What's the Best Lite Version of Linux?

Preacher · 11-25-2019, 10:08 AM

I know there is an older thread that has lots of good information posted regarding Linux. And from that thread, with the help of more than a few members, I was able to revive an old laptop with Linux Mint and get a few more years out of it.

I've recently upgraded to a new laptop, but call me old fashioned if you will, I just hate to throw something away that can be of use. So I am looking to revive my old laptop once more with a lighter version of Linux. It still works on Mint, but it was starting to get sluggish again.

I'm going to experiment from flash drives to find the flavor I like.

Here's what I've tried so far:

For the moment, I have dumped Linux Mint (which I absolutely loved) and replaced it with LXLE. LXLE works really well and is lightning fast, but there is not a lot of choices for add-on apps (unless my computer illiteracy is shining through and I can't find it). In particular, it lacks the use of Wine so I can add a few needed windows apps to make my life easier. Most notable, E-sword is not yet available on Linux and I use it daily. That is my one and only complaint with LXLE.

Other Lite's I am looking at are Peppermint, Puppy, Bodhi, Linux Lite, Lubuntu, antiX, and Manjaro.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had experience with these.

Keep in mind, my choices are limited because my old laptop is only a 32 bit machine.

I look forward to any opinions.

Czubek · 11-25-2019, 08:44 PM

You can do many distros of Linux from a bootable flash drive. My favorite is Linux Mint 19.2.

A good resource: https://www.distrowatch.com/

Brian

Preacher · 11-26-2019, 10:18 AM

I had been running Linux Mint 18.3, but it was starting to slow down on me. Which is why I was wanting to try some of the lighter versions. So far, it's a neck and neck race between Linux Lite and Lubuntu, with Peppermint coming in at a close 3rd.

My machine is running like new again.

Czubek · 11-27-2019, 02:42 PM

I feel really bad, but I cannot for the life of me remember the member her that got me using Linux Mint. The history only goes back to 2015 and it was before that. the man was THE Linux guru here. He passed several years ago.

Brian

RTO · 11-27-2019, 02:52 PM

Brian, wasn't it Pfalz2?

Preacher · 11-27-2019, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTO

Brian, wasn't it Pfalz2?

Yes, aka Robert Olsen. A fine gentleman indeed.

Preacher · 11-27-2019, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czubek

I feel really bad, but I cannot for the life of me remember the member her that got me using Linux Mint. The history only goes back to 2015 and it was before that. the man was THE Linux guru here. He passed several years ago.

Brian

Linux Mint is by far my favorite. If I had a faster machine, I would still be using it.

But so far, I am loving Lubuntu. The "L" stand for Ubuntu Lite, so to speak. It only comes with the barebones minimum programs installed, and then you add only what you need. My machine is humming right along again.

Czubek · 11-28-2019, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTO

Brian, wasn't it Pfalz2?

Yes!!! Thank you, Robbin!

Brian

Czubek · 11-28-2019, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Preacher

Yes, aka Robert Olsen. A fine gentleman indeed.

Absolutely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Preacher

Linux Mint is by far my favorite. If I had a faster machine, I would still be using it.

But so far, I am loving Lubuntu. The "L" stand for Ubuntu Lite, so to speak. It only comes with the barebones minimum programs installed, and then you add only what you need. My machine is humming right along again.

I haven't tried the Lubuntu distribution, but I have an old Vista laptop that might benefit from it.

Brian

Preacher · 11-28-2019, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czubek

Absolutely.

I haven't tried the Lubuntu distribution, but I have an old Vista laptop that might benefit from it.

Brian

It's a Vista laptop I am working on. I'm torn between Lubuntu and Linux Lite. Lubuntu seems to have more software available. But performance is neck and neck.

Lubuntu also uses AbiWord and Lite comes with Libre Office.

I may do a dual boot and keep both.

Preacher · 12-02-2019, 01:05 PM

Two words: Sparky Linux

This old machine is flying faster than when it was new!!!

Preacher · 12-10-2019, 07:59 AM

It seems that I have settled on Sparky Linux Xfce. Their LXQT version was a little faster, but had a few quirks that I could not figure out. But all in all, both worked well on my 2007 Windows Vista 32bit machine. The desktop is the only difference between the two.

I've tried a few dozen different distros and read a hundred or more reviews. Many worked well, but Sparky has ended up my favorite.

Honorable mentions:

Manjaro Linux: I really liked this one as well and it was lightning fast, but it would not update after the initial install. Kept getting a missing key error. Tried a dozen or more different fixes that I found on Youtube and Google, but none of the fixes worked.

Trisquel Linux: Another super fast light distro that was in the running and one that I liked even a little more than Sparky. It would run well on a thumb drive, but would not install permanently on my hard drive due to a failed sector. Other versions detected the failed sector, but they would partition around that sector and install anyway. Had it not been for that, this could have been my go to.

Lubuntu: Another really good distro that worked well and probably the lightest in the bunch. This would probably be the best to use if going on an even older machine than a 2007 Vista. But with the light distro also comes with a lighter load of features. That being said, I can't complain with how it operated. It was designed to be light. There's also Xubuntu, Kubuntu and the only difference is the desktop environments.

Linux Lite: Again, a very basic distro that would work well on older machines and the review is going to be almost word for word as Lubuntu.

I was limited on what I could try because my machine is 32bit and those distros are starting to dry up as there are very few left still in working condition. I'm going to save all of these distros on a thumb drive for future use. Most of these will lose support after 2021, but at least it would still operate a machine even if unsupported.

So, there's my review in a nutshell.

Czubek · 12-12-2019, 06:24 PM

Sounds like I might have to try Sparky! That old machine still runs, although I have to start it with the remote, because the power button quit a long time ago. I just can't bring myself to take it out to the shooting range, just yet.

Thank you much,

!

Brian

Preacher · 12-16-2019, 07:07 AM

Hey Brian, I'm about to throw another monkeywrench in the gears. Somehow during my research I overlooked the fact that Linux Mint has a lite debian based version called LMDE. I just loaded it to a thumb drive and so far I've been very impressed. Just figured I'd mention it.

I know how you like your Mint.

Czubek · 12-21-2019, 01:08 PM

Thank you, Dave! I must apologize for not seeing this thread until now. I did forget about LDME and I have tried it and I was impressed, also.

My business has been picking up and I have been neglecting responding to some posts here.

Again, my apologies.

Brian

11-25-2019, 10:08 AM	#1
Preacher Chaplain/Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 11,321	What's the Best Lite Version of Linux? I know there is an older thread that has lots of good information posted regarding Linux. And from that thread, with the help of more than a few members, I was able to revive an old laptop with Linux Mint and get a few more years out of it. I've recently upgraded to a new laptop, but call me old fashioned if you will, I just hate to throw something away that can be of use. So I am looking to revive my old laptop once more with a lighter version of Linux. It still works on Mint, but it was starting to get sluggish again. I'm going to experiment from flash drives to find the flavor I like. Here's what I've tried so far: For the moment, I have dumped Linux Mint (which I absolutely loved) and replaced it with LXLE. LXLE works really well and is lightning fast, but there is not a lot of choices for add-on apps (unless my computer illiteracy is shining through and I can't find it). In particular, it lacks the use of Wine so I can add a few needed windows apps to make my life easier. Most notable, E-sword is not yet available on Linux and I use it daily. That is my one and only complaint with LXLE. Other Lite's I am looking at are Peppermint, Puppy, Bodhi, Linux Lite, Lubuntu, antiX, and Manjaro. I was just wondering if anyone else has had experience with these. Keep in mind, my choices are limited because my old laptop is only a 32 bit machine. I look forward to any opinions. __________________ You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done. Ronald Reagan - 1964 ------------------------------------- Bunker Member #4. Last edited by Preacher; 11-25-2019 at 10:10 AM. Reason: Typo

11-25-2019, 08:44 PM	#2
Czubek slug Join Date: May 2007 Location: Stover, Missouri Posts: 33,622	You can do many distros of Linux from a bootable flash drive. My favorite is Linux Mint 19.2. A good resource: https://www.distrowatch.com/ Brian __________________ 3 Here at the Dirty Dozen's Bunker, we have no problems, only solutions.

11-27-2019, 02:52 PM	#5
RTO Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Flarda Posts: 29,615	Brian, wasn't it Pfalz2? __________________ 3 Make America Like Florida

11-26-2019, 10:18 AM	#3
Preacher Chaplain/Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 11,321	I had been running Linux Mint 18.3, but it was starting to slow down on me. Which is why I was wanting to try some of the lighter versions. So far, it's a neck and neck race between Linux Lite and Lubuntu, with Peppermint coming in at a close 3rd. My machine is running like new again.

11-27-2019, 02:42 PM	#4
Czubek slug Join Date: May 2007 Location: Stover, Missouri Posts: 33,622	I feel really bad, but I cannot for the life of me remember the member her that got me using Linux Mint. The history only goes back to 2015 and it was before that. the man was THE Linux guru here. He passed several years ago. Brian

12-02-2019, 01:05 PM	#11
Preacher Chaplain/Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 11,321	Two words: Sparky Linux This old machine is flying faster than when it was new!!!

12-10-2019, 07:59 AM	#12
Preacher Chaplain/Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 11,321	It seems that I have settled on Sparky Linux Xfce. Their LXQT version was a little faster, but had a few quirks that I could not figure out. But all in all, both worked well on my 2007 Windows Vista 32bit machine. The desktop is the only difference between the two. I've tried a few dozen different distros and read a hundred or more reviews. Many worked well, but Sparky has ended up my favorite. Honorable mentions: Manjaro Linux: I really liked this one as well and it was lightning fast, but it would not update after the initial install. Kept getting a missing key error. Tried a dozen or more different fixes that I found on Youtube and Google, but none of the fixes worked. Trisquel Linux: Another super fast light distro that was in the running and one that I liked even a little more than Sparky. It would run well on a thumb drive, but would not install permanently on my hard drive due to a failed sector. Other versions detected the failed sector, but they would partition around that sector and install anyway. Had it not been for that, this could have been my go to. Lubuntu: Another really good distro that worked well and probably the lightest in the bunch. This would probably be the best to use if going on an even older machine than a 2007 Vista. But with the light distro also comes with a lighter load of features. That being said, I can't complain with how it operated. It was designed to be light. There's also Xubuntu, Kubuntu and the only difference is the desktop environments. Linux Lite: Again, a very basic distro that would work well on older machines and the review is going to be almost word for word as Lubuntu. I was limited on what I could try because my machine is 32bit and those distros are starting to dry up as there are very few left still in working condition. I'm going to save all of these distros on a thumb drive for future use. Most of these will lose support after 2021, but at least it would still operate a machine even if unsupported. So, there's my review in a nutshell.

12-12-2019, 06:24 PM	#13
Czubek slug Join Date: May 2007 Location: Stover, Missouri Posts: 33,622	Sounds like I might have to try Sparky! That old machine still runs, although I have to start it with the remote, because the power button quit a long time ago. I just can't bring myself to take it out to the shooting range, just yet. Thank you much, ! Brian

12-16-2019, 07:07 AM	#14
Preacher Chaplain/Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 11,321	Hey Brian, I'm about to throw another monkeywrench in the gears. Somehow during my research I overlooked the fact that Linux Mint has a lite debian based version called LMDE. I just loaded it to a thumb drive and so far I've been very impressed. Just figured I'd mention it. I know how you like your Mint.

12-21-2019, 01:08 PM	#15
Czubek slug Join Date: May 2007 Location: Stover, Missouri Posts: 33,622	Thank you, Dave! I must apologize for not seeing this thread until now. I did forget about LDME and I have tried it and I was impressed, also. My business has been picking up and I have been neglecting responding to some posts here. Again, my apologies. Brian