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x86/32bit to try on an old Acer one nettop intel atom CPU N270 @ 1.60GHz 2GB ram (lemmy.ml)
submitted 2 months ago by Babalugats@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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I was just given an old nettop from I think around 2010 - An old Acer one nettop intel atom CPU N270 @ 1.60GHz 2GB ram, it has Windows XP on it and it seems fairly smooth/quick, but I haven't done anything other than boot it up and check the spec. I was wondering what would be best to install on it and found that choices are very limited. Linux Lite nor Lubuntu seem to be an option anymore, and almost all of the options I tried under x86_x64 on Distrowatch no longer provide an x86 or 32 bit version. These are the main ones I have seen:

Damn Small Linux (DSL) - https://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

Puppy Linux - https://puppylinux-woof-ce.github.io/

AntiX Linux - https://antixlinux.com/

CachyOS - https://cachyos.org/

Tiny Core Linux - http://www.tinycorelinux.net/

Maybe a couple of others, but could anyone recommend the best option or maybe a couple that would be best and any ideas as to what may be the best use for it? Practicing coding? Just browsing? Etc. I think it may be between DSL and Puppy, but I am hoping to hear any others and will happily try them all. Linux Mint and Debian keep coming up in searches but unless I am missing something, I don't see anything about x86/32bit versions in the latest versions.

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[–] UnfinishedProjects@lemmy.zip 1 points 7 hours ago

Just a couple if days ago I converted my Chromebook (~4gb ram) to Linux with coreboot and installed antiX, then changed over to MX Linux, and I think MX is a great for what it is. I'm using the fluxbox window manager (provided as one of the options on MX) because it's lightweight enough for the Chromebook, and my Chromebook runs far faster on Linux than it ever did with chromeOS.

If nothing else, I suggest looking into MX - I'm a happy customer. I think antiX was actually great too, and a bit more minimal - but the graphical interface of MX out of the box felt a bit more polished and was worth while for me.

[–] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

MX worked really well when I was playing with a few compute sticks recently. I did not do any major comparisons here, just was surprised at how responsive MX was on there.

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thanks, I think I had messed around with MX a few years ago, but never even thought about it/forgot this time. I will download it now.

[–] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 2 points 2 months ago

Same for me, I had forgotten about it and someone mentioned seeing the same series of compute sticks getting mx in a video, and two of the sticks are still running it tbh.

[–] st3ph3n@midwest.social 3 points 2 months ago

x64-compatible CPUs have been the norm for a very long time now, which is why most modern distros have dropped support for older 32-bit x86-only CPUs. Debian dropped it with Debian 13, so anything based on that - think Ubuntu, Mint, and others, would be in the same boat. 2GB of RAM would be pretty performance-limiting on most modern distros too.

That's one of the reasons why things like Tiny Core and Puppy exist, though. Specifically for old/slow-by-today's-standards systems. I haven't used any of them because I'm not running anything that old, and I quite like modern KDE. I saw an Action Retro video on youtube the other day where he got Tiny Core running on a Pentium 133 with 128MB of RAM, lol.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 3 points 2 months ago

I have a similar machine from 2011, though it's x64 >> Samsung N150P. I used it as a typewriter for a couple years and I can suggest the same for you if you have such interests. However later I turned it into a homeserver and currently it serves as Pi-hole, Jellyfin, syncthing etc. Without x64, server might be tough but typewriter wouldn't mind. For general daily stuff, it's not really useful.

[–] hoppolito@mander.xyz 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I was running AntiX out of your list on my old atom eee-pc pretty successfully the last 2-3 years. Was using it as a workbench pc with an old vga screen and keyboard connected, and it worked well enough for simple pdf /datasheet reading and terminal sessions.

For specs, I think it was the same cpu but only 1gb of ram. Honestly with 2gb of ram your options are much broader, the one part you’ll run into trouble with is the browser with multiple tabs anyway. I thought to remember there was also a community-maintained 32bit Archlinux variant?

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thanks, I created a Ventoy stick with the distros above, and the only one that I can get to run is AntiX. Puppy (Noble _ Bookworm) get the same error as this person (ventoy: not a valid block device), so I will read through that thread. The DSL doesn't respond and Command Line halt error. I think the others were the same. So I am on my 3rd OS creating a bootable USB from ISO, and so far no others have worked either. It may end up AntiX the only option, although I have seen others mention Gentoo - which I thought had stopped support for x86, and a couple of others to try, so I look forward to them :) MX, Q4OS, OpenBSD and Debian.

[–] hoppolito@mander.xyz 2 points 2 months ago

That's a little annoying with all the others not working. Haven't seriously tried most of them so I'm afraid I can't really help you there - though if you ever try Q4OS that others have suggested let me know if it works well cause I may give that a whirl too on the little eee.

If you decide to stick with antix, I could maybe see if I find some of my old notes. I vaguely remember the wifi giving me some trouble and the homebrewed settings panels of the distro can be... a little funky :-)

Good luck!

[–] mech@feddit.org 2 points 2 months ago

I had the exact same use case.
MX Linux was the only thing I could get to boot on this unholy combination of 32bit CPU and UEFI.
It's also a really good distro in general.

[–] Peffse@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I just hit the same issue a few days ago. So Debian 12 (Bookworm) still has i386 support, but that support may end as soon as next year as they haven't confirmed i386 as an architecture for LTS.

If you do go with Debian, you can easily choose a lightweight desktop during installation.

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thanks I will try that. I thought Debian had stopped x86_32 builds. I will definitely try that. 👍

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 2 points 2 months ago

Debian has stopped 32 but in Debian 13. He is talking about Debian 12 which is still supported.

The Debian 12 based version of Q4OS has committed to supporting 32 bit through 2028.

[–] MOARbid1@piefed.social 2 points 2 months ago

I had one when they launched, and it was terrible then. I can’t imagine it being better now, but I’m damn interested in that idea being tested!

[–] data1701d@startrek.website 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It looks like NetBSD and OpenBSD might be good OSs for 32-bit; the next FreeBSD version is dropping support. I don’t use any BSDs, but I think a BSD is probably the best-supported modern Unix operating system for this kind of hardware as the last of the major distros drop i386.

Linux distro support is really thinning out for x86_32, so for this use case; I’m sure the distros still exist, but they’re often niche projects. Gentoo may do the trick if you want to; I can’t tell if they compile their newfangled precompiled packages for i386 though, so if they don’t, you’ll probably have to set up a cross compiling setup from a more powerful x86_64 machine, which you’d need to use every time you update.

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

Thanks, I will definitely be giving them a try. I meant to look at FreeBSD about 15 years ago and was stumped. I have glanced at it over the years since, but never tried it again. I will definitely look at them. Thanks again.

[–] vortexal@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

One Linux distro I'm aware of that might be worth checking out is Q4OS. It's a lightweight distro that offers an older but still supported 32bit version.

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

Thanks, I haven't ever heard of it, I will definitely add that to try, thanks.

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 1 points 2 months ago

I made the same recommendation. Sadly the “latest” version in 64 bit only. Unsurprising as it is Debian based.

The older release is still available and still supported though. It would be a great option though the clock is ticking on it of course.

The most “batteries included” distro that is I can think of that is not Debian based is Adelie.

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 2 points 2 months ago

DSL is just AntiX with a curated list of software in a CD image. Just go with AntiX if you want to go that route.

Another option to consider is Q4OS Trinity. Trinity is essentially the KDE 3 desktop which is still surprisingly good and very light on resources.

All of these, including MX Linux, are Debian based and have access to the full Debian repos.

A potential issue with all these Debian based distros though is that Debian itself has moved away from 32 bit in Debian 13. It is hard to say how long these others will stay the course.

Adelie Linux is another one people forget about and certainly worth giving a spin. It is not Debian based.

Tiny Core will be the “fastest” as it runs out of RAM but of course that leaves you even less RAM for other things (like a browser). So it depends on your use case.

Are you sure CachyOS has 32 bit support?

[–] micvil@beehaw.org 2 points 2 months ago

I have a few such netbooks. I'm currently running debian oldstable (bookworm) on them. GuixSD also provides x32, but I still have to try that on slow computers. (Sidenote: maybe old Mesa versions work better for GUI). Ofc, it's ok for trying BSDs (or maybe experimental stuff like Hurd and 9front).

About usage: you can put it into your garage, workshop, storage room, whereever you wouldn't want your regular laptop (gets dirty, dusty).

For "desktop" purposes:

  • emacs (editing text, taking notes, developing some software, reading email, rss client)
  • reading books: epub and especially pdf were made for MUCH slower devices (you should avoid scanned books)
  • IRC and matrix (in emacs, for example)
  • discord client (yeah, I know, you shouldn't do it)
  • can play 360p H.264-encoded videos (you could use a smartphone for that, but I don't)
  • play mp3, act as a radio and play music or podcasts from the internet
  • SSH and other remote access stuff
  • testing whether software you write could run on slow hardware.
  • it is a terrible experience to run a browser, but it works. I could browse the catalogue of a local library from it
  • if something was doable in the 90s, the machine can handle it (mine came with diablo 1 installed)

As others already wrote, it's also good for homeservers (web/gemini/gopher, git, mumble, irc bouncer).

If it is an actual nettop, and not a netbook, it probably has a mini-itx board with PCI on it, which makes it able to test/use old PCI cards. I used it for that purpose a little bit (there are better options, PCIe->PCI bridges). The atom D525 nettop board I have also has a mini pcie slot, which I converted into a full-sized one. Now it has a similarly slow Radeon HD 6450 in it, which helps it play videos. Should work up to 1080p, but now I realize I haven't actually tried that.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 1 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Gentoo

[–] ryannathans@aussie.zone 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Complinig everything on that? End me now

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You can use bin packages and compile certain things where you'll get preformance. It would be good to have a kernel optimised for that hardware cause you need everything you can get.

You could compile on another PC and but you'd miss the -native optimisation.

For my Chromebook I did a bin kernel then compiled everything else and did bin Firefox. I tried compiling the kernel but ran out of disk space cause only 10 gb of space available.

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

Thanks, will have a look at that option. I haven't even dipped my toes into compiling, but have looked over posts and tutorials in the past.

[–] TMP_NKcYUEoM7kXg4qYe@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

If OP is ok using "DIY" distros, there's also Void Linux. It provides binary packages and supports many architectures

x86_64, x86, arm64, armv6, armv7.

[–] Babalugats@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thanks, I will add that. I thought that they had stopped support for x86_32. Happy to be wrong.

[–] nyan@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Gentoo normally keeps arches for as long as the kernel still supports them, although package testing for some of the rarer ones may be limited. 32-bit Intel is still treated as a major arch and receives the full set of tests and package stabilizations.

Your worst problem is going to be web browsers. Chrome and derivatives don't run on 32-bit, and Firefox is supposed to be dropping support. If Seamonkey follows Firefox, that leaves you with Pale Moon as the only reasonably maintained option.