up vote 0 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

I am running Linux only for testing in a VirtualBox vm. I currently use openSUSE. However, openSUSE, like Fedora and Ubuntu, is simply "too complete", i.e. it is a perfect system for running a computer and all its features, but it is really overkill for a VM that only has to run some Linux programs and does not have to support much of the actual computer's hardware.

Is there any Linux distribution scaled down enough to be more like a subsystem to run Linux programs than a full OS, preferably with VirtualBox guest support already built in? (I guess it wouldn't even need X11 installed, just the libraries so X programs could run.)

Update:

The programs I do run under Linux occasionally are C and Mono programs that also run under Mac OS X but that I want to run under Linux purely for compatibility testing. As such, my Linux installation doesn't need a desktop/file manager/multimedia software or anything like that, but the full complement of X libraries and developer tools.

Basically I need a Linux vm like Windows' Interix subsystem, really incomplete as an OS running a computer but complete as a runtime environment for applications.

link|improve this question
79% accept rate
Ubuntu Server is a pretty good choice IMO. – kobaltz Jan 14 at 13:21
If you want to run it as a server (minimal as in system without X), use any or the "Server" variants of Linux distributions. Any of the very customizable distributions. You don't say what programs you want to run. bash and OpenSSH have very different requirements from KDE. Please specify your requirements in more detail. You can flag your question after you edited it and request reopening it from a moderator. – Daniel Beck Jan 14 at 13:46
Depending on what you want to do once you're in Linux, you could always just boot from one of the many Live CDs and then do what you want from there. Alternatively, I've been using Linux Mint (linuxmint.com) for my Virtual Machine Linux (running under Virtual Box). – misterjaytee Jan 14 at 13:49
Turns out openSUSE with minimal X11 is very usable. – Andrew J. Brehm Jan 20 at 14:55
feedback

closed as not constructive by Daniel Beck, Sathya♦ Jan 14 at 13:45

This question is not a good fit to our Q&A format. We expect answers to generally involve facts, references, or specific expertise; this question will likely solicit opinion, debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.