Debian 4.1 - Outdated Browsers - Missing Tools - Brick Walls

[Nephilim_Module]

Okay, I hope I've landed at the right joint. Long story short: I need some serious help before my patience is obliterated and therefore my psyche and I'm thrown into a homicidal rage. Everytime I try something I run into another brick wall and I don't know what else to do.

Here's the scoop:

I bought an ASUS EEE PC 1000 running Linux last week off ebay. I've never used a Linux OS, so I figured why not? How hard could it be?
It's running Debian 4.1.
There's folders for Gnome 2 and KDE.

It's also running Firefox 2.0. It's so outdated I can't even access my Google Drive or Docs. And it's constantly throwing these "Security Certificate" messages at me, even when I go to Mozilla or Google.

I've already done alot of work on my on. It took me 6+ hours just to get the thing on the internet.

I was going to try and update the system.
But when I run:

sudo apt-get update

I get a "Cannot stat sources".

So I was going to append the sources.list file but when I run gedit it says "Command Not Found" so I then tried to install gedit but it says it cannot find the file.

So, I'm kinda stuck on how I'm suppose to update everything if the system doesn't have the proper tools to get the updates.

Also, I downloaded the Chrome .deb package, but I'm not sure how to install the package so I can run it.
I found what looks to be the installed Chrome in My Docoments but when I double-click on it in the GUI it says I don't have proper permissions to that directory.


So yeah, I been working on this for four days now just to get here and hopefully make enough sense to get some help.

BTW: The system did come with a Linux recovery disc. But I'm not even sure how to use that.

[Bulkley]

You have a lot of study ahead of you.

Whenever I acquire any secondhand equipment I reformat the hard drive. One never knows what is on it. I format it for my safety and for the previous owner's privacy. Then I install such Linux as I wish at the time.

What you have may be so old that it's just a curiosity. Research to see if there are more up to date systems that will run on it.

Hopefully are some EEE PC users here who might be better help than me.

[dasein]

Okay, I hope I've landed at the right joint.

Only you will be able to decide that.

Long story short: I need some serious help before my patience is obliterated and therefore my psyche and I'm thrown into a homicidal rage. Everytime I try something I run into another brick wall and I don't know what else to do.

Tip #1: Quit trying to "update" a long, long ago retired Debian release.

The current Stable release is Debian 9. Install fresh, or better still, if you're interested in a kinder, gentler approach to learning Linux, install a more newbie-friendly alternative (and there are lots to choose from). Debian really isn't targeted at first-time Linux users.

Afterthought: On 10+-year-old hardware like yours, your single best bet for a somewhat friendlier alternative would be MX linux ( https://mxlinux.org/ ). It's Debian at its heart, but has lots of options preconfigured, and it runs very nicely on older hardware.

[Nephilim_Module]

Ah. Aight. I guess it's time to start from scratch.

I did hear some folks on another forum say that the EEE PC can handle light Linux distros.

Any suggestions on a newbie-friendly light Linux?

[dasein]

Any suggestions on a newbie-friendly light Linux?

Yes. We were posting at the same time.

By far the single best newbie-friendly light Linux is MX Linux https://mxlinux.org/

See my immediately previous post for reasons why.

[Nephilim_Module]

Well, at least I know which direction I need to head next.

Hopefully the next install will be much smoother.

Thanks guys!

[dasein]

Well, at least I know which direction I need to head next.

Wayyyyyyy better than beating your head against the wall trying to resurrect the rotting corpse of a long-dead Debian release.

Hopefully the next install will be much smoother.

Maybe. It's been a while since I tested MX, but IIRC, there were a few rough edges in the installer. But my memory isn't what it used to be.

Good luck!

[Wheelerof4te]

If MX doesn't work, try Antix. It is designed for such old hardware:

http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

I would try saving up for something better from this decade, though. Something from 2015. wont' be too new for Debian 9. That is, if ASUS is your only PC.

[Nili]

Hi! 10 years hardware works perfectly fine with netinst ISO. Precisely debian-9.1.0-i386-netinst. Just skip/untick everything on tasksel even standart system utilities

Build your Debian according to your preferences. To have a small and minimal distro.
These apps are just few small and light that fit well into a old hardwares. You'll have them on Debian repository.

Code: Select all

su apt-get install sudo
sudo apt-get install xinit --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-core --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install rxvt-unicode --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install spectrwm --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install spacefm --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install udevil --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install leafpad --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install alsa-utils --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install mpv --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install xfonts-terminus --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install curl --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install conky-cli --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install gtk2-engines-pixbuf --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install scrot --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install ntfs-3g --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install deborphan --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install feh --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install psmisc --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install moc --no-install-recommends
sudo apt-get install rcconf --no-install-recommends

"--no-install-recommends" is used to not install other packages which may not be necessary. Otherwise, if you need something from recommends, install it separately.

[1] sudo you can ignore it for su, i use sudo apt-get or make an bash aliases for simple "install/update".
[2] xinit + xserver-xorg-core (core) system files.
[3] rxvt-unicode lightweight console terminal, other lights "st", termite, xterm.
[4] Window Manager: spectrwm+conky-cli one the of the lights WM (tile). Fantastic for low resources. Other you can use "dwm, (stacks) openbox+tint2, pekwm, fluxbox".
[5] File manager: SpaceFM, Good Independent from systemd, consolekit, policykit, dbus, udisks, gvfs & fuse, other to try. PCmanFM, ranger, Xfe.
[6] udevil tool to mount/unmount your disks/usb. Used on SpaceFM as default. Other to try udisks/2 or pmount.
[7] leafpad very light and simple text editor. Other to try vim or vim-gtk.
[8] alsa-utils Utilities for configuring some sound.
[9] mpv minimal video player which play almost all formats. Can play/decode DVD5+9 Bluray or 1080p 25FPS to 60FPS etc... rips just like it was yesterday system.
[12] xfonts-terminus very good font rendering for X Console/Terminal aswell.
[13] conky-cli you can pipe some system stats on window manager panel with conky-cli.
[14] gtk2-engines-pixbuf just Engine for GTK2 theme.
[15] deborphan tool to control orphans packages. Use it carefuly, Or just use it when you know what you're doing.
[16] scrot very nice minimal tool to capture your screen.
[17] feh very minimal image viewer, Opens images in 1sec even on a res 7600x4850. I can move the screen with mouse up/down + left/right, have tiny menu with features. This tool also sets wallpapers on desktop also have some other neat features to play like slideshow. Other image viewer to try "sxiv".
[18] psmisc i use a lot for "killall", "pstree" or other commands.
[19] rcconf tool to manage your startup services. So, you can turn off/on stuff that you don't want to start on startup which speed your boot loads.
[20] Browser: Pale Moon just an old style Mozilla Firefox, ideal for low resources. Not on a Debian repo but you can use it as binary from their official page. Or use from stevep repo.
[21] curl download files from command console or terminal.
[22] moc, music player on console.

You can check ReduceDebian. This link show you many other works to reduce footprint / size of your OS. But, still be careful what you do/remove/or replace.

Those are a few tools that i use on my 10 years old desktop. It boots 20MB RAM + 8.8sec loads thanks to (netinst & tweaks), your copy can too... Just start reading what can you made working by Googling or Search Forum/Debian Wiki.

To not gets bored, take some coffee with you and try netinst, even if can't made it at first, try again. If it is impossible... do not hesitate trying other complete (minimal) distros like: MX-16, AntiX, BunsenLabs, LinuxBBQ. i686 architecture are recommended. Kernel is better to have 3.16 series, have security support up to 2020, you can chose 4.* series aswell.

Good luck! Hope you standing up that oldboy.
P.S. i'm too sleepy, hope i have written well and clearly

Regards!

[stevepusser]

Since you mention web browsers, just don't expect websites that swamp your browser ( huffington post site, for example) under a load of Javascript and ads to render in any matter of time that won't infuriate you. Maybe you could spoof them into serving you the mobile version of the site, though.

MX Linux and AntiX share the same installer--it has had some improvements since dasein last tried it. If the machine has only 1-2 GB of RAM, you can save some of that by using a 32-bit install instead of 64, since that will use 20-30% less RAM.

[None1975]

Build your Debian according to your preferences. To have a small and minimal distro.

Nice info, but as TS said,

I've never used a Linux OS

So, i think, for him it will be very hard.

[Hallvor]

This one is nice. Based on Debian with the TDE desktop environment.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/exegnulinux/files/iso/

I have an Asus Eee myself, and in my humble opinion, you can't beat the GUI configurability/resource usage ratio of TDE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaN0TImPeVA

You may want to pick the 32 bit version because of little RAM, and perhaps use Pale Moon web browser instead of Chromium or whatever.

[Nili]

So, i think, for him it will be very hard.

Initially it seems difficult, Even me as such it seems at first, no more than one month i needed to understand some things how they work on NETINST.
Important not to getting bored, the goal will achieved as a reward in the end.