Puppy Linux is a lightweight Linux distribution designed to run from removable devices such as DVDs and USB drives.
Lightweight Distro Puppy Linux 7.5 “Xenialpup” Released — Download Now. Puppy Linux 7.5 is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. You can find the 32-bit and 63-bit ISO images.
There are a number of Puppy Linux variants including Puppy Slacko, which utilizes the Slackware repositories, and Puppy Tahr which utilizes the Ubuntu repositories.
Other versions of Puppy Linux include Simplicity and MacPUP.
It is possible to use UNetbootin to create a bootable Puppy Linux USB drive but it isn't the method that is recommended.
Puppy Linux works great on older laptops, netbooks, and computers without hard drives. It isn't designed to be installed on a hard drive but you can run it that way if you want to.
This guide shows you the correct way to install Puppy Linux Tahr to a USB drive.
Download Puppy Linux Tahr
If you choose to, you can use UNetbootin to write the Puppy Tahr ISO to one of your USB drives.
Note that Puppy doesn't play well on UEFI based machines.
Boot into Puppy Linux using either the DVD or USB that you have created.
Install Puppy Linux Tahr to a USB Drive
Click on the install icon on the top row of icons.
When the above screen appears click on the Universal Installer.
Using the Puppy Linux Universal Installer
The Puppy Linux Universal Installer gives you options for installing Linux to a flash drive, a hard drive, or a DVD.
Make sure that the USB drive that you want to install Puppy Linux to is plugged in and click on USB flash drive.
Choose Where to Install Puppy Linux To
Click on the USB device icon and choose the USB drive that you wish to install to.
Choose How to Partition Your Puppy Linux USB Drive
The next screen shows you how the USB drive will be partitioned. Generally speaking, unless you wish to split the USB drive into partitions it is safe to leave the default options selected.
Click on the little icon in the top right corner next to the words Install puppy to sdx.
A window will appear confirming the drive that you intend to write Puppy to and the size of the partition.
Where Are the Puppy Linux Files?
If you have followed this guide from the beginning then the files required for booting Puppy will be on the CD. Click the CD button.
The files will also be available from the original ISO and so you can always extract the ISO to a folder and navigate to that folder by clicking the Directory button.
If you clicked on the CD button you will be asked to make sure the CD/DVD is in the drive. Click OK to continue.
If you clicked on the Directory button you will need to navigate to the folder where you extracted the ISO to.
Installing the Puppy Linux Bootloader
By default, you will want to install the bootloader to the master boot record on the USB drive.
The other options listed are provided as backup solutions for when the USB drive won't boot.
The next screen asks you to 'JUST KEEP GOING'. It seems a bit pointless but if you have been through the process before and it didn't work it gives you a couple of extra options to try.
The recommendation is to just leave the 'Default' option selected and click OK.
Puppy Linux Installation - Final Sanity Check
A terminal window will open with one final message telling you exactly what is about to happen to your USB drive.
If you are happy to continue press Enter on the keyboard.
The final sanity check isn't the final check however as the next screen tells you that all the files on the drive are going to be wiped.
Red gear controller software download. There is one final screen after this which asks whether you want Puppy to load into memory when it boots up. If your computer has over 256 megabytes of RAM it is recommended that you answer Yes otherwise enter No.
Pressing Enter will install Puppy Linux Tahr to the USB drive.
Reboot your computer and remove the original DVD or USB drive and leave the newly created Puppy Linux USB drive inserted.
The first thing you will want to do is reboot again as this will ask where you want to save the SFS file.
An SFS file is a large save file which is used to store any changes you make whilst using Puppy Linux. It is Puppy's way of adding persistence.
Do you have an old PC lying around gathering dust? Would you like to make use of the old small-capacity USB flash drive sitting in your draw? You can reuse your old computer and a USB flash drive by installing a super small Linux operating system (also known as a “distribution” or “distro”) on them.
There are Linux distros specifically for the Intel Atom Processor. Others will give your old PC a new lease of life. The vast majority install direct to your USB flash drive, too.
Here are eight of the smallest Linux distros that need almost no space!
Before You Start: How to Create Bootable USB Flash Drives
The first thing you need is a tool to create bootable USB flash drives. There are numerous tools you can use to create a bootable USB flash drive. However, I would suggest Windows users try Rufus, while Linux and macOS users should try Etcher.
Rufus
Rufus is one of the fastest, smallest, and easiest USB burning tools available to Windows users. It has decent customization options and can automatically detect your USB flash drive. Furthermore, Rufus can detect the type of ISO you are attempting to burn and apply a common setup.
Download: Rufus for Windows (Free)
Etcher
Linux and macOS users should use Etcher, an open source USB burning tool. Like Rufus, Etcher is tiny, very fast, and comes with a great GUI that makes the tool incredibly simple to use. Etcher doesn’t have many settings, but it does work well the overwhelming majority of the time. Windows users who find Rufus confusing can also use Etcher.
Download:Etcher for macOS, Linux, and Windows
Now, onto the tiny Linux distros, all of which are free (unless otherwise stated)!
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1. ArchBang
ArchBang is based on Arch Linux and inspired by CrunchBang, which was another small Linux distro. ArchBang is essentially Arch Linux made easier and reduced in size. It includes the power and flexibility of Arch Linux without the complex setup and installation. (Here’s 10 reasons why you should consider switching to an Arch Linux distro.Should You Install Arch Linux? 10 Reasons for Arch-Based DistrosShould You Install Arch Linux? 10 Reasons for Arch-Based DistrosArch Linux is one of the most popular Linux operating system around. Here's why you should use Arch-based Linux distros.Read More)
ArchBang works on i686 or X86_64 compatible machines, uses 700MB of disk space, and requires just 256MB of memory.
You can use ArchBang as a fully featured desktop operating system or as a portable live OS. It is fast, stable, and always up to date.
Download: ArchBang for i686 | x86_64
2. Tiny Core Linux
Tiny Core Linux is an extremely small Linux distro developed by Robert Shingledecker, lead developer for former-distro, Damn Small Linux. (The Damn Small Linux site is now dead, but you can find active ISOs online.)
The Tiny Core Linux “TinyCore” installation is a minute 16MB, including the base distro and a decent GUI. The base installation requires at least 46MB RAM to run, but you will need a little more if you want to run additional applications and other software. Note you’ll need to use an Ethernet cable to get online with TinyCore as there is no out of box wireless support.
The best option for most people is the “CorePlus” installation, which comes in at 106MB. CorePlus has wireless support, support for non-US keyboards, plus installation tools for alternative window managers, and other handy setup tools.
Download: Tiny Core Linux “TinyCore” for x86 | Tiny Core Linux “CorePlus” for x86
3. Elive
Elive is a lightweight Linux distro with a custom desktop environment. Based on Debian, Elive comes pre-installed with a bunch of handy apps, plus a few games, too.
“Elive is not made for newbies. Elive is not made for experienced people. Elive is not made for enterprises or personal user. Elive is art. It is simply for the people who appreciate it and want to use it. Feel free to try Elive, because only you decide what you want in this world!”
It is quite the statement from the Elive development team.
The Elive desktop environment is a highly customized version of Enlightenment, offering a light and beautiful experience. (Check out the 12 best Linux desktop environments to rival EnlightenmentThe 12 Best Linux Desktop EnvironmentsThe 12 Best Linux Desktop EnvironmentsPicking a Linux desktop environment can be difficult. Here are the best Linux desktop environments to consider.Read More.) It works well, even on very old hardware. The minimum requirements for Elive are a CPU speed of 500MHz and 198MB RAM, plus 700MB hard drive space.
You cannot direct download Elive. The developer understandably asks for a small donation to keep the project alive for an instant download. Otherwise, you must head to the site, enter your email address, and wait for four hours.
Windows users must use Elive’s USBWriter to create a bootable USB flash drive. The Elive developer states that other programs make unintended changes to the ISO during the burn process. macOS and Linux users can continue using Etcher.
Download: Elive USBWriter for Windows (Donationware/free)
4. Porteus
Porteus is a lightweight, but complete, Linux distro that is optimized to run from a USB flash drive. Don’t have one? Don’t worry! Porteus will also work on an SD card, CD, DVD, hard drive, or other bootable storage media. It’s small and insanely fast, allowing you to boot and get online while other operating systems are still thinking about booting.
Porteus runs on any Intel, AMD, or VIA x86/64 processor, requiring only 512MB of disk space and 256MB of memory. No hard disk is required, as it can run from removable storage media. If you use Porteus on a removable storage media device, you can take advantage of its “Persistent” mode, which saves data directly on the storage device.
It is available in both 32-bit (perfect for older PCs) and 64-bit. A kiosk edition is also available, which is a minimal system that is locked down for use by the public on web terminals. You can choose to download the Cinnamon, KDE, MATE, or Xfce version of Porteus.
Download: Porteous 32-bit | 64-bit
5. Puppy Linux
Puppy Linux is a very lightweight Linux distro that you should only install on and run directly from a USB flash drive, SD card, CD, DVD, or other bootable storage media. You can install Puppy Linux on your hardware if you want. But there isn’t really a need if you have your bootable USB flash drive with you.
It is also worth noting that Puppy Linux isn’t a single distribution, nor is it a Linux distribution with numerous “flavors” (for instance, Ubuntu variants include Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, and so on). Rather, Puppy Linux is a collection of Linux distributions built using the same shared principle, using the same tools, using a specific set of “puppy” applications.
Check out the below image to see the various Puppy Linux paths, in the official Puppy Linux family tree.
At the time of writing, there are four official Puppy Linux distributions. All require 300MB or less hard drive space but do have varying CPU and RAM requirements.
To find out more, and choose the right version for you, head to the official Puppy Linux distribution download page.
6. SliTaz
SliTaz, or Simple Light Incredible Temporary Autonomous Zone, is a lightweight, fully-featured graphical Linux distro. Simply put, SliTaz is small, fast, stable, and easy to use.
SliTaz’s minimum requirements include an i486 or x86 Intel-compatible processor, at least 80MB disk space, and 192MB RAM (however, this can drop as low as 16MB RAM depending on the version of SliTaz you use).
One cool feature of SliTaz is that it runs largely in your system memory. Once you boot SliTaz up, you can remove your bootable USB flash drive for other tasks. SliTaz also has a “persistent” feature that allows you to store your data and personal settings to the removable media, ready to use on your next boot. (You have to keep your media in the machine for this feature to work, mind).
Download: SliTaz Universal Version (Free)
7. wattOS
Puppy Linux 64 Bit Iso Download Windows 7
wattOS is a fantastic tiny Linux distro based on Ubuntu. You can run wattOS from a USB flash drive, CD, DVD, or other bootable media. Furthermore, wattOS has a kiosk mode, or you can install it directly to your hard drive.
The minimum hardware requirements include an Intel or AMD processor, 700MB disk space, and 192MB for the “Microwatt” edition of wattOS. The wattOS LXDE version uses slightly more RAM, but has considerably more customization options and is suitable as a daily desktop environment.
The Microwatt edition is extremely lightweight, however. It is based upon the i3 tiling window manager, offering low resource requirements and a simplistic design.
Download: wattOS Microwatt edition 32-bit | 64-bit
Download: wattOS LXDE edition 32-bit | 64-bit
Puppy Linux 64 Bit Iso Download Free
8. Bodhi Linux
Your final tiny Linux distro to check out is Bodhi Linux. Bodhi Linux is an Ubuntu LTS-based fully-featured Linux distro that uses the Moksha Desktop. Furthermore, Bodhi Linux comes in three flavors: the Standard edition, the AppPack edition, the Legacy edition.
The Standard edition comes with a limited range of options and applications, whereas the AppPack edition offers more features, applications, and options out of the box. Of the three, the Legacy edition is the smallest, designed to work with older, less powerful hardware.
Bodhi Linux’s minimum specifications require a 500MHz processor, at least 128MB RAM, and 4GB disk space.
Download: Bodhi Linux Standard for x86_64| Bodhi Linux AppPack for x86_64| Bodhi Linux Legacy for x86_64
Revive Your Old Hardware With a Tiny Linux Distro
You can bring your old PC or other hardware back to life with any of these super small Linux distros. These lightweight Linux distros are a great way to provide a single computer for a relative who doesn’t need the bloat of a more complex operating system.
- ArchBang
- Tiny Core Linux
- Elive
- Porteus
- Puppy Linux
- SliTaz
- WattOS
- Bodhi Linux
Furthermore, these Linux distros will allow them to surf the web, watch and listen to media, check email, and create simple documents.
If you are preparing a machine for someone new to Linux, you should take a look at the MakeUseOf Linux FAQ. Also, why not check out the changes Windows users need to accept when moving to Linux6 Changes Windows Users Need to Accept to When Switching to Linux6 Changes Windows Users Need to Accept to When Switching to LinuxThinking about switching from Windows to Linux? It's not as tough as you've heard, but there are some changes to get used to.Read More. It certainly makes switching easier!
Puppy Linux 64 Bit Iso Download Windows 7
Explore more about: Linux Distro, USB Drive.
Puppy Linux 64 Bit Iso Download Torrent
Another re-warmed/recycled article. What's going on at MUO. Are you guys running out of ideas and.or writers. For the past couple of weeks, most of the articles are updated old ones. Some of them are almost 10 years old. There is little difference between the old articles and their updated versions.
I agree, you would think nothing is going on in the world of Linux. Also if it is all they seem to care about anymore is phones (android) or raspberry pi.
TBH, that seems to be endemic amongst most of the tech blogs nowadays. Smartphones and rPi get all the headlines.
Kinda sucks for those of us who don't bother with either 'genre'.
A '7 Smallest Linux Distros' article , and you did not mention Tiny Core Linux?
You should have sorted them by size.Tine Core is #2 on the list.
2. Tiny Core Linux
wattOS download link dead
Who is the target audience for this article? Linux users? Windows users? Users switching to Linux from Windows?
Where is antiX, Tiny Core Plus or Q4OS? Q4OS just released a new version based on the latest release of Debian 9 Stretch. This new version of Q4OS works on all systems going back to i386.
There are 560 distributions in the DistroWatch database that are either dormant or discontinued that will run on old hardware. How 'light' they are and how useful they are any more is the question one needs to ask themselves.
According the the DistroWatch database neither DSL nor ArchBang have had any releases since 2012. I know DSL has been discontinued. What about ArchBang? Does anybody have any info on it?
Obviously aimed at windows users as Rufus is not available for Linux & other tools need to be used (dd from the command line or unetbootin )
I'll take your word for it. :-)
The reason I asked is that, with the exception of Puppy, the above distros are not usually the ones recommended by 'experts' to Windows users. They are 'too different'. OTOH, for most Linux users these distros would not be the primary choice.
I've played with both TinyCore and SliTaz before (in a VM environment). TinyCore has problems with basic mouse movement in a VM. But when all you want is the smallest distro out there, nothing beats TinyCore. The people behind Damn Small Linux are the authors of TinyCore. There was a falling out in the DSL community of which TinyCore was the result, which explains why DSL is 'dead' and TinyCore is still doing well. TinyCore is NOT for the feint of heart. Even if you think you are a hardcore Linux person, you've not come even close. There are so many quirks with TinyCore that I lost count. However, if you are building embedded hardware, TinyCore is awesome because all the other distros requires hundreds of MB to GB of storage. TinyCore also fully boots into RAM in under 5 seconds on the crappiest of hardware specs.
SliTaz is the next smallest and really the only small distro that's usable by the average Linux person. It also has a respectable package manager that isn't based on the usual suspects (pretty sure they made their own custom package manager). SliTaz has a longer boot time than TinyCore but is also really fast (15 second boot times).
Everything else out there is based on Debian, RedHat, Arch, or Slackware and have user experiences similar to the big, bloaty distros that sit on top of those (e.g. Ubuntu) that require 500MHz CPU + gobs of RAM + GB of disk. There's nothing particularly wrong with those but I'd like to see more non-traditional ultra-tiny distros pop up. People claim 'choice' but when I want ultra-tiny, then there are only two active distros to pick from and one of those is of limited capability. That's not really much of a choice.
Just thought I'd make mention of 'Lightning Linux' and 'LxLE'..two distros based on Ubuntu but uber-fast and light. One runs the OpenBox desktop environment and is quite pleasing to the eye. While being light on resources, and still can handle things like CodeBlocks, Ninja-IDE and Eclipse Programming IDE's. The other is running the LXDE desktop and also is ablt to handle things like web browser videos, downloads, and watching hi-def movies in VLC without breaking a sweat. Just thought I'd throw hat out there..great article! Awesome information to have!
'Think machines with early Pentium processors (such as the 486 series) and very little memory.'
..
'..early Pentium processors (such as the 486 series)'
..
WHAT???
Who writes these things anyway? :!Not to mention, DSL hasn't been updated in like 6 years. It still runs a 2.4 kernel which flat-out *will not work* with anything newer than about a Core 2.
Christ, you people think EVERYTHING should run on brand-new hardware.
That's the whole POINT of these tiny distros...that they rejuvenate OLD hardware. And there's still a LOT of that around.
Mar 25, 2017 - It failes exactly at 25% while verifying the download, I tried the following: 1. To address your concern with using the Media Creation Tool, we. Jul 29, 2015 - Please reboot your PC and try running Windows 10 Setup again.' After downloading it went to verify the files, and then just disappeared. Windows 10 verifying your download will. Oct 18, 2015 - Using the media creation tool to upgrade from 8.1 to 10. The download gets to 100% then starts to verify the download, this stops at 52% and closes the window. At this link, it is asking you to download the Windows 10.iso file, burn it to a DVD and using it to install the Upgrade. Apr 22, 2017 - Restart your PC when both services are in Automatic mode and started. Then again, Windows 10 exists, so guess I should've expected it. I was trying to download a windows 8.1 iso to a different drive letter using the. Mar 28, 2016. Tool finished downloading windows 10 sometimes it verify the download. Share your idea for a new trophy in the forums and win bragging.
It's not a question of OLD hardware. It's a question of OLD software. Would you run Win98/Me or Win XP if you had the hardware? I still have the i486DX4 PC that i built. It has Win 3.11 WFW installed on it. Yeah, it works but only in stand alone mode and only with applications of that vintage. It's not very useful.
DSL has been DISCONTINUED. That means no one is working on it any more. It's last production release was in 2008. The last alpha release was in June of 2012. So no security updates have been released for DSL in at least 5 years. Since the last release of DSL of any kind, there have a few major security problems with components used in Linux distros. Do you, perhaps, recall something called 'Heartbleed'? DSL certainly hasn't been patched for it. Would you want to use an O/S that full of security holes, even if it 'rejuvenates' your old hardware?
I agree about the old software. When I used Windows I would fix older computers for people. In the Vista days, you could get Win98 to run, but don't think you are getting on the Internet with it. It would take hours to load if ever, and that was years ago. I can't imagine old Linux software would be much better.
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