Minimum requirements for linux

[Spartan]

In an effort to do some work at home, I am thinking about turning my old dell laptop into a linux box to serve as a database server preferably running an Informix database. I could also use Oracle but am much more familiar with Informix. For a moderately sized database with few other applications running on the box, do you think that a P100 with 40MB of RAM would be sufficient?

Keep in mind that would not stress the box, only pull data from the database via a client-server application.

[a Bill]

That's more than enough. Just keep in mind that laptops are a little harder to install to due to their proprietary nature.

Good luck.

[Smokey]

You shouldn't have any problems... my friend is running RedHat 6.1 on an old 486 and it works pretty fast.

[Spartan]

Based on your responses, I went out and bought Turbolinux. I was the cheapest -- $29 and a $20 rebate. Can't go wrong for $10.

Installation was somewhat bumpy -- especially the partitioning. Had to use fdisk.

The problem now is that I can only get 640x480 on Xwindows. Any advise? As far as I know I set everything up correctly through turboxcfg.

[Dash]

1st, a 386 w/4meg RAM will run just about every distribution except Mandrake. =)

And, Ive never used turboLinux myself, I have heard that the Laptop displays are very hard to setup, have you tried searchin any Laptop HOW-TO's?, Also, What Xfree86 is Turbolinux running on, XFree86 4.0 came out recently (I am 99% sure you arent running it already), so newer distributions oughta include that, it has better hardware support.

Finally!!, lol, try Mandrake, it has LOTS of support hardware wise.

*edit* Forgot to say most Linux sites online will burn you a distribution for like 1.99 then shipping, still very cheap. www.cheapbytes.com has a VERY good selection of cd's, and sets of like 3-7 distributions, pick the one that works best or your favorite.

Linux is the greatest =), im typing this on Mandrake 7.0 currently

[This message has been edited by Dash (edited 03-23-2000).]

[bdog]

Most linux distros will run on 386's and 486's as Dash said, but if you are going to use x windows I would suggest at least a pentium and 32 mb ram.

[XT]

I run 2 linux boxes. one is a Pentium 233 MMX with 48 megs of ram and the other is a 386 sx 25 with 4 meg of ram, so you Pentium 100 will do fine!


XT