recommended OS for 486 laptop?

[Mr. K]

Hello all,

I've got a Compaq LTE 4/40CX laptop:

40MHz 486 DX2 CPU
20MB RAM
540MB hard drive

It's currently running Win95... decently. However, I'm wondering whether there's a free/downloadable alternative OS that will run on it. I just want to try something different.

Ideally it would have a GUI and be relatively simple to install/run. Does anyone have any ideas? Any older versions of Linux derivatives?

Thanks!

 

[Electronic Punk]

Yeah was gonna say Windows95 would me the highest MS os you could put on it

 

[NetRyder]

Slackware Linux 8.1
http://www.slackware.org/install/sysreq.php

Not sure if it'll work very well if you install X-Windows (the GUI)

 

[SPeedY_B]

40mhz, 20mb ... Not sure that'll Run Xfree86.
You can get a CLI linux/bsd on that no problems, but if your after a gui, your best of sticking with windows for that spec i think.

 

[Tabula Rasa]

Defiantly windows 95 , but make sure you update your IE version or else you will have some language problems.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Yup, if using Windows 95 Update everything that can be updated.

 

[Leevoy]

Well I have an old laptop i got from cash converters for my Girl friend, she wanted something for the kids in the class that need the extra help during wet plays etc.. It came with win95 (no disk).

I had an old c edition of 95 o.e.m, which also had win 3.11 on it too. I have also the disks to install win 3.1 on it.

It has a 2.4 gig hd and 32meg ram. Has a 28 k modem intenral a cd rom 6 speed and a detachable floppy.

For £100 not bad, but it took me a month to find drivers, hunt down the toshiba sites forums etc for upto date drivers. odd I tried installing win 98 s.e. on it, it updated drivers but hell it became very slow.

So I formatted stuck to win 95 c because all the free education stuff at downloads runs under 95 and is free. Even some written for 3.11 also runs fine.

So for £100 and a little phone bill I got a portable notebook for the kids in my girls class at her primary school.

Well if you know me I do write long waffle and do eventually get to the point.

My advice is bro, get to a computer fair or some kind of junk computer place/store get some more ram, check for a larger hd if you want a diferent o.p.s.

Or if it aint broke dunny fix it..Stick to win 95.
Agreed update the browser to v6 sp1 or even v4 sp xx.xx

But with that in mind if you wanna use it on the net then it will drag that ram with a larger browser.

Gl with it, if in doubt give Linux a clout, PC magasines in England come stuffed with softaware, linux mag gives their o.p.s free on it and ne other software you want will be on pc magasines.

regards Leevoy