This Is Going To Be Hard To Believe., 90mhz workstations and Linux. Options

[Forlarren]

Well just like the description. I reciently bought 4 identical 90mhz pentium workstations. I am a complete Linux noob, but I dont even want to fool with windows on these machines. The fist task is to get Linux installed on one of them them. Then I want to try to network and run them as servers. I know this sounds crazy but I want my $20 worth.

Here is the known hardware specs.

Processor: socket 4 - thats all I know.
Hard drive: tiny
CD ROM: yes
Floppy: 1.44
Video: ??? old
Sound: ??? old
mobo: ??? old

Would it be possable to run Linux off the CD ROM, I wouldn't be suprised if a cd would hold more than the HD? Any ideas on what I could use these computers for anyway. Thanks

[Joey]

Hello,

Sorry for the late reply, I've been really busy lately.

I don't think it would be possible to run the distribution off the cd however there are a number of linux distributions out there that are designed to have small footprints and install on old machines/routers/firewalls/appliances.

I hate pointing people to our "competition" however until our distributions page is up to par, have a look at http://www.linux.org/dist/index.html and select "Minimalist" as the "Category"

Any number of those should install on a small machine.

Those computers make good firewall machines.

Hope this helps.