Best lightweight OS for old computer?

[ConnorMacleod95]

Hi, 
I've just been given an old Vista PC and want to put a lightweight OS on it. 

All I want to do is use the internet (YouTube) and browse local and network files, mainly video. 

I've heard chromium is pretty good? Any suggestions would be great

Thanks

[RadiatingLight]

Any Linux distro is great (Ubuntu, Mint, etc.) another suggestion would be RemixOS, which is android-based, and quite fluid. it doesn't have the multitasking of Linux, but has the added benefit of being able to run any android app. :http://www.jide.com/remixos

[Ben Potter]

Hi,

 

ChromiumOS is an awesome choice! I would download an image from ArnoldTheBat because he already compiles it and has it working with pretty much all hardware. 

 

Also, while there are many Linux-based operating systems that claim to be super lightweight, I've found that Debian works the best because of it's amazing comparability with programs, and it uses very little resources to run. You can install Google Chrome on it and mount network drives just fine!

 

One final option is RemixOS, but it works for select devices. RemixOS is like a desktop version of the Android operating system, and it runs the web browser app, and any app that you could install on your Android phone or tablet, but in a window.

 

For what you said you would like to use it for, I would suggest ChromiumOS, but the other two would also work great! With Debian, you will not have to worry about compatibility with your hardware at all, while the other two are a little iffy.

[Jer45]

8 minutes ago, ConnorMacleod95 said:

Hi, 
I've just been given an old Vista PC and want to put a lightweight OS on it. 

All I want to do is use the internet (YouTube) and browse local and network files, mainly video. 

I've heard chromium is pretty good? Any suggestions would be great

Thanks

I use lubuntu in my dell gx270

[DrM]

i use lubuntu 32-bit in this one pc from 2004, though you can probably run something more demanding like my personal favorite, xfce mint

[Mew]

Windows 8.1 or 10 is probably the most lightweight OS of the last 4 OS from Microsoft. 

[ConnorMacleod95]

11 minutes ago, Ben Potter said:

Hi,

 

ChromiumOS is an awesome choice! I would download an image from ArnoldTheBat because he already compiles it and has it working with pretty much all hardware. 

 

Also, while there are many Linux-based operating systems that claim to be super lightweight, I've found that Debian works the best because of it's amazing comparability with programs, and it uses very little resources to run. You can install Google Chrome on it and mount network drives just fine!

 

One final option is RemixOS, but it works for select devices. RemixOS is like a desktop version of the Android operating system, and it runs the web browser app, and any app that you could install on your Android phone or tablet, but in a window.

 

For what you said you would like to use it for, I would suggest ChromiumOS, but the other two would also work great! With Debian, you will not have to worry about compatibility with your hardware at all, while the other two are a little iffy.

Thanks Heaps, sounds awesome

[icey]

20 minutes ago, ConnorMacleod95 said:

Hi, 
I've just been given an old Vista PC and want to put a lightweight OS on it. 

All I want to do is use the internet (YouTube) and browse local and network files, mainly video. 

I've heard chromium is pretty good? Any suggestions would be great

Thanks

Go with Linux, be the better person

 

Linux Mint would be a good introduction for you!

[f0e2205]

13 minutes ago, Jer45 said:

I use lubuntu in my dell gx270

+1 for Lubuntu on old computers

 

Even Kubuntu works fine on my thinkpad x41 tablet (2005)

[Azgoth 2]

Lubuntu runs well even on some 10+ year old computers I've put it on.  It would be a pretty good choice for a lightweight, pretty minimal, no-frills and no-appreciable hassle, and completely free OS.  Being one of the *buntus, it's also one of the more user-friendly ones.  Xubuntu is another choice if you want something a bit more customizeable, look-wise, and a bit more Windows-like as far as interface goes.  It's less lightweight than Lubuntu, but will probably run just as well on all but the oldest machines.

 

You might even be able to run Linux Mint, which is an extremely solid OS, very polished, and feature-rich.  It's definitely not in the "lightweight" distro category, but it's far from being a heavy resource hog.