Latest Ubuntu For a CD

[faginbagin]

On 5/11/2020 2:24 PM, Glenn K0LNY wrote:
> Hi,
> I want to install Ubuntu on a computer with 512 mb of RAM, and it only has a CD drive.
> I think Ubuntu 16 is probably the latest version that will run on that amount of RAM.
> But the ISO will only fit on a DVD, and this drive only has a CD drive, and the BIOS or boot options don't recognize a USB for boot options.
> I know that there are minimal boot downloads, but are there any that come with Orca?
> Thanks.
> Glenn
Maybe the BIOS supports netbooting? I used this method recently on an old desktop from 2002 and on an old 2004 laptop whose DVD drive wasn't working, to install Debian Buster. I used my ASUS router with merlin firmware as the netboot (aka PXE boot) server which served the installation media from a USB drive over the home network. If it's not supported by your router, you can set up the netbooting services on just about any flavor of Linux, it's just a little more complicated. There are many guides on the internet explaining how to do it.

I don't need Orca, so I don't know if Debian Buster installation media supports it. I do know Ubuntu 18.04 did provide 32 bit installation media, IF the CPU supports PAE. The LXDE flavor, Lubuntu 18.04 might run in 512MB RAM? I don't know if their installation media has Orca, though. If you do try a ubuntu 18.04 flavor, stick with 18.04.1. The newer point releases have newer kernels that might not play nice on old hardware. Even later 4.15 kernels that came with 18.04 updates caused problems on my old laptop due to mitigations for CPU vulnerabilities, like SPECTRE. If you find the computer is unstable after upgrading, try using the kernel parameter, nopti, for no page table isolation.