If there is a good reason why it is better to use Linux than Windows it is that on an old computer you can find many distributions that work very well and keep that computer as fast as it used to be and perhaps more. The problem with Windows is that, in the end, each new version becomes bigger than the previous one and to work well it requires a certain amount of RAM memory and a certain processor power, otherwise it will be very snappy and with slow loads.
Thanks to some Linux distributions instead you can go back to using an old PC or one of those small netbooks that were sold until last year.
These Linux distros are not old versions, but complete operating systems of all programs that are developed with the aim of returning to using PCs that Windows and the evolution of programs have made almost obsolete.
In this article we see which Linux distros to use for older PCs, those with low memory, almost obsolete processors or with very limited hard drives .
1) For really old computers the smallest distros that can be used are Puppy Linux, Vector Linux and Antix .
These are complete operating systems, with basic programs inside them and a desktop environment very similar to that of Windows. Puppy Linux can be installed on a USB stick
In addition to being extremely light, they are also very small so that they can be enclosed in 256 Mb of disk space. Puppy Linux has a collection of graphics and office software and apps for surfing the internet, listening to music and watching videos. Puppy Linux is designed to be extremely light and once installed it consumes only 100 MB of space, 256 MB if you want to include the complete OpenOffice suite. Puppy Linux is loaded into the computer's RAM, so it's super fast and the apps open instantly. You can also save files and customizations to the USB drive containing Puppy Linux. Puppy Linux has very low minimum system requirements and requires only 128 MB of RAM, although 256 MB of RAM would be recommended.
Antix is a similar, fast, light distro that can be installed live on a CD or USB stick, for computers only 32bit x86. The goal of antiX is to provide a fully functional and flexible free operating system for both beginners and experienced Linux users. It should run on most computers, including Intel Pentium 2 or AMD single Core, with 128 MB of RAM minimum. The full installer requires 2.2 GB of minimum hard disk size.
TinyCore is a small, fast Linux-based operating system for PCs, only 11 MB in size. This distro loads and resides only on RAM and is without graphics.
2) For older computers but not very powerful in hardware and for netbooks with a little disk space there are ideal light distros to replace Windows XP or Windows 7. Among these we have some of which I have already written and others that instead let's name here for the first time:
- Raspberry Pixel, the lightest operating system .
- Zorin OS ideal to replace XP
- Peppermint, Linux distro similar to Windows, but focused on Cloud. Peppermint OS is basically based on a lightweight Ubuntu desktop, it was created as a competitor of Chrome OS but retains the functionality of a complete Linux desktop.
- LXLE, Lubuntu-based distro, but designed just for old PCs, to lighten them and make them look like new.
- EasyPeasy, developed for EEEPC netbooks, similar to Ubuntu.
- Lubuntu, like Ubuntu but light is the same Ubuntu lightened of all the less essential features.
- Elementary OS, the easiest system to use to have a computer similar to a Mac.
- Ubuntu MATE, a Linux version designed to be fast, which includes all the programs. It is not only one of the lightest operating systems around, but also the most practical. It looks modern, works like a complete operating system, maintaining a perfect balance between being light and useful. In addition, it is highly customizable and offers you many unconventional layout options. It is basically a light desktop version of Ubuntu.
- Bodhi Linux is another lightweight Ubuntu-based implementation.
3) For all computers you can download the Google Chrome OS as a fast, fast and fully functional operating system, excellent for making any PC or Mac fast.
Depending on the age of the computer and its six hardware components it is possible to revive an old computer or a laptop with little RAM by removing Windows and installing Linux with the distributions listed here.
Some, like Vectorlinux or AntiX, are ideal for machines that have a single core processor or less than 1GB of RAM, while others like EasyPeasy or Emmabuntus work well on newer PCs, but still unusable with Windows above, even with Windows XP.
The advice is to do some tests especially since they can be tried live on a USB stick on any computer in a simple way using UnetBootin, the program to create a bootable Linux USB stick on each computer .
