Installing Modern Linux on a Tiny Potato

Action Retro
15 Jun 202414:25

TLDRIn this entertaining video, the host attempts to install modern Debian Linux on an underpowered early 2000s netbook, originally sold at CVS Pharmacy. Despite its 128 MB of RAM and 300 MHz ARM CPU, the netbook surprisingly boots Linux from an SD card. The video documents the process of setting up the SD card, installing Debian, and testing various lightweight desktop environments like XFCE, IceWM, and JWM. The netbook manages to run a full XFCE desktop, albeit slowly, and even compiles and attempts to run the classic game, Cube, showcasing the versatility of Debian on low-spec hardware.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The video features an attempt to install modern Linux on an underpowered early 2000s Netbook.
  • 🔍 The Netbook, originally from CVS Pharmacy, has minimal memory and a 300 MHz ARM CPU.
  • 🎥 The channel encourages viewers to subscribe for more content on installing Linux on outdated hardware.
  • 📦 The process begins with downloading Debian boot partition files and root filesystem files from GitHub.
  • 🔧 The SD card is partitioned and formatted with FAT16 for the boot partition and EXT4 for the rest.
  • 🔄 The script details setting up the SD card on a Linux-running ThinkPad x60s and mounting the partitions.
  • 🚀 The Netbook boots up Debian from the SD card, demonstrating the ease of installation.
  • 🛠️ The video includes a sponsor segment for 'Delete Me', a service to protect personal information from data brokers.
  • 🌐 After booting, the Netbook updates packages automatically and requires the creation of a new user account.
  • 🖥️ The video shows the installation of XFCE, IceWM, and JWM desktop environments to test usability on the Netbook.
  • 🕹️ Surprisingly, XFCE runs on the Netbook, albeit with significant mouse lag and slow terminal response.
  • 🌐 Web browsing is tested with D and NetSurf browsers, showing that the latter performs surprisingly well.
  • 🎮 The video concludes with an attempt to compile and run a game, 'Cube', achieving a non-playable 0.2 FPS on the Netbook.
  • 🏆 The presenter plans to show respect to the Netbook by displaying it at a computer fair alongside other improbable OS machines.

Q & A

  • What is the original operating system of the Netbook mentioned in the video?

    -The Netbook originally came with Windows CE.

  • Why did the author decide to install Linux on the underpowered Netbook?

    -The author decided to install Linux on the Netbook because it was found as 'garbage' and they enjoy the challenge of installing modern Linux on old or low-spec computers.

  • What is the main purpose of the GitHub repos mentioned in the video?

    -The GitHub repos mentioned contain builds of Debian and bootloaders that are designed to work on the Netbook, making it easier to install modern Linux.

  • What is the capacity of the SD card used in the video?

    -A 16 GB SD card is used to set up the Linux installation.

  • What are the two partition types created on the SD card during the setup process?

    -Two partitions are created: one is 16 MB and formatted as FAT16 for the boot partition, and the rest of the card is formatted as EXT4.

  • What is the name of the Debian release installed on the Netbook?

    -The Debian release installed is called 'bookworm'.

  • What is the issue the author encounters with the initial setup of Debian?

    -The author finds that the Debian installation automatically starts an 'apt update' and there are configuration issues, such as the absence of the 'ping' command and 'nano' text editor.

  • How does the author address the slowness of the Debian installation?

    -The author receives help from a viewer who provides a fully updated root filesystem with additional software pre-installed, which speeds up the process.

  • What are the three different desktop environments installed to test on the Netbook?

    -The three desktop environments installed are xfce, icewm, and jwm.

  • What is the outcome of trying to compile and run the classic game 'Cube' on the Netbook?

    -The author successfully compiles 'Cube' but finds that it runs at an unplayable 0.2 FPS, indicating that while it's possible to compile software on the Netbook, the performance is not sufficient for gaming.

  • What is the author's final plan for the Netbook after the experiment?

    -The author plans to show respect for the Netbook by displaying it at VCF Southwest alongside other machines running improbable operating systems, instead of leaving it at the free pile at VCF East swap meet.

Outlines

00:00

😲 Reviving an Early 2000s Netbook with Linux

This paragraph introduces an early 2000s netbook, originally sold at CVS Pharmacy, which is described as extremely underpowered with minimal memory and struggling to run Windows CE. The narrator mentions installing Linux on such 'garbage' devices and invites viewers to subscribe for more content. The video's previous installment explored the netbook's limitations with its 128 MB RAM and 300 MHz ARM CPU. The current task is to install modern Debian Linux, which surprisingly boots easily from an SD card. The narrator guides through the process of setting up the SD card on a ThinkPad x60s running OpenSUSE, downloading necessary files from GitHub, and configuring the SD card with two partitions for booting and root file system. The expectation is to see if the netbook can boot into Debian and correct past wrongs.

05:02

😌 Unexpected Success with Debian on a Netbook

The second paragraph details the successful installation and booting of Debian 12 (bookworm) on the netbook, despite its meager specifications. The narrator encounters initial configuration issues and notes the absence of basic utilities like 'ping'. A viewer's contribution of a pre-updated root file system with additional software is mentioned, which helps in demonstrating the netbook running Debian with 118 MB of RAM. The video shows the installation of multiple desktop environments to test usability on such low-spec hardware: XFCE, IceWM, and JWM. Surprisingly, XFCE, despite being feature-rich, runs on the netbook, albeit with significant mouse lag and CPU usage. The narrator also installs lightweight web browsers like D and NetSurf to demonstrate internet browsing on the device. The paragraph concludes with the netbook achieving more functionality with Linux than it ever did with its original Windows CE, even if the performance is not ideal.

10:03

😎 Pushing the Limits with Lightweight Desktop and Gaming

In the final paragraph, the narrator experiments with even lighter desktop environments and attempts to compile and run software on the netbook. IceWM fails to work, but JWM launches quickly, providing a much faster experience compared to XFCE. The narrator then takes the ambitious step of compiling a classic game, 'Cube', on the netbook, which surprisingly succeeds without overheating issues. Although the game runs at an unplayable 0.2 FPS, the fact that it compiles and runs at all is considered a remarkable achievement. The narrator reflects on the day's experiment, acknowledging that Debian can indeed run on almost any hardware. As a tribute to the netbook's unexpected capabilities, the narrator decides to display it at an upcoming vintage computer festival alongside other machines running improbable operating systems. The video ends with a call for likes and subscriptions, and a special thanks to the patrons and supporters who make such content creation possible.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Netbook

A netbook is a small, lightweight, and inexpensive laptop designed primarily for accessing the internet. In the video, the term refers to an early 2000s device that was underpowered even by the standards of that time, with limited memory and processing capabilities. The script discusses installing Linux on this netbook, highlighting the device's limitations and the challenges of running modern software on it.

💡Linux

Linux is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel. The video script describes the process of installing a modern version of the Debian Linux distribution on an old netbook. Linux is chosen for its flexibility and the possibility of running on low-spec hardware, which is central to the video's theme of reviving old technology.

💡Debian

Debian is a popular Linux distribution known for its stability and large repository of software packages. In the script, the creator is surprised by how easily modern Debian can be installed on the netbook, which is a testament to Debian's adaptability and the community's efforts to support diverse hardware configurations.

💡GitHub

GitHub is a web-based platform for version control and collaboration that allows developers to work on projects together. The script mentions two separate GitHub repositories that contain builds of Debian tailored for the netbook, demonstrating the community-driven nature of open-source software and its role in enabling the installation process.

💡SD card

An SD card, or Secure Digital card, is a type of memory card used in portable devices for data storage. In the video, an SD card is used to create a bootable Linux system for the netbook, showcasing a common method of installing or running operating systems on devices with limited storage or other hardware constraints.

💡GParted

GParted is a free and open-source partition editor that allows users to create, resize, move, and delete disk partitions. The script describes using GParted to set up the SD card with the necessary partitions for booting Debian on the netbook, which is a critical step in the installation process.

💡apt update

APT, or Advanced Package Tool, is a package management system used by Debian and its derivatives. 'apt update' is a command that updates the list of available software packages from the repositories. In the video, the netbook automatically runs 'apt update' upon booting into Debian, indicating that the system is attempting to synchronize with the latest software versions.

💡Desktop Environment

A desktop environment is a collection of software that provides a graphical user interface for interacting with the operating system. The script discusses installing different desktop environments like XFCE, IceWM, and JWM on the netbook to test which provides the best user experience on the limited hardware, emphasizing the video's theme of pushing the boundaries of old technology.

💡XFCE

XFCE is a lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems that is known for its low resource usage and simplicity. The video shows XFCE running on the netbook, which is unexpected given the device's limited specifications, demonstrating the surprising capabilities of both XFCE and the netbook.

💡IceWM

IceWM is a lightweight window manager designed to be fast and flexible. In the script, IceWM is mentioned as a potential desktop environment for the netbook, but it does not work as expected, illustrating the trial-and-error nature of configuring software for underpowered hardware.

💡JWM

JWM, or Joe's Window Manager, is an even lighter window manager than IceWM. The video concludes with JWM providing a surprisingly fast and usable interface on the netbook, underscoring the theme of finding the right balance between software and hardware capabilities.

💡Compiling

Compiling is the process of translating code written in a programming language into machine code that a computer can execute. The script describes an attempt to compile a game, 'Cube', on the netbook, which is a significant challenge given the device's limitations. The successful compilation, albeit resulting in an unplayable frame rate, highlights the video's theme of exploring the capabilities of old hardware.

Highlights

Installing modern Debian Linux on an early 2000s underpowered Netbook.

The Netbook originally came with Windows CE and had only 128 MB of RAM and a 300 MHz ARM CPU.

Surprisingly, modern Debian can boot from an SD card on this Netbook.

GitHub repositories provide Debian builds and bootloaders that work with the Netbook.

Setting up the SD card with GParted to create boot and root filesystems.

Extracting filesystem files to make the SD card bootable.

Debian 12 successfully boots on the Netbook with 118 MB of RAM.

The Netbook lacks basic utilities like ping and nano, requiring manual installations.

Installing additional software to enhance the Linux experience on the Netbook.

Successfully running XFCE, a full-featured desktop environment, on the Netbook.

Installing and testing lightweight web browsers D and NetSurf on the Netbook.

Achieving a usable internet browsing experience with NetSurf on the Netbook.

Attempting to run a lightweight window manager, IceWM, but it fails to work.

Joe's Window Manager (JWM) provides a fast and usable desktop experience on the Netbook.

Compiling and running the classic game 'Cube' on the Netbook, achieving 0.2 FPS.

The Netbook's performance with Linux is surprisingly good, despite its limitations.

Plans to display the Netbook at VCF Southwest alongside other machines running improbable operating systems.

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