[andy_pleasants]

Hi guys

Just a quick question to get your advice on this, before I go and delve into the seemingly endless realm of Linux distros.

Basically I'm looking for a light-weight Linux distro that is capable of only a few things:

• Be an SSH server
  
• Run some virtualization software (VMWare or even something like VirtualBox)

Anything other than that isn't really needed (maybe just the ability to connect to a server using SFTP could be a possibility but not a necessity).

The hardware it will run on is a mid-high spec computer, but I'd like it to be as light-weight as possible to leave as much resources as possible to the virtualized OS.

Any help would be appreciated.

[no2pencil]

Slackware, debian, or Arch.

Just be sure to also install a lightweight Xorg desktop manager like Blackbox/Fluxbox, if you have to have graphics.

[Janitor]

no2pencil, on 23 December 2010 - 09:33 AM, said:

Slackware, debian, or Arch.

Just be sure to also install a lightweight Xorg desktop manager like Blackbox/Fluxbox, if you have to have graphics.

ubuntu Server, or even the Desktop Edition?

http://ubuntu.com

[andy_pleasants]

Quote

ubuntu Server, or even the Desktop Edition?

I'd be happy with this, it's what I use at home - I was just wondering if anybody knew of any "lighter" ones - most of the Ubuntu stuff I don't really need, but would quite happily have if it simplifies things

[Janitor]

andy_pleasants, on 19 January 2011 - 11:15 PM, said:

Quote

ubuntu Server, or even the Desktop Edition?

I'd be happy with this, it's what I use at home - I was just wondering if anybody knew of any "lighter" ones - most of the Ubuntu stuff I don't really need, but would quite happily have if it simplifies things

Why not try Linux Mint then, simplified distribution...with a stylish GUI..

http://www.linuxmint.com/

This post has been edited by Janitor: 20 January 2011 - 07:36 AM

[Sethro117]

I would try Damn Small Linux, it'd 50MB which is about the smallest you'll find I believe that has a GUI.
Quotes from their website:

Quote

Damn Small also has the ability to act as an SSH/FTP/HTTPD server right off of a live CD

Quote

What does DSL have?

XMMS (MP3, CD Music, and MPEG), FTP client, Dillo web browser, Netrik web browser, FireFox, spreadsheet, Sylpheed email, spellcheck (US English), a word-processor (Ted), three editors (Beaver, Vim, and Nano [Pico clone]), graphics editing and viewing (Xpaint, and xzgv), Xpdf (PDF Viewer), emelFM (file manager), Naim (AIM, ICQ, IRC), VNCviwer, Rdesktop, SSH/SCP server and client, DHCP client, PPP, PPPoE (ADSL), a web server, calculator, generic and GhostScript printer support, NFS, Fluxbox and JWM window managers, games, system monitoring apps, a host of command line tools, USB support, and pcmcia support, some wireless support.

It doesnt look like it has virtualization packages right off the bat. You should be able to easily add them though.

[mrloserskid]

andy_pleasants, on 23 December 2010 - 02:32 AM, said:

Hi guys

Just a quick question to get your advice on this, before I go and delve into the seemingly endless realm of Linux distros.

Basically I'm looking for a light-weight Linux distro that is capable of only a few things:

• Be an SSH server
  
• Run some virtualization software (VMWare or even something like VirtualBox)

Anything other than that isn't really needed (maybe just the ability to connect to a server using SFTP could be a possibility but not a necessity).

The hardware it will run on is a mid-high spec computer, but I'd like it to be as light-weight as possible to leave as much resources as possible to the virtualized OS.

Any help would be appreciated.

so you want to enter the wonderful land of linux. I am not an expert linux user but i have tested allot of the distros.
I have found that depending on your system not all distros will work that well.
for instance on my laptop the only 64 bit distro that will work is sabayon and other gentoo based os's. but on my desktop all distros will work.
for stability - ubuntu, mint or fedora
(fedora is i686 were ubuntu is i386)

speed - arch if your advanced, or sabayon or calculate (anything gentoo or arch based)

i like pardus allot but i think its a resource hog.


for virtualization try open indiana when there stable realise comes out, based on open solaris and oracle owns virtualbox

if you use fedora 32bit try fusion its got allot of addons added in.

opensuse is great if your computer likes it.

My favorite is pclinuxos

good luck and buy lots of cd's (flash drives dont always work)