Which Version of VL to Install on Old Laptop?

[Martin109]

I’ve found an old Toshiba from about 1990!  I thought it might be fun to see if I could get a version of VL installed on it.  It’s a Toshiba T1910CS, and it’s got MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 on it at the moment.  The result of the MS_DOS mem command is:

Code:

655360 bytes total conventional memory
654336 bytes available to MS-DOS
539424 largest executable program size

3407872 bytes total contiguous extended memory
0 bytes available contiguous extended memory
2293760 bytes available XMS memory

And the result  of the chkdsk command is:

Code:

209342464 bytes total disk space
172032 bytes in 6 hidden files
540672 bytes in 116 directories
192560576 bytes in 3888 user files
150691184 bytes available on disk

4096 bytes in each allocation unit
51109 total allocation units
3679 available allocation units on disk

What version of VL5.9 or 6.0 could this machine manage (completely replacing MS-DOS and Windows, naturally)?  Would I have to forget about the X window system and just run it as terminal-based VL?

[M0E-lnx]

I'd be concerned about cpu speed on something this old
but if you just want a running linux system, with no gui, eiher 5.9 or 6.0 light will do the job. keep in mind (NO GUI)

If you want a gui, you may have to go to some older VL (maybe < 5.1)

[nightflier]

The 200 MB HDD is another limiting factor.

I think you should try something like Basiclinux. I use that on my (in comparison, blazingly fast) P75/24.

Or, see what this guy did:
http://www.twinbee.com/cyberpvnk/linux.html

[Daniel]

If you are willing to use something pre-vl5.9 you could look in the repositories (from a browser) and get the iso for an earlier version.

[Martin109]

Thanks everyone; that gives me some ideas.