Tiny Core Linux: The Ultimate Lightweight Option for Your PC’s Old Age
Tiny Core Linux just received an upgrade to v13.0, keeping up with its now established yearly release schedule. This veteran ultra-light Linux distribution remains incredibly compact, with its download size being a mere 22MB. Despite its size, Tiny Core Linux boasts a fully graphical UI, a modern Linux kernel, and the ability to install and run modern applications (although it’s best to keep it simple if your PC is ancient).(Image credit: Future)
What’s New in Tiny Core Linux 13.0?
The most noteworthy changes in this updated version of Tiny Core Linux are the upgraded kernel to version 5.15.10, and the use of the following components: glibc 2.34, gcc 11.2.0, binutils 2.37, e2fsprogs 1.46.4, and busybox 1.34.1. You can download Tiny Core Linux for 32- and 64-bit systems, with the latter being a slightly larger file at 31MB. It’s important to note that on the official download page, you must select the “TinyCore” ISO file as the others do not include a UI, only a command line interface.
Why Choose Tiny Core Linux?
Tiny Core Linux has earned a reputation as the go-to OS for computer enthusiasts and tinkerers who want to breathe new life into old, outdated systems. The system requirements are impressively light, which is to be expected from such a lightweight download.
To give you an idea of the minimum and recommended system requirements for Tiny Core Linux, here’s a breakdown according to the official FAQ:
RAM: Minimum of 46MB, recommended 128MB
CPU: Minimum Intel 486DX processor, recommended Intel Pentium 2
Storage: Minimum of 50MB for installation (requires 28MB on disk after installation without any apps), recommended storage depends on the apps you want to install and run
These specs are incredibly light, but if you’re considering installing this distro on an ancient machine, and not just testing it on a virtual machine, you will need to create a bootable media with the ISO.
User-Friendly Interface with Minimal Resources
Tiny Core Linux runs on a pleasantly minimal interface, which helps with speed and responsiveness on old hardware. The interface is based on the Fast Light Window Manager (FLWM), which features a central Dock at the bottom of the screen (similar to MacOS), and menus can be accessed with a double-left-click or right-click on the desktop. Almost everything you need is just a click or two away, including the option to download any desired applications (simply click the icon in the middle of the Dock).(Image credit: Future)
Impressively Compact, Even Compared to Classic Windows Installs
Fitting a modern, usable OS into such a small space is an impressive feat on its own. But for those who have been using computers for a while, the idea of a 22MB download being small may not be as impressive. To give you some context, Tiny Core Linux is about two-thirds the size of a Windows 95 installation (which was 30MB and required 100MB+ of disk space). Looking even further back, the combined installer files for Windows 3.11 for Workgroups added up to only 12MB.
