Best OS for Eee PC?

[GamerMan101]

Hello all,

Just for fun I got an Eee PC from a friend who was getting rid of it, and I would like to say to begin that it is just for a hobby/fun project, and I have NO intention of using this underpowered device as my main computer.

Anyways, I would like to know which operating system I should install to get the best performance out of this (underpowered) computer. Here are the specifications:

• 
  Intel Atom N270 (specs @ Intel ARK)
  2GB DDR2 RAM
  16GB SSD (custom)
  Intel GMA graphics (integrated with the ATOM cpu)

Anyways, I just want to know which OS will work best. Linux, Windows, whatever OS.
Thanks!

 

[canadianvice]

Puppy Linux is known to be pretty lightweight. That should be your major point of focus, and a Linux flavour is going to be the offering to beat.

 

[GamerMan101]

Puppy Linux is known to be pretty lightweight. That should be your major point of focus, and a Linux flavour is going to be the offering to beat.

Yeah, I tried Puppy, both from the internal SSD as well as a flash drive, and both times it wasn't pleasant because I had to do a whole rigmarole just to get the OS installed onto the SSD and even after, it was quick and speedy, however, application support was nowhere to be found, making the OS fairly worthless. Couldn't even use basic websites in Firefox.

 

[canadianvice]

Puppy Linux is known to be pretty lightweight. That should be your major point of focus, and a Linux flavour is going to be the offering to beat.

Yeah, I tried Puppy, both from the internal SSD as well as a flash drive, and both times it wasn't pleasant because I had to do a whole rigmarole just to get the OS installed onto the SSD and even after, it was quick and speedy, however, application support was nowhere to be found, making the OS fairly worthless. Couldn't even use basic websites in Firefox.

Try a lightweight xwindow/desktop like an XCFE (XFCE? I cannot recall) offering. Linux Mint puts one out in this flavour, and as an ubuntu derivative, compatibility is as good as it's going to get.

 

[GamerMan101]

Puppy Linux is known to be pretty lightweight. That should be your major point of focus, and a Linux flavour is going to be the offering to beat.

Yeah, I tried Puppy, both from the internal SSD as well as a flash drive, and both times it wasn't pleasant because I had to do a whole rigmarole just to get the OS installed onto the SSD and even after, it was quick and speedy, however, application support was nowhere to be found, making the OS fairly worthless. Couldn't even use basic websites in Firefox.

Try a lightweight xwindow/desktop like an XCFE (XFCE? I cannot recall) offering. Linux Mint puts one out in this flavour, and as an ubuntu derivative, compatibility is as good as it's going to get.

Unfortunately, I am not a "linux professional", but I do know a little bit about it. Just to make sure, A. Linux Mint is derived from Ubuntu, so Ubuntu-based software should work on Mint, and B. When downloading Mint I want to choose an XFCE flavour of it? Thanks!

 

[Dugimodo]

Yes Ubuntu software runs on MINT, and they both have a package manager and software manager for make getting software easier.
I agree with MINT XFCE, I quite like it. Lubuntu is another option. Personally I always end up installing chrome as well as I find it works better with streaming sites than firefox.

Otherwise google will find you lots of articles on the best lightweight Linux distros.

 

[GamerMan101]

Yes Ubuntu software runs on MINT, and they both have a package manager and software manager for make getting software easier.
I agree with MINT XFCE, I quite like it. Lubuntu is another option. Personally I always end up installing chrome as well as I find it works better with streaming sites than firefox.

Otherwise google will find you lots of articles on the best lightweight Linux distros.

Mint/XFCE it is

On linux, I have noticed that Chrome plays better with the likes of Netflix/Spotify and other propriety/closed source softwares.

 

[canadianvice]

Puppy Linux is known to be pretty lightweight. That should be your major point of focus, and a Linux flavour is going to be the offering to beat.

Yeah, I tried Puppy, both from the internal SSD as well as a flash drive, and both times it wasn't pleasant because I had to do a whole rigmarole just to get the OS installed onto the SSD and even after, it was quick and speedy, however, application support was nowhere to be found, making the OS fairly worthless. Couldn't even use basic websites in Firefox.

Try a lightweight xwindow/desktop like an XCFE (XFCE? I cannot recall) offering. Linux Mint puts one out in this flavour, and as an ubuntu derivative, compatibility is as good as it's going to get.

Unfortunately, I am not a "linux professional", but I do know a little bit about it. Just to make sure, A. Linux Mint is derived from Ubuntu, so Ubuntu-based software should work on Mint, and B. When downloading Mint I want to choose an XFCE flavour of it? Thanks!

1. Incompatible isn't exactly the right word, but basically, Ubuntu is the linux version of Windows - it commands a large market share among non-specialty use, and so, if someone makes an app, it generally prioritizes compatibility with Ubuntu. As a derivative OS, Mint shares the app store, and so has similar access to the nice things, already pre-packaged.

2. Yes. Linux Mint makes several offerings using different Window/Desktop engines. Cinnamon is somewhat heavy and has lots of eye candy, but XFCE is fairly lightweight and therefore should run somewhat faster. Many Linux derivatives will have multiple offerings based on these desktop environments (Gnome (1/2/3), Unity, KDE, MATE, XFCE, Cinnamon, etc.) each with different properties.

Mint also has the advantage of having an interface that approximates Windows' fairly closely.

 

[geofelt]

My lenovo 100s with similar specs came with windows 10 32 bit.

 

[jojoruntv]

Hi - I have a few of these - hobby. It really depends which model it is/hard drive size. If it's the 4GB model then virtually nothing will fit on it now - apart from Puppy Linux which I also don't like. What I managed to fit on recently was Bodhi Linux 4 long term support (till 2021) - which I love - very fast, lightweight and looks good. It just fits. Bodhi Linux 5 long term support won't fit - needs 5GB minimum - all the linux distros have got bigger in the last few years. No other common Linux distros (Xubuntu nor even Lubuntu) will fit. I did try Lubuntu via mini iso install but wasn't happy with it - wasn't worth bothering with as no room for software. There is Tiny Core Linux but again nothing in it much! It's intended for use live, not installing.

Bodhi has been my go to lightweight linux distro, even for larger hard drives.

If you have an 8gb model then Bodhi or Xubuntu 18 would be my choice (about 3gb left with Xubuntu). Again not many others even fit on 8gb.

If you have a 900 with a 20 gb drive (4gb plus 16gb) you can install on the 16gb and disable the 4gb. Would still stick with Bodhi or Xubuntu.

Anything with a bigger hard drive - my choice would still be Bodhi or Xubuntu. Although if you have a good size hard drive I think Ubuntu Budgie has good reviews.

I've upgraded of the later (standard hard drive) Eee's to Windows 10 - they run fine if a bit slow - you need to have maximum ram available and turn off a lot of transparency settings to get it to run nippy enough.

Sorry just re-read - you have a 16gb drive. I'd go with either Xubuntu or Bodhi 4. Bodhi 5 is good but not quite there yet - recently released and the odd fiddly glitch. Bodhi 4 runs like a dream. Minimal install and you add any software you want. They also have some very nice themes. The latest Xubuntu long term support (based on Ubuntu 18 bionic beaver) runs absolutely fine on an eee pc. Bodhi is much faster.

Windows wouldn't fit. You need a drive bigger than 32gb for either Windows 7 or 10. Windows 7 runs really quite slow on them anyway and you need to find the odd driver.

 

[The Paladin]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asus_Eee_PC
https://archiveos.org/easypeasy/

Most Eee PC models were shipped with either Windows XP or a Linux distribution called Xandros. Later models (e.g. 1015E) ship with Windows 7 Starter or Linux Ubuntu installed.

Users have tried to install various other operating systems on Eee PCs. The following are known to work on most models:
Linux, especially Lubuntu, Debian,[34] Salix, SliTaz, PepperMint <6, Bodhi 4.x, and other Linuxes still available in 32bit and employing an interface (environment) with a small memory-footprint
Chrome OS and Android x86[35]
Microsoft Windows XP[39][40]

EasyPeasy Linux (custom for the eeePC, now discontinued but still available for download)
Some of the above operating systems, while they may have been available, and some barely worked sluggishly, are no longer up to date.
Some have even been discontinued or now only offer 64bit versions which are not compatible with the eeePC series.

 

[geofelt]

FWIW, I just checked.
My Lenovo 100s comes with a 32 gb msata drive of which 27.7gb is available.
With windows 32 bit installed, I still have 11.3gb available.