Apt-get :: Getting best out of old, limited hardware

I'm trying to get an old computer working for someone under DSL v 2.2b.

So far, I'm using the method of booting from a live cd with my settings restored from a floppy disk. That works alright.

I'm wondering whether I can improve on the speed of the computer by installing DSL on the computer's hard drive.

The computer's relevant specifications are:

CPU: Pentium MMX (233 Mhz);
RAM: 64 MB;
HDD: 3 GB;
CD reader: 24x; and
modem: 56K, external, serial.

Twenty-five percent of the HDD is filled by Windows stuff that I'm not supposed to erase, but I think, if I asked, I would be given permission to create a Linux partition or partitions on 50% of the drive or, in other words, on 1.5 GB of it.

Would it increase the computer's speed of operation if I were to install DSL on 1.5 GB of the HDD?

Next, I read about remastering to reduce DSL's footprint, but think that's beyond me. Given that this computer is to be used for Web browsing only, I'd like to reduce the footprint, if possible, by changing settings. Are there settings I can change which would have that effect? For instance, is there some way I can stop individual applications from running at startup, just by altering settings?

I'd be very grateful for advice about the above things.

Thank you.

(Apologies. I seem to have posted this by mistake in the wrong forum. I'd intended to post it in the laptop forum.)

At the very least, I'd use some of that 1.5GB to create a linux swap partition. That'll make a lot of difference, installed or not.

I'm using a Frugal install of DSL-2.1b on a laptop with almost the same specs. It's been working great for me.

If its a fat partition (win 95 or 98) you could use the existing windows partition so you don't need extra space and setup lilo for that.

I would recommend sniping off 100mb for swap tho.

Yes. Swap partition or swap file would help you,

but what I was really thinking is:

128 or 256MB of used RAM would cost hardly anything for THAT old computer. I mean it would be free or under 10$
(even I have one 128MB simm collecting dust somewhere..)

Then you could use "dsl toram" -option, which would speed the machine quite nicely.. (windows would also be faster)

anaconda

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