Tiny Install

Keltigern · 2009-12-07 23:40:34

I am new the arch linux i have heard very good things about it.

I have a laptop that that i would like to use for torrent downloading, playing a bit of music and playing text based games (No Flash)

I would like it as minimal as possible to increase speed

How would i go about doing this?

Thanks in advance

trishtren18 · 2009-12-08 00:30:33

the base arch install with openbox is pretty lean and fast if you know how to configure openbox. otherwise something as simple as a base arch install with lxde will work wonders and is really light on resources. you could then go here http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Lig … plications to find great applications with a small memory foot-print. have fun.

denton · 2009-12-08 00:30:40

Packages in base that aren't needed:

binutils                # Compiling
cpio                    # Extracting cpio files
cryptsetup              # LUKS encryption
dash                    # It's a shell. Not needed if you use bash, which is the default
dbus-core               # wpa_supplicant (connecting to WPA networks)
dcron                   # cronjobs (automating jobs at given times)
device-mapper           # LVM
dhcpcd                  # Needed for network with default initscripts
dialog                  # alsamixer uses this, so does netcfg. Not required
diffutils               # Compiling
e2fsprogs               # For making and manipulating ext# partitions
gdbm                    # Required for mandb
gettext                 # Usually for translating script and program output. Not required
groff                   # Required for mandb
hdparm                  # Setting HDD parameters: power, udma, etc. Not required
iputils                 # ping, traceroute, etc. Not required
jfsutils                # For making and manipulating jfs partitions
less                    # Pager. Not required
libgcrypt               # LUKS encryption, among other things
libgpg-error            # Dependency for above
libpcap                 # Not required
licenses                # Not required
logrotate               # For archiving logs (/var/log/old)
lvm2                    # LVM
lzo2                    # Not required
mailx                   # Sends mail. Not required
man-db                  # man-pages
man-pages               # man-pages
mdadm                   # RAID
mlocate                 # Utilities for finding files
nano                    # Text editor
pciutils                # lspci and setpci. Listing and configuring pci devices. Not required
pcmciautils             # As above, but for pcmcia
perl                    # Required for mandb
popt                    # Required for logrotate
ppp                     # 56k
procinfo                # Lists information from /proc. Not required
psmisc                  # Expands on procps. killall, etc.
reiserfsprogs           # For making and manipulating reiserfs partitions
rp-pppoe                # 56k
sdparm                  # Same as hdparm, but especifically for SCSI
sysfsutils              # Lists information from /sys. Not required
syslog-ng               # System logger
tar                     # For handling tar compressed files
tcp_wrappers            # Needed by syslog-ng
texinfo                 # Required for mandb
usbutils                # lsusb, among others. Not needed
vi                      # Text editor
wget                    # Downloads files. Not needed
which                   # Prints full binary paths. Not needed
wpa_supplicant          # Needed for WPA
xfsprogs                # For making and manipulating xfs partitions

Packages that are needed by initscripts(!) but aren't listed as such:

procps

Bootloader choice:

grub                    # Not needed if lilo is used
lilo                    # Not needed if grub is used

Last edited by denton (2009-12-08 00:31:42)

trishtren18 · 2009-12-08 00:33:38

you could install preload after you complete your install as well. it will increase the responsiveness of your applications that you use habitualy.

.:B:. · 2009-12-08 00:37:43

denton wrote:

Nice list

While you can do without a lot of those, i'm not sure how you want to run a system without all of those. Your system's ability gets severely limited; but at the price of what? A few Kb of gained hard drive space? Those utilities you list as 'not necessary' hardly inflate your installation.

denton · 2009-12-08 00:40:07

Heh, I have most of those installed myself. I agree, a system without diffutils or cron isn't much.

trishtren18 · 2009-12-08 15:35:40

well on the side of looking nice you can do a pretty small kde install with a kdebase-workspace then add applications as you see fit. you can use this to do so http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/KDE_Packages or the above link i gave you for light applications. also if you do it this way your going to want to also run a pacman -S phonon-xine otherwise your sound wont work. since kde is now modular you dont have to install all the bloat if you dont want.

.:B:. · 2009-12-08 15:40:44

Please... Don't say KDE is 'small'. The most basic configuration eats like 400 MB, if not more.

tomd123 · 2009-12-08 16:10:18

B wrote:

Please... Don't say KDE is 'small'. The most basic configuration eats like 400 MB, if not more.

400mb of ram maybe, although that might be too much. but the kde install is a 550mb download

.:B:. · 2009-12-08 16:15:47

It's been a while since I installed KDE 4 on my desktop, and I got rid of it after a few days. So I'm afraid I'm merely conjecturing .

trishtren18 · 2009-12-08 16:37:19

im not saying its small im saying that if he wants his computer to look pretty and since he is a proclaimed arch begginer that he could go with the base kde install. its not overly cumbersome and it may be what he is looking for. im just throwing ideas out their for him is all. personaly i do a arch with openbox, bmpanel, PCManFM, and for gigles iDesk.

trishtren18 · 2009-12-08 16:37:52

small as in relativly to a full kde install. i should clarify.

kgas · 2009-12-08 16:56:58

K.Mandla blog for example gives you lot up tips and details on command line tiny applications.

barzam · 2009-12-12 16:43:06

I don't see how installing lots of programs makes your computer slower? If I for example installed Openoffice, Emacs, Wine and some more things things wouldn't slow down until I started using the programs (but I'd use hundreds of Mbs of HD space).

If you want a fast, responsive computer you should:
*install a light WM, like Openbox
*no autolaunch of apps (unless you want a panel, systray etc)
*use lightweight applications (see my argument above though, having non lightweight applications installed doesn't slow down your system).

tomd123 · 2009-12-12 17:30:17

dupe

Last edited by tomd123 (2009-12-12 17:30:43)

milomouse · 2009-12-12 18:14:48

From my standpoint I like having smaller applications so the disc doesn't have to read/rotate as much in order to execute it, storing less (smaller amount) of data as I put my /root[/usr] partition early in the partition table so it's closer to the center for faster read times (supposedly). Also, I don't like having large applications as it will slow down my system when I actually use them, often harnessing a hefty amount of RAM when used side-by-side with other large applications. Ususally large applications have way more than I actually want. One task one application.

Also, without turning this into a rant, I like having smaller/lightweight applications as I can run nearly as many instances as I want side-by-side without a major lag in system performance. I'm often editing large source files while running multiple Uzbl instances, downloading/uploading files, playing music, and sometimes stopping what I'm doing (leaving them all open) to watch a DVD I ripped to my computer in sizes exceeding 3GB^. So yeah, you will notice a difference once you actually run the programs as opposed to simply having them on your disc ready to be run (depending on your disc). So smaller is better, IMHO.

Previous advice posted on this thread should be acknowledged. I would also suggest (since you're only wanting torrent downloads, text games, etc) that you partition your drive with a smaller /root partition if you're not getting these large applications or are not planning on any major computer programming with lots of libraries (although they dont seem to be too large), keeping your /home is closer to center of hard-drive disc with /var and /tmp last. If you already have your disc partitioned and don't see the big deal or just don't want to deal with it; I suggest KEEPING the core (base) as this tends to make life a little easier. I tried removing absolutely everything I didn't -need- and it became too cumbersome a task of micromanaging as opposed to saving a few MB's of space for the core (base) files I removed.

Software lists for lightweight files have been posted before and there are numerous threads about it, just do a quick search. A few lightweight apps, depending on if you want to use GUI or not:
Command-line Programs (TUI/Curses/Plain-Text):
Torrents/Downloaders: rtorrent, wget, axel, aria2, cclive, slimrat (without gui), etc...
Web-browsers: w3m, links, lynx, retawq, netrik
(no-gui) Image viewers: imagemagick (display), qiv, feh (some-gui on right-click)
Video players: mplayer (--disable-gui)
Games: bsd-games, nethack, nsudoku, pente, tintin (for online text-based MUD/MUSH games), and lots more..
Instant messengers: Irssi or Weechat (using Bitlee or Minbif[?]), Finch, ekg2, centerim
CD/DVD ripping: rubyripper (--disable-gtk2 --enable-cli), handbrake (--disable-gtk), mencoder, transcode
CD/DVD burning: dvd+rw-tools, cdrkit, libisoburn, bashburn
Email: mutt, alpine, claws, offlineimap, msmtp, fetchmail

Graphical Programs (GUI): I'm sorry, I dont know many GUI applications
Torrents/Downloaders: Deluge, Transmission, QTorrent, Fatrat
Web-browsers: Uzbl, Midori, Conkeror, Swiftweasel/Firefox, or Dillo (for not-very-compatible, non-JS, although FAST browsing)
Image viewers: Gliv, Mirage
Video players: mplayer (--enable-gui), VLC
Games: n/a
Instant messengers: Pidgin or Carrier, XChat
CD/DVD ripping: rubyripper (--enable-gtk2), handbrake (--enable-gtk), asunder, lxdvdrip, dvdrip
CD/DVD burning: recorder, graveman, pyburn, brasero-lite
Email: sylpheed, thunderbird

Again, this is just a small list for lighweight applications to help lighten the load on your system. This doesn't mean programs are the only thing affecting your computer's performance. There are lots of things you can do to increase your response time, like installing the kernel with Brain-Fuck scheduler which is aimed towards desktop users specifically, or increasing your network speeds by installing a DNS cache/forwarder like dnsmasq or djbdns. I hate to echo anyone else's advice so I'll leave it at that.

Last edited by milomouse (2009-12-12 18:19:37)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-12-07 23:40:34

Tiny Install

#2 2009-12-08 00:30:33

Re: Tiny Install

#3 2009-12-08 00:30:40

Re: Tiny Install

#4 2009-12-08 00:33:38

Re: Tiny Install

#5 2009-12-08 00:37:43

Re: Tiny Install

#6 2009-12-08 00:40:07

Re: Tiny Install

#7 2009-12-08 15:35:40

Re: Tiny Install

#8 2009-12-08 15:40:44

Re: Tiny Install

#9 2009-12-08 16:10:18

Re: Tiny Install

#10 2009-12-08 16:15:47

Re: Tiny Install

#11 2009-12-08 16:37:19

Re: Tiny Install

#12 2009-12-08 16:37:52

Re: Tiny Install

#13 2009-12-08 16:56:58

Re: Tiny Install

#14 2009-12-12 16:43:06

Re: Tiny Install

#15 2009-12-12 17:30:17

Re: Tiny Install

#16 2009-12-12 18:14:48

Re: Tiny Install

Board footer