Need Ubuntu on weak PCs

[mafia97]

Hi guys,
I have to install ubuntu on my college PCs. The configuration is as follows,
CPU - pentium 4 D
RAM - 512MB
MOBO- intel orignal with no integrated GPU.

SO i have some things I need your help with :
1) which ubuntu version shall i install on these weak PCs, shall i install 11,12 or 13 or shall i go for 9?
2) while doing fresh install of ubuntu , how shall i change the swap area, and how much shall it be(I am thinking 2gb)?
3) which filesystem shall i use, i think ext3 is default, but still recommend me the file system.
4) can file system and swap area be changed in already installed ubuntu?
These are the main questions i have.
The applications i am thinking to run on these PCs are :
1)codeblock
2)gpp(included in codeblock)
3)eclipse
4)netbeans

Thank you

 

[Mussels]

try the latest on one machine, go with default settings. it should work rather well.

 

[mafia97]

I forgot to mention , i did install ubuntu 11.10 on two PCs and ubuntu 12 on one PCs, the PC did slow up after a while of use.
For example when i was installing the package of codeblock, there was huge amount of lag in clicking the check mark and the check box actually being ticked

 

[Mussels]

well, is installing packages going to be a common thing? wont they bet set up and then just left alone?


doesnt really matter the OS, if you're using modern programs on old hardware, its gunna slow down sooner or later.

 

[mafia97]

The programs I said in my above post are necessary , they need to be installed.Yup i agree new programs on old machines never work well.
Packages would be installed rarely after the initial setup

 

[Mussels]

if it doesnt lag after the install is done, then i'd say stick with the latest. it gives them a longer lifespan and better support.

 

[mafia97]

So you are recommending 13 ubuntu?
I think i will stick with ubuntu 11 for a while , just to test.
Can you tell how to change swap area on an already installed ubuntu version or is this not possible

 

[Mussels]

So you are recommending 13 ubuntu?
I think i will stick with ubuntu 11 for a while , just to test.
Can you tell how to change swap area on an already installed ubuntu version or is this not possible

not an expert on ubuntu - i'd say try the latest one one machine and see how it goes. try and keep them all on the same version at least.

 

[mafia97]

The machine which has 12 runs the worst out of all three, i cant imagine what 13 will do.
Hope a expert will reply soon.
Can you tell which file system to use ext3 or something else?
ANd thanks for all the help till now

 

[Mussels]

The machine which has 12 runs the worst out of all three, i cant imagine what 13 will do.
Hope a expert will reply soon.
Can you tell which file system to use ext3 or something else?
ANd thanks for all the help till now

EXT3 is a decent file system. go with it.


you can read it in windows without much trouble if need be as well.

 

[caleb]

512 ram is gonna lag. Tried SUSE on a Tualatin Celeron 1,2 and GF440MX not so long ago and it worked really badly.

 

[mafia97]

I need fast access times , does EXT3 provide that ? or shall i shift to something else ?

 

[caleb]

mafia97 The file system type does not affect access time.

 

[mafia97]

Okay then i shall stick with ext3
but how to change the swap area ?

 

[Mussels]

Okay then i shall stick with ext3
but how to change the swap area ?

it should ask you when you install the OS. its a partition and not a file, so i dont think its easy to change post install. leave it at default, imo.

 

[mafia97]

Oh okay , but wont increasing swap area size make the PC a little more fluid ?

 

[caleb]

No. Tweaking swap files is generally a bad idea. Let the OS decide.

Again. In my opinion its a waste of time what you are trying to do. With 512MB memory, a modern linux running JAVA based IDE is gonna be a killer for that PC. Its gonna freeze itself on starting KDE/Gnome.
Go with winXP and some more memory.

 

[mafia97]

Not my PCs , my college LAB PCs, so icant increase memory or anything.And i have to make lab opensource , so i need ubuntu

 

[micropage7]

what about lubuntu
www.lubuntu.net

 

[mafia97]

Okay , this is good idea, now i need to know will it run the apps i want ?

 

[Frick]

Okay , this is good idea, now i need to know will it run the apps i want ?

Depends on what apps you want, it has the same repositories as Ubuntu if that's what you mean. Personally I've had issues with Lubuntu in the past on all sorts of machines (mainly it being slow). I'm a bigger fan of Xubuntu. Try them out thought, can't hurt.

 

[mafia97]

Depends on what apps you want, it has the same repositories as Ubuntu if that's what you mean. Personally I've had issues with Lubuntu in the past on all sorts of machines (mainly it being slow). I'm a bigger fan of Xubuntu. Try them out thought, can't hurt.

I just want to run the apps i have mentioned in my first post on a system mentioned in the first post.tell me the best linux OS to run these.

 

[Frick]

I just want to run the apps i have mentioned in my first post on a system mentioned in the first post.tell me the best linux OS to run these.

They are all there in the packet manager.

EDIT: Installing atm to see if they work. At least codeblocks, that I know how to use.

EDIT again: Tested Codeblocks and Netbeans, both working. For Codeblocks I had to update the package index before one package got installed (probably a localization error somewhere, it tried to download it from a swedish server that didn't exist), and install g++ separetly but that too is in the packet manager so it was no problem.

 

[Aquinus]

I would use Xubuntu 12.04 LTS for a machine with only 512Mb of ram. I recommend using the alternate installer as well since 512Mb might not be enough to install and boot from a live cd.

 

[Mindweaver]

I would use Xubuntu 12.04 LTS for a machine with only 512Mb of ram. I recommend using the alternate installer as well since 512Mb might not be enough to install and boot from a live cd.

I agree he should us Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS 32bit version. It's a long-term support release (April 2017). Also, it only needs 384mb Ram to install. The 64bit version needs 512mb to install and that won't leave him any room to move around.. hehehe

EDIT: Wait I didn't see Xubuntu.. lol but yea I'd get the Xubuntu over just plan Ubuntu for that system. The new interface my slow down that system. Xubuntu is just a trimmed down Ubuntu with Xfce. Xfce looks more like windows and is an easier desktop.