Mini Install Linux

Mini Linux are modified versions of normal distributed Linux but these installs are primarilly intended for use with legacy hardware.  They require less memory to install, less memory to execute, and often do not require a hard drive to be present (if they execute from a ramdrive).  Many will install to a single diskette, with other optional diskettes used for addon binaries.  Many can be 'cloned' to your hard drive without requiring that you repartition or reformat your DOS/Windows drives, they will use the FAT file format (umsdos) but will be quite a bit slower in operation than when using a 'native' Linux partition and file format.

* Less memory : New Linux distribution CDs often require from 16-32 meg of memory just to use the install software.  An absolute minimum of 8 meg is required if  the CD includes a minimum install (usually aimed at the ZipDrive by IOMEGA).  Mini-installs seem to hover around 8 megs of memory with special versions for those with less than 8 megs (as little as 4 megs of memory).

* Cloning to a hard drive : Some will use your existing FAT file structure referred to as 'umsdos' or as a 'loopback' but others require you to reformat to the Linux filesystem. Not all of the websites will make this clear from the first page and may wait until you click to a second or third page before mentioning this fact.

Mini installs will not all be the same.  Most will be CLI (command line interface - text only). Many do offer the option to add a GUI (graphical user interface).  Many will use 'busybox' to condense the size of the standard Linux utilities into one binary file.  Some are intended to only work as routers, rescue disks, or only access intranets.  Usually these will include support for various network cards and support DHCP and LPR.  Some will include dialup access to your ISP along with telnet (or ztelnet), FTP, access to POP3/SMTP email and a text-only browser such as LINKS (very similar to LYNX).  It is possible to add dialup access to many of the 'rescue' disk installs if you have some prior knowledge of what files are required.  If your mini-install supports a GUI windows manager you may also be able to add the older v3.0x Netscape browser.  There may be one or more editors that may include vi, pico, and/or others.  Many will include HTTP and FTP server apps to turn your legacy machine into a Linux server.  Certain mini-installs are designed to only install a Linux router or Linux firewall.

Browsers will usually be the LINKS text-only browser.  LINKS is something of a LYNX clone with fewer options but an interesting display of HTML tables that more closely resembles the graphics WWW pages in many ways.  An external binary will allow viewing one graphic at time if/when you feel the need.  The version of Netscape most often referred to is v3.0x and is somewhat limited in it's response to newer WWW pages (no javascripting and colors may be wrong when 'dithered').  Considering the limited hardware this will work with it's a tradeoff but don't expect what users see with newer versions of their newer GUI browsers.

GUI use of a mini install of X windows or a smaller windows manager is reserved for the install to your hard drive because of the sizes of the binaries involved (many installs will use the existing FAT file partition).  Those that mention the ability to view graphics with the included browser are referring to one graphic at a time using an external binary from within LINKS which is a text-only browser.  If your installed memory limits you to the 16-color VGA display you may not like the appearance of the 'windows'.  You can review this by looking at some of the screenshots at a few of the websites.  I think muLinux has a few screenshots of the lower resolution X windows?

Rescue disk versions and other single purpose installs are included in the links section of this webpage along with more flexible general use installs.  Tomsrtbt is the most widely used single floppy rescue disk at this time.  I have, at present, both a working GreyCat Linux v2.x and a GreyCat v3.x install here at DOS Ghost. (see the note for downloading GreyCat v3.x archives)
 

*1 General purpose includes dialup to ISP
*2 Rescue/Toolset disk
*3 Router - single disk
*4 Firewall - single disk
*5 16meg memory minimum required to install
*6 Two floppy Debian no hd access 'teaches' Linux
*7 Requires 30 meg hd space to install umsdos plus addons for dialup ISP access.

GreyCat v2.x is approximately a 6 meg umsdos install.  GreyCat v3.0 is a umsdos install to a FAT partition of 30 meg plus a 32 meg umsdos swap file making it 60 megs plus in size.  Large for a mini install but smaller than a 'distro' could create.  Greycat v3.0 download http://www.geocities.com/greyclinux/ does not have the DOS install files at this webpage.
The optional http://www.pcpages.com/greyclinux/ does have the DOS install files archive.  I have emailed the author.

2diskXwin includes proprietary GUI support and requires a minimum 386SX with 16Mb memory, VESA compliant graphics bios, and a floppy disk drive.