with different characteristics that adapt to all the needs that the user may have. These include distributions that take up very little space and are low on resources.
In this category we can find puppy linuxa very small and handy distribution designed to start with bootable media and run smoothly on almost any computer.
Puppy Linux becomes particularly useful when we have an old computer or one with few resources and we want to give it a second wind. If this is your case, or if you simply want to try this distribution, now we will tell you everything you need to know about it.
When is it convenient to install a distribution as basic as Puppy Linux?
It is generally used to give a second life to an old low-performance computer, since it Its low demand makes it an ideal distribution for this type of equipment.
With a size of only 130MB about, Puppy Linux can be installed on the hard drive of almost any old computer, as well as any recent computer that is low-powered. In addition to this, Puppy Linux is optimized to boot from a CD/DVD or bootable USBbecoming a portable OS that you can carry in your pocket and start on any computer.
Learn step by step to install Puppy Linux on any computer in the easiest way
The Installing Puppy Linux is a simple process and for almost any computer thanks to its low consumption of resources.
We will explain one by one the steps required so that you can install this small and practical distribution:
Download the ISO file
The first step is get Puppy Linux ISO file that we will install in our USB or CD.
To do this, you must follow these steps:
- Enter to puppylinux.com/index.html
- Select from the list the latest image files.
- Be sure to look at the compatibility list, which will tell you which packages are available for Puppy Linux.
Create bootable media
Next on the list is to create the tool that we will use to start the distribution on our computer:
- Insert the USB stick on your computer
- Format the removable drive using the default tool on your computer or an external tool such as USB Disk Formatter
- Download from its official page the writing tool Whale Etcherand initial it.
- Select the USB memory connected to the computer, select the Puppy Linux image file, and press “Write”.
Start from ISO
Once the bootable unit has been created, you must restart the computer to check the condition of the distro, and to be able to perform the first configurations:
- restart your computer with USB inserted.
- press “F10” or “Del” while I’m rebooting to power .
- Select the option Boot Priority Order to select which drive will start first.
- Choose the option “USB HDD”. This option will select the bootable USB media to start the operating system.
- Once you access the Puppy Linux menu, define initial settingsnamely: date, time, time zone and language.
- When everything is configured, go to the start menu, click on the option “To turn off” and press on “Restart the computer.”
- Click on “Save” in the popup window.
Start your old computer
Once the bootable unit is prepared and configured, we proceed to install it on the computer we want to recover:
- insert the usb on the old computer.
- start the computer with the new distro of Linux.
- Access the BIOS pressing “F10” if the computer does not boot with Puppy Linux.
- Start the computer with previously made settings.
Select the installation menu
When the computer starts, the operating system is running through the USB memory, so now we proceed to install the distribution on the hard drive:
- Press the button “Menu” in the lower corner of the desktop.
- Select the section “Setups”.
- Click on the option “Puppy Installer”which is one of the last options on the menu.
- Click the option “Universal Installer”.
Select installation location
When the Puppy Linux installer is activated, a menu will appear with the location options to install this low-power distro:
- Define the hard drive where you want to install Puppy Linux. When clicking on one, information about it will appear.
- Select the option “HDD” from the options available in the box.
Defines the partition
Since the goal is to perform a complete installation, it is necessary to define the hard drive partitions that will be used to store the operating system:
- Press the button to open GParted to create the required partitions
- delete partitions previously existing, if any.
- press “New” to create a new partition, name it “/” and a minimum space of 1GB. There the operating system will be installed.
- Choose “New” one more time to create the space “home”to which you will assign a size that you think is convenient depending on the capacity of the hard drive.
- For the last time, create a new partition that you will call swap with the remaining space on the hard drive.
- Once the three partitions are created, click on “To accept” to confirm the partitions.
Select the location of the files
When creating the partitions, the next step will be to select where to save the distribution boot file:
- edit the name from the file folder Puppy Linux.
- Choose The ubication “/” to perform the installation.
- press “To accept”.
Choose the type of installation
Once the name and location have been defined, the installer will give us the option of performing two types of installation:
- “Frugal Facility”for which no partitions are required, and it is done on CD or USB.
- “Installation complete”for which the previously created partitions will be used.
- Choose “Installation complete” to start the process.
Finish the configurations
Once the files installation process is finished, you will only have to follow the instructions of the installer to finalize the last details, after which the system will ask you to restart the computer. When you do, the system will boot again with the Puppy Linux distribution running at full capacity.
These are the lightweight Linux distros that you can use as an alternative to Puppy Linux on any device
we will give you now a list with some of the best low resource consumption distributions that you can use instead of Puppy Linux, if necessary.
These distributions share the characteristic of being light, versatile and compatible with any computer:
slax.org
A modern, portable and lightweight Linux operating system, based on Debian with a system weight of only 250 MB, so it is possible to install it on any computer with few resources or old models. It has all the necessary tools for desktop performance and is optimized to work through bootable media.
linuxliteos.com
Is a small and handy distribution of the GNU/Linux family and oriented to desktop PC. It stands out for its friendly user interface, easy to understand for users without experience in this free license environment. It is also known for its low consumption of resources, offering all the tools required in a desktop environment. XFCEin a customizable, light and simple way.
lubuntu.me
It is a minimalist Linux distribution based on LXDE making it a distro light, fast and reliable, with a clean, understandable and easy-to-use interface. Thanks to its basic interface, its speed and performance is quite decent and it has very low hardware requirementswhich makes Lubuntu an ideal operating system for low-power computers.
SliTaz.org
It is a compact distribution that It has by default all the necessary tools to start using the computer as soon as the OS is installed. It also has an application installer to obtain all the types of software that we need within the capabilities of the computer. Its weight once installed does not exceed 100 MBwhich makes it a solid option, very handy to install on bootable media, and use as your portable desktop.
fedora linux
It is one of the most popular Linux distributions. due to its attractive and intuitive graphical interface, supported by programmers and graphic designers who are part of its vast community. For get It Accede to https://getfedora.org/es/. It has several editions designed for a variety of different purposes.among which we can count Fedora Workstation, Fedora IoT, Fedora Server and Fedora Core OS.