byline – this IP Bharti Broadband thing! In certain parts of the world it could actually send people scurrying to check their IP & ISP etc etc. Nice one!
Ramesh
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