# Linux folks inside, please...
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic
**Created:** [June 21, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521 "2009-06-21T22:33:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@traumadog](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/traumadog)
#### Post date: [June 21, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/1 "2009-06-21T22:33:36Z")
Ok - looking to resurrect a couple old laptops.
I’ve got an old Dell Inspiron 5000 (PIII/600, 128MB/6G) and hoping to get it to run something other than Win98. I also have an IBM T22 (PIII/900, 128MB/20G) in the same boat.
Any ideas on another OS flavor that will run on them, and not be dog slow? The lack of memory already chokes Ubuntu/Xubuntu 9.04 and SUSE 11.1.
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/2 "2009-06-22T04:01:15Z")
What are you trying to use the computer for?
Those other distros would probably run fine you just need to tweak things.
Edit: I was running some old ass version of redhat on a PC with a similar setup it ran fine.
Edit Edit: You can probably pick up ram stupid cheap(couple bucks) for that PC and get it up to 756.
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### Author:  [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/3 "2009-06-22T06:27:49Z")
Find a window manager that is less on the memory side. IceWM and a few others.
[https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/LowMemorySystems](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/LowMemorySystems)
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/4 "2009-06-22T06:46:09Z")
yeah, it is not the distro holding you back, it’s your window manager.
My first suggestion would be for you to drop into runlevel 3, however, I don’t think you would find that useful.
XFCE is a lightweight window manager and is the default window manager in Xubuntu. So that is my recommendation, Xubuntu
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2009, 6:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/5 "2009-06-22T06:53:38Z")
killall -9 -1 also works 🙂
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### Author:  [@itsJim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/itsJim)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/6 "2009-06-22T15:53:57Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#):
>
> yeah, it is not the distro holding you back, it’s your window manager.
>
> My first suggestion would be for you to drop into runlevel 3, however, I don’t think you would find that useful.
>
> XFCE is a lightweight window manager and is the default window manager in Xubuntu. So that is my recommendation, Xubuntu
runlevel 3 doesn’t mean shit - it is distro dependent. if you want the bare minimum and are comfortable on the command line then use the ratpoison WM. Otherwise go with Xubuntu.
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/7 "2009-06-22T20:35:38Z")
> [@itsJim](#):
>
> runlevel 3 doesn’t mean shit - it is distro dependent. if you want the bare minimum and are comfortable on the command line then use the ratpoison WM. Otherwise go with Xubuntu.
runlevel 3 = window manager not running = no more memory hog linux
well, let me correct myself from my original post. He should set his default runlevel to 3, and bounce the machine(or shut down the x server).
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/8 "2009-06-23T03:31:38Z")
Run levels are universal across all Linux platforms.
0 - System Halted
1 - Single User Mode
2 - Single User Mode with Networking
3 - Multi-User Mode - boot up in text mode
4 - Not yet Defined
5 - Multi-User Mode - boot up in X Windows
6 - Shutdown & Reboot
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2009, 4:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/9 "2009-06-23T04:48:01Z")
yes, they are, I missed that in his response. I thought he meant this issue is distro dependent, I see what he is saying now.
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### Author:  [@itsJim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/itsJim)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/10 "2009-06-24T06:27:27Z")
> [@LZ](#):
>
> Run levels are universal across all Linux platforms.
Negative. See: [Runlevel - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runlevel)
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/11 "2009-06-24T06:28:44Z")
From your link
Typical Linux runlevels
Most Linux distributions, in addition to the standard runlevels, define the following additional runlevels:
Typical Linux runlevels ID Name Description
1 Single-User Mode Does not: configure network interfaces, start daemons, or allow non-root logins.[2]
2 Multi-User Mode Does not: configure network interfaces or start daemons.[3]
3 Multi-User Mode with Networking Starts the system normally.[4]
4 Unused/User defined for special purposes
5 X11 As runlevel 3 + display manager.
Sorry there may be some SLIGHT deviations from this standard but what I posted is how 99% of linux operating systems are setup.
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/12 "2009-06-24T06:36:04Z")
from that list, it is mostly 2,4, and 5 that have slight variations. Basically, some distros are implementing undefined runlevels to give more flexibility.
Technically speaking, it is not a Kernel functionality, so the Distro builders are free to do aynthing they want with it(doesn’t mean they should).
It strays from the topic though.
OP, have you tried any of the lighter Window Managers?
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### Author:  [@itsJim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/itsJim)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/13 "2009-06-24T06:56:41Z")
> [@LZ](#):
>
> Sorry there may be some SLIGHT deviations from this standard but what I posted is how 99% of linux operating systems are setup.
I wouldn’t say that Debian only accounts for 1% of linux setups… Stop spreading false information
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/14 "2009-06-24T07:48:10Z")
> [@LZ](#):
>
> From your link
>
> **Typical Linux runlevels**
>
> Most Linux distributions, in addition to the standard runlevels, define the following additional runlevels:
> Typical Linux runlevels ID Name Description
> 1 Single-User Mode Does not: configure network interfaces, start daemons, or allow non-root logins.[2]
> 2 Multi-User Mode Does not: configure network interfaces or start daemons.[3]
> 3 Multi-User Mode with Networking Starts the system normally.[4]
> 4 Unused/User defined for special purposes
> 5 X11 As runlevel 3 + display manager.
>
> Sorry there may be some SLIGHT deviations from this standard but what I posted is how 99% of linux operating systems are setup.
**typical**
```
One entry found.
```
Main Entry:typ·i·cal Pronunciation: \ˈti-pi-kəl\ Function:_adjective_ Etymology:Late Latin _typicalis,_ from _typicus,_ from Greek _typikos,_ from _typos_ model — more at [type](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/type)Date:1609 1 **:** constituting or having the nature of a type **:** [symbolic](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symbolic)2 a **:** **combining or exhibiting the essential characteristics of a group** \<_typical_ suburban houses\> b **:** conforming to a type \
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/15 "2009-06-24T07:49:31Z")
Sorry using the word universal I should have used typical like wikipedia.
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### Author:  [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2009, 7:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/16 "2009-06-24T07:59:47Z")
If its not in Wikipedia, you are full of shit.
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### Author:  [@traumadog](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/traumadog)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/17 "2009-06-30T12:59:10Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#):
>
> …OP, have you tried any of the lighter Window Managers?
I’ve gotten Xfce / Xubuntu 8.10 running, but it’s still slow.
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### Author:  [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/18 "2009-06-30T13:00:58Z")
more ram do it!
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/19 "2009-06-30T13:04:00Z")
ANY better?
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### Author:  [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/linux-folks-inside-please/69521/20 "2009-06-30T13:20:00Z")
What type of video card are you running? Do you have some like 4MB integrated video?
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