small OS | MenuetOS | QNX | Knoppix | Frenzy

Smallest operating system.

In this article we will tell you about smallest operating systems in the world. The operating systems described here fit on a floppy disk, CD, or removable flash card. So, let's begin...

It's no secret that Windows users the vast majority of home computer owners are now. But besides Windows, there are other operating systems (OS). Especially actively penetrating now into the sector of home computers Linux... Many have heard of it and would probably like to try it. But almost everyone is stopped by the fact that to install another OS it is necessary to repartition the hard disk, and if this is done unskilledly, there is a chance of losing important data.

In this article, we will look at several operating systems that do not need to be installed on a hard drive, they boot from a floppy disk or CD. They all have a graphical shell and a set of programs. Almost everything - except QNX demodisk and Mungkie Linux- Russified and have documentation in Russian. It - smallest operating systems.

Let's start with the easiest option to get and install: systems that boot from a floppy disk.

MenuetOS

MenuetOS it is a fully 32-bit, written in assembler OS with a graphical user interface and multitasking / multithreading architecture. Distributed with source code... Developed since 2001 by Ville Turjanmaa (Finland). There is also a Russian community of developers of this OS, and recently domestic distributions are even superior in functionality and beauty to the version of the author.

Due to the fact that the system was written in assembler, that is, the language closest to machine codes, it has a small size and high performance. Indeed, where else can you find such a beautiful (see screenshot) operating system that fits on one floppy disk along with its source code, application programs and compiler. The system was originally developed by programmers, each of whom tried to make it convenient for themselves, which left its mark on the selection of programs.

The package includes an assembler compiler FASM (really convenient, multifunctional and well-documented assembler, which also exists for Windows and DOS http://flatassembler.net), a compiler for an interesting code-saving language C-- (http: // c - sphinx. narod.ru), process manager, HEX viewer, etc. MenuetOS is the smallest operating system.

The distribution kit contains the necessary minimum of application programs: tynipad text editor, calculator, archiver, file and picture managers, audio and CD players, icon editor and manager, console, etc.

Entertainment was not left without attention. There are several demo programs with sources - for example, a 3D maze - and, of course, toys: Memory Blocks, Tetris, Pong (Arkanoid variant), C4 (4 in a row), sapper and chess. You can play chess only when connected to the Internet through a special chess server.

Given the presence of a game with such capabilities, it is logical to assume that the system should be able to work with the network. For these purposes, there are many useful utilities: FTP client, PPP dialer, telnet, POP mail client, IRC, and even HTTP and MP3 servers. The smallest operating system.

The smallest operating system requires at least a Pentium computer with 16 MB random access memory... Requirement for modern computers just ridiculous. A VESA-compatible video adapter is also desirable, since the system supports 16-bit color.

MenuetOS knows how to work with FAT32 hard drives. But to do this, she needs to specifically indicate that such a disk is available in the system. On this moment autodetection of equipment is not implemented.

To get started, you need to download the distribution kit of the latest version of MenuetOS in the form of a zip file from one of the above sites. It contains the installer. Run it, insert a blank floppy disk upon request, and after a while you have a working disk with MenuetOS. If desired, you can add other files to this disk, since the floppy disk is mapped to the FAT file system. The smallest operating system.

All that is now required is to boot from the resulting floppy disk. Do not forget to change the boot order in the BIOS! The first device should be floppy disk (a).

At the beginning of the download, you will be asked about the configuration of your computer (amount of memory, desired video mode, etc.). Follow all instructions on the screen. The new kernel version 0.76 supports Russian from the very beginning of the boot process, so there should be no problems.

MenuetOS was written from scratch, so it takes advantage of both UNIX and Windows systems. For example, the path to the Windows folder on the first hard drive in the Menuet will look like / HD / 0 / Windows /. At the same time, the basic skills of working with windows, icons, menus, buttons and other graphical controls do not differ much in different systems Oh. The smallest operating system.

Generally MenuetOS quite an interesting and beautiful system. I strongly advise you to download its distribution kit and see what can fit in 1 MB.

QNX demodisk

QNX demodisk is a stripped-down, single-disk version of the QNX realtime OS. A fairly common and rather expensive operating system based on UNIX, the first versions of which were developed back in 1981.Since then, the system has been continuously developing, and is now used in many places where high reliability is required: scientific and military centers, distributed computing systems, embedded systems, etc.

One day, one of the QNX software employees Dan Hildebrand decided to prove to the whole world that QNX OS can fit on one floppy disk. Unfortunately, Dan himself did not live to see the final release of the QNX demodisk. He died of cancer in July 1998 at the age of 37. But his work continued, and what many thought was impossible was soon done.

On one three-inch floppy disk, OS QNX (practically the only one in the world with a real microkernel architecture), the Photon microGUI graphical window shell and several programs: a file manager, a text editor and a full-fledged Voyager web browser fit in. This browser fully supports HTML 3.2 specifications, including frames, JavaScript, and animated GIFs. In addition, the system has a built-in web server, screen configurator, dialer and a small vector demo. QNX demodisk - the smallest operating system.

Unfortunately, QNX demodisk does not work with any type of storage media. This means that you will be able to run this OS, but you will not be able to add your programs to it or save the results of your work. Well, there are similar limitations in the demos of many programs. Some utilities can be downloaded from the Internet, but you have nowhere to save them and will need to download them again next time.

The system requires an 80386 processor with 8 MB of memory, a mouse and a VGA or VESA 2.0 video card. A modem is also desirable. But many modern modems, such as Win modems or soft modems, will not be detected by the system.

On the official site http://www.qnx.com QNX demodisk can no longer be found, but it is in many archives. It is enough to enter QNX demodisk in any search engine, and you will be given a lot of links. For the lazy, here are some of them:

Http://public.planetmirror.com/pub/qnx/demodisk/modem/qnxdemo.zip
http://toastytech.com/guis/qnxdemo_modem_v4.zip
http://toastytech.com/guis/qnxdemo_net_v4.zip

Mungkie Linux

During the boot process, the system provides information about the found hardware, finds and mounts partitions by itself hard disk... After the end of the process, an invitation appears for entering a username and password. Guided by the hint, enter root and press Enter instead of the password. Everything, loaded. But what we see: a text screen with a blinking cursor. Not everyone knows what to do next. To load the graphical user interface, simply type start and press Enter.

Problems are possible if your monitor does not support 1024x768 / 16bit / 75MHz resolution. Then you should refer to the FAQ, which describes in detail what to do in such cases. But even in the console, you can do a lot. At first, the console file managers Midnight Commander (mc) and Demos Commander (deco) will help you. Smallest operating system

After starting X-Window with the fluxbox window manager, all the pleasures of the graphical interface are available to you. On click right click the mouse calls up a menu in which you can select required application... The selection of utilities is impressive:

so, besides the ones mentioned above file managers there is MToolsFM 1.9.3, designed to work with DOS floppies without mounting;

a complete set of archivers for all occasions (cabextract, rar, unace, unarj, unlzx, unzip, zip). From text editors Gnotepad, Joe and BIEW (hex editor and disassembler) are additionally available;

Internet utilities: Opera, Lynx, Links web browsers; mailers Sylpheed-claws, mutt; ICQ and chat - CenterICQ, Licq and Xchat; also - to download wget and curl files;

system utilities are represented by a large set of applications: to assess the performance of a computer - bytebench, ubench, to check various components of the system - cpuburn, memtest, pciutils, crashme, ree, to monitor the system - gkrellm, to identify and restore hard disk partitions formatted for different file systems, - disktype, fatback, ffsrecov, gpart, task, testdisk, linuxfdisk;

network utilities: Windows networking (LinNeighborhood, jags, nat, nbtscan), port scanners (gps, strobe), remote control(rdesktop and tightvnc), DNS utilities (dlint, dnrd, dnstop, dnstracer), ICMP utilities - icmpinfo, icmpquery - and a bunch of auxiliary utilities for analyzing network performance, calculating subnets and network masks;

security - there is generally a solid set for all cases: drweb antivirus; system analyzers for the presence of attachments and security checks chkrootkit and cops; cryptography and password utilities apg, gnupg with gpa, gpasman; password crackers john, l0phtcrack, pwl9x; packet sniffers angst, echolot, ethereal, ettercap, sniffit, radiusniff, sniff; security scanners and attack detection programs dsniff, nessus, nmap, snort, arirang, authforce, whisker, subweb and fragrouter;

just nice programs: for viewing graphic images- gqview, a complete set for listening to audio - xmms, mpg123, mp3blaster, fmio, mikmod and aumix-gtk, finally, you can take a breath during a break while playing gtk-balls. The smallest operating system.

Knoppix

Knoppix is a version of the Linux operating system that can work directly from a CD. In addition to the Linux operating system itself, the Knoppix disc contains over nine hundred software packages (two thousand programs), including window managers (KDE, WindowMaker, Fluxbox, etc.); office suites (OpenOffice, Koffice, etc.), programs for working on the Internet (browsers, email clients, chat clients, etc.), multimedia programs and, of course, dozens of games.

Knoppix developer Klaus Knopper lives in Germany, but our Russian localized version of Knoppix is ​​more widespread.

Knoppix can completely replace Windows: it has everything you need for a "home" OS. With Knoppix, you can write programs, write term papers and diplomas, draw, listen to music, watch videos, just play - in short, use your computer to its fullest. There are 3 or 4 office suites alone. Among the many programs there is even a planetarium program that will show you a view of the starry sky over any point on the planet at any time. Many of the celestial objects in it are represented by real photographs.

Optionally, Knoppix can be moved to a hard drive, turning your machine into a Linux desktop. And you won't have to throw away the already familiar Windows programs. Knoppix comes with Wine, an "emulator" for Windows. It can be used to make most Windows programs work on Linux. Knoppix is ​​the smallest operating system.

Knoppix interface beyond praise: the Keramik style is set by default. There are smooth colors, rounded shapes, and translucency. You can install any other of the many styles.

You can order Knoppix Live CD both at http://knoppix.ru, and at the already indicated http://www.nixp.ru and some other online stores. On http://www.nixp.ru it costs about 50 rubles, on http://knoppix.ru - 90.

The world of LiveCD and LiveDisk distributions is by no means limited to the systems described. On http://frozentech.com/content/livecd.php published a list of about a hundred Linux-class LiveCD distributions that boot directly from the compact. Their purpose is very diverse - from desktop multimedia platforms to cluster nodes and tools for analyzing and recovering damaged systems. The smallest operating system.

Moreover, recently appeared special program to create bootable CDs with WindowsPE (Preinstallation Environment), which from the WindowsXP distribution creates a fully working boot disk that does not require installation. This utility is called Bart's PE Builder http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder.

Download the smallest operating system:

The smallest operating system | Knoppix | Mungkie Linux | MenuetOS
| QNX demodisk | Frenzy

This is probably the best selection. operating systems, the existence of which you might not even have guessed, but all of them are worth taking note of, and maybe even taking advantage of them. We hope that each of you will like this collection, as they can be used whether you are an office worker, manager, student or just home amateur... The axes are actually worth taking note of as they are quite functional. We present to your attention a list of 7 operating systems that you might not even have heard of. You can download operating systems by following the links. Check them out and share your opinion in the comments.

If you are familiar with some other "handicraft" distributions, please do not hide them, share them with other visitors!

Slax is a modern, small, portable Linux operating system, made up of modules and very attractively designed. Despite such a small size, the system offers you a wide range of pre-determined installed programs for everyday use. In addition, it has a very beautiful interface and useful recovery tools for administrators.

openSUSE is for your personal computer, laptop or server system, but it is based on Linux. You can surf the Internet, manage photos and mail, do all your typical office work, play video files or music, etc. It includes new version GNOME, KDE, OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Linux kernel and many other patched updates. In version 11.2 you will be able to use over 1000 different free apps... openSUSE also includes a complete suite of software for the server.

ReactOS®- this is free modern operating system based on Windows® XP / 2003 design. It was written entirely from scratch and follows the Windows-NT® architecture that was developed by Microsoft. This system is not based on Linux, and does not share any of the qualities of the unix architecture. In short, this OS was designed specifically as an example of a complete but lightweight OS. At first glance, the term "lightweight" might be associated with win95, with its unpretentious design and a small handful of programs. It may have a lot in common with win95, but it brings it all up in a new, modern light.

MonaOS- this is free operating system... It is new, simple, open source and has a great structure. In principle, this axis can be used for the educational process in schools.

FreeDOS represents free operating system compatible with DOS (for systems compatible with IBM-PC). FreeDOS is made up of several different applications that work as a whole system. FreeDOS is distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL.

MINIX 3 is a new open source OS that has been specifically designed to be an example of a robust, flexible and secure OS. It is based on previous versions MINIX, but very different from them. MINIX 1 and 2 were more like learning tools, and MINIX 3 embodies a new goal of becoming a serious OS for low-performance computers.

Haiku Is an open source OS currently under development. Haiku aims to be fast, simple and easy to use, but at the same time it remains a complete powerful OS.

04
mar
2011

MiniOS 2010.0 20110206 (kernel 2.6.31.14)

Year of issue: 2011

Genre: Operating mini-system

Developer: miniOS

Developer site: http://www.minios.org/

Architecture: x86

Interface language: English + Russian

Platform: Mandriva Linux

File format: zip

System requirements: optimal for netbooks when working with a flash drive

Description: MiniOS is a full-fledged operating system that works with USB-Flash with the ability to install on HDD.
It is a free analogue of Mandriva Flash, based on Mandriva Linux and is a fully compatible distribution.
- based on Mandriva Linux 2010.0
- differs from the build for 2010.2, in addition to the version, also in the type of file system and compression. Uses SquashFS3 with GZIP compression,
instead of SquashFS4 with LZMA in 2010.2, due to which it works much faster on weak hardware, it is optimal for netbooks when working from a flash drive.
- kernel 2.6.31.14
- the GNOME desktop
- 3D Compiz desktop
- support for modules on Squashfs 3 and their simple creation in a convenient graphical interface
- binding browser profiles, mail program, messenger for portable programs
- the ability to change the system for yourself directly from the system itself
- small size of the occupied space (about 500MB)
- drivers for work on a wide range of equipment
- support for internet connection via Yota

The performance was tested on ASUS Eee PC 900 netbooks, ASUS Eee PC 1201N, HP Pavilion dv6 2025er laptop.

Unpack the contents of the archive to the root of the flash drive, set the disk label "MINIOS", then
Windows 2K / XP: Run setupsyslinuxbootinst.bat
Windows Vista / 7: run command line as administrator, run setupbootinst.bat located on the flash drive from it
Linux: run. / Setup / bootinst.sh
After the first launch and creation of the file for storing changes, the graphical interface may not start, just press Ctrl + Alt + Del, from the second boot everything will work as it should.

04
mar
2011

Year of issue: 2011
Genre: operating mini-system
Developer: MiniOS
Developer site: http://www.minios.org/
Architecture: x86
Interface language: English + Russian
Platform: Mandriva Linux
File format: zip
System requirements: PC or laptop (no) beech with support for booting from USB FLASH
Description: MiniOS is a full-fledged operating system that works with USB-Flash and can be installed on a hard drive. It is a free analogue of Mandriva Flash, based on Mandriva Linux and is a fully compatible distribution. - based on Mandriva Linux 2010.2 - kernel 2.6.33.7 - working environment ...

30
june
2012

Vocaloid 2 2.0.6.14

Year of issue: 2006
Genre: Audio Editor
Developer: Yamaha
Developer site: www.vocaloid.com
Interface language: English
Build Type: Standard
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7
System Requirements: Pentium 4 2GHz / Athlon XP2000 512 MB RAM (1GB desirable) 4GB hard disk space
Description: Vocaloid is a software from Yamaha Corporation that simulates a human singing voice based on a given melody and text. Any program based on Vocaloid can be roughly divided into two parts: a voice synthesis system (singing) and a library ...

20
jan
2010

Norton Utilities 2010 14.5.0.116

Year of issue: 2010
Genre: System Optimization
Developer: Symantec Inc
Developer site: http://www.symantec.com
Interface language: Russian
Platform: Windows 7, Vista, XP
System requirements: Minimum Requirements To hardware 300 MHz or higher processor 256 MB RAM 200 MB free space on hard disk
Description: orton Utilities is a set of utilities designed to increase free space in RAM, speed up PC boot, free up hard disk space and improve system performance as a whole. The package includes: -Startup Manager for ...

17
Aug
2010

Embarcadero RAD Studio Architect 2010.14.0.3615.26342

Year of issue: 2010
Genre: Development environment
Developer: Embarcadero Technologies
Developer site: http://www.embarcadero.com/
Interface language: English
Platform: Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7
System requirements: Intel® Pentium® or compatible, 1.4 GHz minimum (2GHz + recommended) 1GB RAM (2GB + recommended) 3 GB free hard disk space 750 MB free hard disk space for prerequisites DVD-ROM drive 1024x768 or higher-resolution monitor Mouse or other pointing device
Description: Embarcadero RAD Studio 2010 is a complete solution for rapid development Windows applications, .NET, web app ...

12
feb
2014

Ashampoo Burning Studio 14 Build 14.0.4.2 Final + Portable 32/64-bit

Year of issue: 2014
Genre: Recording discs, copying discs
Developer: Ashampoo GmbH & Co. KG
Developer site: https://www.ashampoo.com
Interface language: Russian + English
Build type: Standart + Portable
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
System requirements: 1024 MB RAM (2 GB for Blu-ray video), 350 MB disk space
Description: Ashampoo burning Studio 14 is the result of over fourteen years of experience in the development of multimedia and recording software. Easier, more powerful and more reliable - experience the best Burning Studio has ever created! Basic ...

13
june
2016

Microsoft Office 2010 Standard 14.0.7165.5000 SP2

Year of issue: 2016
Genre: Office software
Developer: Microsoft

Interface language: Russian
Build Type: Standard
Bit depth: 64-bit
Operating system: Windows (7), Windows (XP), Windows (Vista)
System requirements: -Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) (32-bit) -Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) -Windows 7 -Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) and MSXML 6.0 -Windows Server 2008
Description: Microsoft Office 2010 - one of the best sets office programs for PCs, browsers and phones. This package has all the functions that ...

21
june
2015

Microsoft Office 2010 Standard 14.0.7151.5001 SP2 RePack by KpoJIuK

Year of issue: 2015
Genre: Office software
Developer: Microsoft
Developer site: https://www.microsoft.com/
Interface language: Russian
Build Type: RePack
Bit depth: 32-bit
Description: Microsoft Office 2010 is one of the best sets of office programs for PCs, browsers and phones. This package has all the functions that many need today, and some may come in handy in the future. With this set, you can successfully meet the challenge of today's economic situation. and watch out for the success factors in IT. ...

13
feb
2012

Kaspersky 2012 Trial Reset 2.0.0.14

Year of issue: 2011
Genre: Medicine for antivirus
Developer: Pirates
Interface language: Russian
Build Type: Standard
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, 7
System requirements: Intel Pentium 300 MHz or higher, 256 MB free RAM
Description: This program resets the trial version of Kaspersky and allows you to activate the trial version of products with one click. You don't have to look for keys anymore.
Instructions: 1. Disable Self-Defense (Settings - Additional Parameters - Self-Defense). 2. Disable Kaspersky. 3. Run KTR2012v2 .exe 4. Select the desired item ...

30
but I
2015

Microsoft Office 2010 Standard 14.0.7162.5000 SP2 RePack by D! Akov

Year of issue: 2015
Genre: Office software
Developer: Microsoft
Developer site: http://www.microsoft.com/

Build Type: RePack
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows)
System Requirements: Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3) (32-bit) Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1) Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and MSXML 6.0 Windows Server 2008
Description: Microsoft Office 2010 - the most popular suite of office applications for computers, phones and browsers Add. Information Microsoft ...

01
feb
2011

Pinnacle Studio 14 HD Ultimate Collection Plus 14.0.0.7255

Year
Issue: 2009
Genre: Video Editor
Developer: Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
Developer site:: www.pinnaclesys.com
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Windows XP, Windows Vista®, Windows® 7
System requirements: Intel® Pentium® or AMD Athlon™ 1.8 GHz (2.4 GHz or higher recommended) - Intel Core™ 2 Duo 2.4 GHz recommended for AVCHD - Intel Core ™ 2 Quad 2.66 GHz or Intel Core ™ i7 required for AVCHD 1920.1 GB RAM recommended, 2 GB for AVCHD DirectX® 9 or 10 compatible graphics card with 64 MB (128 MB or above is recommended) - 128MB is required for pla ...

25
oct
2009

Pinnacle Studio 14 HD Ultimate 14.0.0.7255

Year of issue: 2009
Genre: Video Editor
Developer: Pinnacle Systems, Inc
Developer site: http://www.pinnaclesys.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Windows XP SP3, Vista, 7
System Requirements: Intel® Pentium® or AMD Athlon ™ 1.8 GHz (2.4 GHz processor or higher recommended) - Intel Core ™ 2 Duo 2.4 GHz for AVCHD *, Intel Core ™ 2 Quad 2.66 GHz or Intel Core i7 for AVCHD * 1920 1GB of system memory is recommended, AVCHD requires 2GB * graphics card compatible with DirectX® 9 or 10 with 64MB of memory (Recommended to install ...

21
june
2015

Microsoft Office 2010 Standard 14.0.7151.5001 SP2 RePack by D! Akov 32/64-bit

Year of issue: 2015
Genre: Office software
Developer: Microsoft
Developer site: https://www.microsoft.com/
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Build Type: RePack
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1, Server 2008, 7
Description: Microsoft Office 2010 is one of the best sets of office programs for PCs, browsers and phones. This package has all the functions that many need today, and some may come in handy in the future. With this set, you can successfully meet the challenge of today's economic situation. and watch out for factors ...

19
mar
2016

Microsoft Office 2010 Standard 14.0.7166.5000 SP2 RePack by KpoJIuK (2016.03) 32/64-bit

Year of issue: 2016
Genre: Office software
Developer: Microsoft
Developer site: https://www.microsoft.com/
Interface language: Russian
Build Type: RePack
Bit depth: 32/64-bit
Operating system: Windows XP SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1, Server 2008, 7
Description: Microsoft Office 2010 is one of the best sets of office programs for PCs, browsers and phones. This package has all the functions that many need today, and some may come in handy in the future. With this set, you can successfully meet the challenge of today's economic situation. and watch out for the success factors in the field ...

10
sep
2007

Year of issue: 2007
Genre: 3D Soft developer: Daz3D
Publication type: pirate
Interface language: English only
Medicine: Present
Platform: Win-Mac
System requirements: WIN: # Pentium® III Processor 700 Mhz (1 GHz or faster recommended) * Windows 2000® (Service Pack 2) * Windows XP® * Windows Vista® # 512 MB RAM min (1 GB recommended) # OpenGL compatible graphics card # 300MB free hard drive space for installation (500 recommended) # 32-bit graphics color depth # CD-ROM drive MAC: # Mac® Intel or Power MacintoshВ® 700 MHz (1 GHz or faster recommended) # Mac®OS X 10.3 .9 or above # 512 MB ...

30
Dec
2010

Glary Utilities PRO 2.31.0.1098 + RUS + Portable

Year of issue: 2010
Genre: System Optimization
Developer: Glarysoft Ltd
Developer site: http://www.glaryutilities.com
Interface language: Multilingual (Russian is present)
Platform: Windows XP, Vista, 7
System requirements: Minimum system requirements: Screen resolution 800x600 at 16-bit color 20 MB free hard disk space Intel Pentium or AMD K5 processor with 133 MHz 32 MB RAM Recommended system requirements: Graphics mode 1024x768 at 32-bit color 30 MB or more free hard disk space Intel Pentium 3/4 or AMD Athlon processor ...

Surely many of you have an old computer / laptop / netbook gathering dust somewhere, which has nowhere to upgrade, it is impossible to sell, but it is a pity to throw it away. Indeed, you should not rush to this, because it may well be useful to someone. Perhaps even you.

While I was thinking about what to do with my old stuff (and I had Samsung NC10 and Asus U5F lying around) I came across this text on the vastness of the network. Those who understand English are, I hope, clear. And for the rest, the quite obvious idea is to replace the operating system on the old PC with a less demanding, but at the same time quite relevant. Then such a computer can be given to children for simple toys, grandmother for Skype, mom for web surfing, or even use it yourself.

If you take a squeeze and develop an idea, then you should pay attention to:

1) Lubuntu - here is a full-fledged OS for a computer, with the ability to install various programs such as Firefox browser or Chrome, the LibreOffice office suite (analogous to Microsoft Office), and the usual saving of files on a local disk. Promises to be fast on the old hardware. It is also good for its relative popularity and support (read it will last for a long time), but it is not entirely clear whether all this usefulness is really needed by an ordinary user of a weak netbook? Of the minuses - t. To. is a native Linux, then there is practically no compatibility with Windows programs amy. But for me, depending on the tasks, it is quite possible to live with this for an ordinary Windows user. Fortunately, browsers and messengers are the same, and there is no need to be afraid of viruses. By the way, this is true for all other systems in the list below. It is quite possible to get an impression of the system by this video, even if it's not about the latest version (it's better to watch it with a video acceleration of 1.5 times).

2) Zorin OS Lite is an excellent and most importantly modern version of Linux, which at the same time looks like Windows and right out of the box is equipped with support for running some Windows programs. Lite version promises to work fine even on very old hardware. In stock at once a bunch useful programs incl. the same LibreOffice, support for the Russian language and modern software available for popular Linux systems such as the famous Ubuntu. Here's a quick look at what ZorinOS is. Looks pretty in my opinion.

3) Phoenix OS is an interesting thing - in fact, it is modern Android, like in any smartphone, but which can be installed on regular computer and enjoy all the benefits of this truly most popular system. Phoenix is ​​actively discussed on the forums. They say that even on an old netbook everything works smartly. It's hard to believe, but you can easily check;) Of the minuses - since the programs available in GooglePlay are mainly created taking into account the fact that they will be used on a smartphone or tablet, they may look somewhat strange on a laptop. In other matters, from official demo video you can clearly see that the developers have taken care of everything to be as convenient as possible, the browser and messengers will work perfectly, but editing documents can have troubles typical for Android. On the other hand, there will be up-to-date modern software and an environment familiar to the owners of smartphones and tablets, and this favorably distinguishes this option from ordinary Linux systems.

4) CloudReady: Home Edition from Neverware is the current free version of the cloud-based Chromium OS, very close to Google's Chrome OS. In practice, this is just a browser and all Web applications run inside it. Nothing extra. Designed specifically for netbooks. Here This Video allows you to get an impression of the system. Of the minuses - without the Internet, this is an almost useless thing, but when connected to the network, the whole palette cloud services at your service. No installations, settings, updates, antiviruses and other nonsense for you - everything is online. None of the usual applications work (unless you can in a clever way run Android programs). It is installed very simply, no red-eyed dances with a tambourine for you - launched, connected to the network and everything is ready to go.

Think, maybe before you stupidly get rid of the trash with the old Windows XP, it is worth trying to revive it a little, at least in software, since, alas, it already does not lend itself to a hardware upgrade? It is rather difficult for me to help make the final choice in favor of only one of the options, because I do not know all your tasks and requirements, but for some reason it seems to me that the list was formed in order of increasing preference for an ordinary inexperienced user. If you don't need anything other than a browser, and there are enough web applications with your head, then option 4 is an obvious choice, at the same time the question with backup data, because everything is synced to google drive. If a person has a positive experience with Android smartphone or a tablet, then, if you have the same Google account, the third option also looks very good. If you really need something Windows specific or there is absolutely no willingness to face something new, unknown and unlike Windows, then this is the second option. Well, if a person is open to everything new and requires maximum capabilities, reliability, flexibility and support, then this is the first option. There was a translated article on Habré that can help you choose the most suitable one.

And it is better to send a zombie box and cooled fast food to the landfill.

PS. Please send comments on spelling, punctuation, etc. in a personal. Everything will be promptly corrected.

Users personal computers give preference to specific Windows variants... The versatility and availability of popular software has made Microsoft inventions prevalent among home and corporate users. Productivity is important for comfortable use and prompt problem solving, so it is worth asking the question of which system is known as the most fast windows.

Windows operating systems rating

Microsoft has released a series of Windows products to the world. Depending on the release date, a distinction is made between individual software options that are capable of demonstrating characteristic performance perspectives. It is worth getting to know each of available options to explore the advantages and disadvantages.

• Windows 8 (8.1);

The fastest Windows is determined by its technical parameters. You will need to install different software options on computers with the same configuration in order to compare the performance of the software on the same hardware.

The basic participants in testing are special utilities that help determine the performance of certain aspects of the work: images, calculations, downloads and other operations. Research on this topic was carried out by various sources, which allows you to simply summarize the existing rating.

What makes Windows fast

Each version of the software package is characterized by a sophisticated level of workmanship. Most of the performance depends on the local resources of the computer - configuration and parameters. The power of the hardware is capable of making every OS future-proof and productive. Also, optimization issues remain open - clearing memory, deleting the cache and other tricks. The cleanliness of the rating of fast operating systems is possible only when comparing the operation of the system with the same equipment capacities.

The operating system itself affects performance by its own optimization. Hardware resources are important to performance, but software characteristics affect the correctness and benefit of using the available resources. This becomes the reason for the formation of discrepancies in the response speed of different systems on the same computers.

Windows Vista came out in 2007, much later than XP. Vista has not found user preferences. Vista has become known as slow and unstable, so it takes the last place among the presented developments. Vista has a nice design and thoughtful concept, but for the modern user there are no significant advantages of installing Vista.

Windows XP appeared in 2001 and spread quickly. The predecessors of the popular XP were ME and 95. The older systems were quickly pushed out of the market by subsequent innovations. The XP option is considered suitable for older computers with poor resources. Until now, XP is installed on devices with a small amount of RAM and a small processor clock speed.

XP's popularity lasted until 2012. In the future, the corporation stopped supporting the product, but the lack of updates does not affect the performance and prospects. The release of new software products pushed XP to the fourth position.

OS number 7 was developed in 2009. The new version was quickly liked by users, so it gained popularity and was installed on computers. Version 7 was the first to supplant XP by providing an updated alternative.

The new system received significant software enhancements, worked flawlessly and featured an attractive design. The OS rivalry with XP left no doubts - a fast and efficient OS did not receive any complaints. New development corporations have learned to work independently with networks, install drivers for external systems and protect themselves from viruses.

The updated functionality made Windows 7 popular. Windows 7 is still used today. Realized benefits software product put the OS in third place in the rating and give reason to recommend the installation of productive Windows 7.

2: Windows 8 (8.1)

Windows 8 was released in 2012. The standard interface is organized for the use of movable tiles. The Start button has been replaced with a start screen. The functionality of setting and grouping launch buttons pleased users and expanded the prospects for personalization.

Windows 8 introduces app store and support account Microsoft to merge device accounts. Windows 8 did not receive the popularity of version 7, although it made an interesting alternative. It is recommended to install OS 8 for computers with an average resource reserve, since the needs are fast Windows work 8 higher than classic XP.

The variant left the first position in the ranking in 2015. The new OS combined the strengths of the latest variants - 7 and 8. 10 quickly gained popularity and was installed in place of the old variants. The prospect of a free upgrade to 10 has become an additional trump card of the corporation.

Windows 10 is supported by devices: computers, netbooks, laptops, tablets and phones. The OS 8 interface, desktop and controls feel familiar and comfortable. The novelty of the solutions led to the instantaneous operation of everyday processes, programs and games. The developers have implemented functionality for connecting devices on Windows 10 and Xbox One.

Improved security features make Windows 10 resilient to virus attacks and malware. The function of using biometric information and other specific functions has been added. The combination of the above characteristics becomes the rationale for a confident first position in the ranking.