I don't exactly have solid figures to give but I've been using Xubuntu 12.04 on an Asus EeePC 701 which only has 512 Mb of RAM so that's a safe number. It's won't be a "theoretical minimum". Of course, I had to use the alternative installer.
- Joan On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 2:42 PM, PK <pliniusmi...@gmail.com> wrote: > I agree with Ali Linx, that 512 MB RAM should be considered as a workable > minimum for Xubuntu. If it gets lower than that, Lubuntu or even mini's > like AntiX or Puppy Linux are much more suitable. > > In my opinion, the minimal system requirements should be aimed at a > practical and workable system, not at a theoretical minimum that will, at > best, cause an unbearably slow and sluggish system. Underpromise and > overdeliver, that's what makes people happy.... Not the other way round. > :-) > > I have no figures to back my statement, but I do have the experience of > seven years of fulltime Linux use on many computers. > > Regards, Pjotr. > > > 2013/7/23 Jeff Hanson <jephhan...@gmail.com> > >> Could you have actually opened the System Monitor to see how much ram and >> how much swap was being used at the time, or did I miss something? I just >> wouldn't like to assume that it is going over etc based on overall >> performance, when it's easy to see how much is being used in real time and >> from what apps. >> >> >> On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 12:15 AM, Ali Linx (amjjawad) <amjja...@gmail.com >> > wrote: >> >>> >>> On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 8:59 AM, Micah Gersten <mic...@ubuntu.com>wrote: >>> >>>> On 07/16/2013 11:33 PM, Ali Linx (amjjawad) wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> *Information:* >>>> - Xubuntu 12.04.1.ISO >>>> - LiveUSB Created by UNetbootin >>>> - Installation on Real Hardware - http://phillw.net/hardware/BnA9pw11 >>>> - RAM Used: 242MB - http://i44.tinypic.com/a4ug5s.jpg >>>> - Note that: LiveUSB is faster than LiveCD >>>> >>>> >>>> *Test Case:* >>>> >>>> 1. Machine has two HDD1 and HDD2 >>>> 2. HDD1 is Samsung 20GB IDE (Lubuntu 13.10 Saucy is installed on >>>> the whole HDD). >>>> 3. HHD2 is Segate 80GB IDE >>>> 4. Booting the machine from the LiveUSB >>>> 5. Choosing "Try Xubuntu without installation" >>>> 6. Booted successfully to the Live Desktop >>>> 7. http://i44.tinypic.com/2hf5tgj.jpg >>>> 8. The Live Desktop was slow and I had to wait few seconds until >>>> Right Click > Menu shows up. >>>> 9. Ran GParted to turn SWAP OFF. >>>> 10. Once SWAP is OFF, the machine became VERY SLOW. If I press >>>> CAPS Lock, the LED on the Keyboards needs few mins to be ON. >>>> 11. Obviously, because Physical RAM was already being used (FULLY) >>>> - http://i44.tinypic.com/2hf5tgj.jpg - then once SWAP is OFF, >>>> definitely the whole machine will stop responding and this is very easy >>>> to >>>> re-produce (I'm expert to make old machine not usable and not >>>> responding). >>>> 12. Clicked on "Install Xubuntu" from the Desktop >>>> 13. I waited for 30 mins and the machine is totally not responding >>>> and the mouse pointer is stuck on the circle icon (when the system is >>>> processing something, the pointer turns to be a circle - I'm sure you >>>> know >>>> what I mean). >>>> 14. I had to reboot the machine. >>>> 15. Repeated the same above steps - same result >>>> 16. Even though the Live Desktop did not crash after 30mins of >>>> waiting, the whole system/machine is not usable and not responding so >>>> whether it crashes or not, same - you can not do anything and you must >>>> reboot. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> *Summary:* >>>> Having all the above said, long story short, there is *NO WAY* to >>>> 'Try' Xubuntu on 256MB of RAM nor 'Installing' it with 256MB of RAM. Again, >>>> see this: http://i44.tinypic.com/2hf5tgj.jpg >>>> >>>> >>>> *Suggestion:* >>>> I think by far, it is very much safe to say that the *Minimum RAM*required >>>> to Try Xubuntu and/or Install it is 512MB AT LEAST. >>>> >>>> >>>> *Please Note:* >>>> You need to understand that having a pre-exist SWAP Partition is NOT >>>> the default/standard case for all users. Users may have only one HDD. User >>>> may have not installer another Linux System on a different or same HDD so >>>> they do have SWAP. >>>> >>>> Also, please note that it is NOT advisable to ask from a new user to >>>> create a SWAP Partition just to install Xubuntu on LESS than 512MB RAM. >>>> This is not helpful at all, IMHO. >>>> >>>> Having that said, in order to do a real test with a worse case >>>> scenario, you need to follow the steps I have done to get the same results >>>> (SWAP OFF). >>>> >>>> *By the way ... if zRAM was enabled by default, I'm sure the results >>>> would be different - just saying *:) >>>> >>>> >>>> *What Next?* >>>> On the same machine, I am going to increase the RAM used by system by >>>> entering BIOS and: http://i44.tinypic.com/a4ug5s.jpg >>>> >>>> I will set it to 64MB so the RAM that will be used by the system will >>>> be 432MB RAM. I know what you are thinking. There is 16MB any Linux OS I >>>> have tried on that machine can not read/detect that is why the usable RAM >>>> by the system is 432MB not 448MB. Yes, I will turn SWAP OFF as well. >>>> >>>> Ok, I have tried that and I did not work. >>>> >>>> I had to set the RAM to 464MB so that I can install Xubuntu 12.04 from >>>> the LiveUSB while I'm on the Live Desktop (Try Xubuntu without installation >>>> > Live Desktop). >>>> >>>> and ... >>>> >>>> Installation is successful - Time:13mins >>>> >>>> >>>> *After Installation Xubuntu 12.04* >>>> >>>> This is what I did after the installation: >>>> >>>> >>>> 1. sudo nano /etc/fstab >>>> 2. Removed SWAP entry >>>> 3. Saved >>>> 4. Rebooted >>>> 5. sudo apt-get install zram-config >>>> 6. http://i40.tinypic.com/n2cqq9.jpg >>>> >>>> I'm currently upgrading my system: >>>> >>>> sudo apt-get upgrade && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade >>>> >>>> Now, Xubuntu 12.04 installation has NO Physical SWAP Partition. >>>> The SWAP that you see here: http://i40.tinypic.com/n2cqq9.jpg >>>> This is from zram-config >>>> >>>> >>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZRam >>>> https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/zram-config >>>> >>>> >>>> *End of Test Report 1* >>>> >>>> Thank you for reading! >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> "All of us are smarter than any one of us." >>>> *Best Regards,* >>>> *amjjawad <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad/>* >>>> *Start >>>> Ubuntu<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/CommunicationsTeam/WOWLubuntu/StartUbuntu> >>>> * >>>> *My Own Business <http://alilinx.blogspot.com/>* >>>> >>>> I don't think that anyone says to run Xubuntu with 256MB RAM with no >>>> swap partition. >>>> >>> >>> I have volunteered to do this test because the Minimum System >>> Requirement on the Website is not correct IMHO and as Lyz said, no one has >>> done such test for a long time so I guess it is good to have some data >>> regarding this. >>> >>> >>> >>>> Creating a swap partition is a part of the standard install IIRC. >>>> Also, this can be a swap file and does not need to be a separate disk >>>> (though I don't know if the installer handles this properly or not). >>> >>> >>> NO one said swap should NOT be created. You misunderstood the whole >>> point. >>> SWAP partition will be created 'during' the installation process NOT >>> 'before' it :) hope it is clear now and I guess my report is very much >>> detailed unless I missed something that need further explanation. >>> >>> >>> >>>> Having said that, I don't have an issue saying that the minimum to run >>>> Xubuntu is 512MB at this point. >>>> >>> >>> Good. Because saying on the website 256MB is not correct :) >>> >>> >>> >>>> Even at 512MB, swap will be needed, but I don't think that's a problem. >>>> >>>> Micah >>>> >>>> >>> For me to disable swap and edit fstab is an extreme move to test how far >>> I could go with my installation. That was an added step, ignore it please >>> if this will cause any confusion. >>> >>> Summary: Because I have previous installed Linux with SWAP Partition, I >>> had to disable it 'before' installing Xubuntu. >>> >>> Xubuntu Installer will create SWAP Partition DURING the installation >>> process NOT before it ... unless of course ... someone will create his/her >>> partitions 'before' the installation using GParted and choose 'Something >>> Else' from this step: http://i40.tinypic.com/14jx9h4.jpg >>> >>> However, this is not the standard approach. New Users will not create >>> their partitions 'before' the installation. >>> >>> Definitely, having a swap partition created 'before' installing Xubuntu >>> will help, no doubt about it but this is not a general case. Only those who >>> are experienced enough can do it. When you mention on the official website >>> a minimum system requirement, you need to keep the very new users in mind :) >>> >>> Thank you for your feedback! >>> and you are welcome :) >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> "All of us are smarter than any one of us." >>> >>> *Best Regards,* >>> *amjjawad <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad/>* >>> *Start >>> Ubuntu<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/CommunicationsTeam/WOWLubuntu/StartUbuntu> >>> * >>> *My Own Business <http://alilinx.blogspot.com/>* >>> >>> >>> -- >>> xubuntu-devel mailing list >>> xubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com >>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/xubuntu-devel >>> >>> >> >> -- >> xubuntu-devel mailing list >> xubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com >> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/xubuntu-devel >> >> > > -- > xubuntu-devel mailing list > xubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/xubuntu-devel > > -- Joan Advincula Mozilla Rep, https://reps.mozilla.org/u/jadvincula/ @iamMJae <http://twitter.com/iamMJae> | http://jauntyskipper.wordpress.com
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