Subject: Recommendations for operating system
From: Choctaw Bob <bob099 at centurytel.net>
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:13:57 -0500
To: cctalk at
classiccmp.org
I think that this just squeaks in as being on topic.
I am looking for suggestions for an operating system for a PC, specs 75
MHZ Pentium, 16 MB Ram, 4 GB HD, currently running PC-DOS Ver 7.
Original IBM PC-DOS right out of the factory sealed box. I am thinking
about putting GEM on the machine, maybe CP/M-86. Thought about GEOS,
but rejected it, too closed.
Specs seem too tight for Linux or BSD, or at least little advantage over
DOS or CP/M.
Anyone have experience with an operating system that might work, and be
capable of useful work?
On boxes of that scale I've run DOS3.11->6.22, W3.11 W95, w98, NT4*,
ConcurrentDos, and OS2/Warp3. I'll add linux but stick to older
distros as the newer ones are big.
NT4 wants at least 32mb of ram but runs smoothly even on 33mhz 486s.
However as a useful box DOS, w3.11, W95 and NT4 were the most useful as
I could run a wider range of available apps. I have a p100 with 32m
running w98se with two disks, boot is 500mb and D: is 4.3gb and it's
a useful tool.
Allison