10 Lightweight Linux Distributions to Give Your Old PC New Life

Old PCs can't header pinch nan demands of modern operating systems and software. While upgrading hardware specified arsenic representation tin help, nan amended solution is simply a lightweight operating system.

Many Linux distros are designed to beryllium lightweight, pinch versions of Linux nether 500MB and moreover nether 100MB available.

If you're looking for a resource-light operating strategy for your PC, effort these compact, lightweight Linux distros.

Linux Distros for 1GB RAM

Most PCs presently vessel pinch 4GB of RAM aliases higher. If you request an operating strategy for an older machine, these Linux distros tally connected computers pinch little than 1GB.

1. Xubuntu

Xubuntu is an Ubuntu derivative which uses nan Xfce desktop environment. While Xubuntu whitethorn not boast nan oculus candy of GNOME, it does connection a snappy experience.

While Xubuntu tin tally connected 1GB of memory, for nan champion acquisition you will request 2GB. A 1.5Ghz dual-core processor is besides recommended, on pinch 20GB HDD space.

As a branch of Ubuntu, Xubuntu has entree to nan entirety of nan Canonical repositories. This is simply a awesome distro that offers awesome features and applications pinch debased strategy assets consumption.

2. Zorin OS Lite

Zorin OS intends to make PCs faster while improving information and performance. Zorin OS Lite takes this a measurement further, reducing nan already slimline strategy requirements of nan main operating system.

You tin instal Zorin OS Lite connected a strategy moving a humble 1GHz azygous halfway processor, 32-bit, aliases 64-bit. The machine will request 1GB of RAM and 10GB of retention too. Zorin OS Lite tin beryllium tally satisfactorily connected a show pinch conscionable 800x600 pixel resolution.

If you're looking for thing that performs good and has a Windows-like consciousness for your aged PC, Zorin OS Lite is ideal. Further lite editions, Zorin OS Education Lite and Zorin OS Pro Lite, are besides available, but person somewhat higher minimum strategy requirements.

3. Arch Linux

Arch Linux abides by nan KISS mantra: support it simple, stupid. Available successful i686 and x86-64 varieties, Arch Linux is lightweight and easy to use. You'll request a PC pinch astatine slightest 512MB of RAM, and astir 2GB of disk space. A Pentium 4 aliases later is recommended, though immoderate older CPUs tin tally Arch Linux.

Notable Arch Linux derivatives see BBQLinux and Arch Linux ARM which tin beryllium installed connected nan Raspberry Pi.

While your PC hardware whitethorn beryllium old, Arch Linux operates connected a rolling-release strategy for current, continuous updates.

4. BunsenLabs Linux Lithium

Released arsenic a community-driven continuation of nan famously low-spec CrunchBang Linux distro, BunsenLabs Linux Lithium is simply a ray OS based connected Debian 10.

Employing nan Openbox model head and conky strategy monitor, Lithium features an assortment of GTK2.3 themes and conky configurations. This lets you customize really nan desktop looks, creating a unsocial environment.

Lithium is disposable for 32-bit and 64-bit architectures. Your PC should person astatine slightest 1GB of RAM, and a 20GB difficult disk drive. Note that different installation options consequence successful somewhat differing disk usage---installation from nan unrecorded ISO uses 2.1GB, for example. Similarly, adding different applications astatine installation will consequence successful a different retention footprint.

5. Bodhi Linux

Dubbed nan Enlightened Linux Distribution, Bodhi Linux is derived from Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (64-bit version) and Ubuntu 18.04 (32-bit version). Its main creation principles revolve astir minimalism and nan Moksha desktop. The default exertion array requires a measly 10MB of space.

The minimum strategy requirements are 512MB of RAM, 5GB of difficult thrust space, and a 500MHz processor. Even nan recommended specs (1GB RAM, 10GB of thrust space, a 1GHz processor) are alternatively forgiving.

6. Linux Lite

Named to lucifer its purpose, Linux Lite is described by its developers arsenic a "gateway operating system," cleanable arsenic an replacement to Windows. It is based connected Ubuntu, and comes pinch various devices that you would find connected Windows already preinstalled.

Linux Lite 6 has debased strategy requirements: 768MB of RAM, a 1GHz CPU, and conscionable 8GB of disk storage. It besides needs astatine slightest 256MB of video RAM pinch 3D accelerator support, but you shouldn't request to interest astir that successful astir cases. Importantly, nan OS does not require TPM, and tin beryllium installed without an net connection.

All of this makes Linux Lite perfect for anyone pinch an older PC that is unsuited to upgrading to Windows 11.

Linux Operating Systems Under 500MB

If you're moving a PC from nan 2000s, it apt has inadequate RAM installed for a modern OS. Try 1 of these operating systems for a instrumentality pinch little than 500MB of RAM.

7. Porteus

Porteus is simply a Linux distro optimized for usage arsenic a unrecorded CD, to footwear from a flash thrust aliases CD. You tin besides instal Porteus connected a difficult drive.

With 32-bit and 64-bit options, Porteus is 1 of nan champion Linux distros for aging PC hardware. Capable of booting up successful conscionable 15 seconds, Porteus takes up conscionable 300MB of retention space.

Porteus tin moreover beryllium loaded into RAM and tally purely from nan strategy memory. Because Porteus is Portable and modular, it tin beryllium utilized connected a assortment of machine types.

8. A Popular Lightweight Linux Distro: Puppy Linux

Looking for a fast, easy to usage distro? Puppy Linux is simply a cleanable lightweight OS for an aged laptop aliases PC. Boasting a minuscule footprint, Puppy Linux whitethorn beryllium booted consecutive from a flash thrust aliases CD. Further, Puppy Linux tin moreover unrecorded in-memory.

Boot up typically takes little than a minute, moreover connected older hardware. The default ISO is astir 100MB, and pinch OpenOffice installed Puppy Linux is still nether 300MB (around 256MB).

Puppy Linux is awesome arsenic a afloat install, aliases simply arsenic a unrecorded CD to usage connected impermanent PCs. There's moreover a type of Puppy Linux for nan Raspberry Pi, called Raspup.

Linux Distros Under 100MB

Need to usage an old, humble computer, possibly from nan past century? These are nan lightest operating systems for PC, intended for machines pinch little than 100MB of RAM.

9. Another Lightweight OS: SliTaz

If you're seeking a ray OS for that aged PC, SLiTaz is lightweight and besides precocious performance, suited arsenic overmuch for moving from a unrecorded CD arsenic from a disk drive.

Install SliTaz connected aging PCs, servers, and moreover mini ARM devices for illustration nan Raspberry Pi. You tin moreover rotation your ain version.

The guidelines record strategy is simply a specified 100MB, and nan ISO image is little than 40MB. Neat features see an FTP/web server powered by Busybox, Dropbear SSH client, SQLite, and nan Openbox desktop moving connected Xvesa/Xorg.

10. The Lightest Operating System: Tiny Core Linux

The Core Project is simply a Linux task offering a bare-bones acquisition to which you tin adhd your ain elements.

Ideal for desktop users, nan TinyCore distribution features nan basal Core system, X/GUI extensions for a desktop environment, and web support.

The lightest Linux distro around, TinyCore is conscionable 16MB and tin beryllium stored on, installed from, aliases simply tally on, a USB stick. It is besides suitable for embedded devices. Additionally, it tin tally pinch nether 100MB of RAM. From this humble starting point, you tin adhd nan package you request to get your aged PC up and running.

While smaller versions of Core are available, TinyCore is perfect for desktop and laptop computers.

Amazing Lightweight Linux Operating Systems!

While these whitethorn beryllium nan apical Linux distros to respire caller life into your aged PC, there's nary shortage of alternatives.

To recap, nan champion lightweight Linux distros for an aged PC are:

• Linux Distros Under 1GB
  • Xubuntu
  • Zorin OS Lite
  • Arch Linux
  • BunsenLabs Linux Lithium
  • Bodhi Linux
  • Linux Lite
• Linux OS Under 500MB
  • Porteus
  • Puppy Linux
• Linux Distros Under 100MB
  • SliTaz
  • Tiny Core Linux

Of course, you will bask different levels of capacity from each, depending connected nan hardware successful your aged PC. The champion capacity tin beryllium gained from nan distros nether 500MB and 100MB, but if your strategy is up to it, a much modern computing acquisition will beryllium enjoyed pinch nan distros requiring 1GB.