Nothing but chaotic attempts

[cdbc]

Hi
@Nicole: Maybe you just chose the not so perfect for you linux distro...
If I were you, I'd give PCLinuxOS a go.
It's really easy to get started with and it just runs stable + it's got fpc 3.2.2 & lazarus 3.8 in the software repository. laz 4.0 is coming in a couple of weeks 
It plays nice with FpcUpdeluxe too.
Regards Benny

[Nicole]

Thank you for the link.

Which version do you recommend?
Why shall I change?
This is really a lot of work and I must have good reasons to do so.

What for I need it:
1) as slim VM for Lazarus
2) may be in some months inflating the VM to be my operating system instead of windows.

not sure today.

[Thaddy]

What for I need it:
1) as slim VM for Lazarus
2) may be in some months inflating the VM to be my operating system instead of windows.

Then use wsl2 instead of any other VM type. On Windows 10/11 it runs in HyperV not even really a VM except for storage.
Although something like VirtualBox is better if you want a full emulation including BIOS, e.g. when teaching OS design, for a simple box it is easier to use wsl2. It is also faster. There are some more quirks, but wsl2 + wsl g (the graphics extensions) is usually a good option for beginners to have a dual install. (or multiple install).
Summary:
if you want complete isolation, use VirtualBox as VM
if you do not need that and you are a beginner/intermediate, use wsl2+wsl g.
The distro does not matter too much although wsl comes with quite some distro's you might like.

I left quite a few things out. Ask me if you miss something.
wsl can currently install these distro's out of the box:

Code: Text  [Select][+][-]

1. NAME                            FRIENDLY NAME
2. AlmaLinux-8                     AlmaLinux OS 8
3. AlmaLinux-9                     AlmaLinux OS 9
4. AlmaLinux-Kitten-10             AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10
5. AlmaLinux-10                    AlmaLinux OS 10
6. Debian                          Debian GNU/Linux
7. FedoraLinux-42                  Fedora Linux 42
8. SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-15-SP5    SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 SP5
9. SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-15-SP6    SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 SP6
10. Ubuntu                          Ubuntu
11. Ubuntu-24.04                    Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
12. archlinux                       Arch Linux
13. kali-linux                      Kali Linux Rolling
14. openSUSE-Tumbleweed             openSUSE Tumbleweed
15. openSUSE-Leap-15.6              openSUSE Leap 15.6
16. Ubuntu-18.04                    Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
17. Ubuntu-20.04                    Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
18. Ubuntu-22.04                    Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
19. OracleLinux_7_9                 Oracle Linux 7.9
20. OracleLinux_8_7                 Oracle Linux 8.7
21. OracleLinux_9_1                 Oracle Linux 9.1

[PierceNg]

WSL2 + WSLg combo has some unexpected behaviours for some widget sets. IIRC, with gtk2, items in the install/uninstall package dialog box are not clickable under WSLg, meaning the dialog box is useless. With qt5, the dialog box works, but anchor docking design package once installed and IDE rebuilt does not result in a single IDE window - Lazarus runs as if anchordockingdsgn isn't installed.

Above are for Lazarus 3.x. WSL2 runs Ubuntu 22.04. Host OS is Windows 11 Home.

I haven't tested Lazarus 4.

[dbannon]

....
2) may be in some months inflating the VM to be my operating system instead of windows.

Then use wsl2 instead of any other VM type.

Not really, ws2 is Windows running Linux rather that a Linux install. If Nicole wants to evualate Linux as a prefered OS, wsl2 hides quite a lot.

Nicole, your choice of a Linux distribution is a very very personal one. You can go for a cutting edge distro that has ever thing new, probably a smaller market penetration and a smaller team behind it. You get all the new stuff but must accept a few problems along the way. Or a conservative one that might do a lot more testing, has a big team, a big user base but, obviously, moves very slowly.

My view is that a big team and a big user base means most problems you encounter have already been discovered by someone else and fixes are documented. So, I use Debian and I manually install those few things (like Lazarus and FPC) that I want leading edge.

Benny likes PCLinux, I use it as one of my test platforms, looks great, it works well, certainly has all the new stuff. But, IMHO is a bit of a trap, its quite idiosyncratic in how it does stuff. For example, it uses (what it calls) apt to manage packages but those packages are RPMs ! (That is merging the two main package management systems.) But, frustratingly, it does only a small part of what the apt system can do. It sort of defeats one major win for Linux, how easy it is to replace your version of Linux, if you move to anything other than PCLinux and you need to learn  new package management skills.

What every distro you use, please consider building your own FPC and Lazarus, its easy and a great test of a new OS.

Davo 

[valdir.marcos]

copyright granted!

I am really long at computers. I assure you: The change to Linux is that hard, that I think over to let it. This is a pity for the Linux community. Because the idea should be, to get all those users who hate Windows 11.

In Germany there is a huge technical magazine publisher who reaches ten thousands of admins, who pushes Linux and writes articles about how to change from Windows.  I was one of the readers.

There are too many Linux versions around. It is like Pretty Good Privacy. A killer app, - nobody wants.

Könnten Sie mir bitte den Namen der Zeitschrift oder des Verlags nennen?

[valdir.marcos]

Thank you for the link.

Which version do you recommend?
Why shall I change?
This is really a lot of work and I must have good reasons to do so.

What for I need it:
1) as slim VM for Lazarus
2) may be in some months inflating the VM to be my operating system instead of windows.

not sure today.

I've arrived late to the party.

Almost one year later, have you chosen a Linux distro?

[Nicole]

Soon enough to learn about the results:
I gave up and work on with Win 7.

The magazine was c't of Heise-Verlag.
heise.de

My last attempt was Linux Cinnamon.
I downloaded a KDE version at last, but did not try again.
I was tired.
Every attempt lasted that long.
And I had troubles with VMWare as well. Days and days I sat messing error-messages and poorly developed software.

The reason for giving up was a report, that Cinnamon should be the worst version ever.
And I was tired, that there was not means showing me, which software is installed in my VM.
I was tired of the ooooold and incomplete repositories, suggesting e.g. Firebird 3 at a time, when Firebird 5 was known as stable.
I was tired of this searching of versions and software, which was hard do find, douzends of versions and nobody knows, what fits to which.

So I stayed with Win 7 and had a bad moment when I copied my VM to a new computer and Win 7 said "I am not registered".
Somehow it decided to work again.
And so do I.

A pity!
Linus is not an alternative.
I could not even do a most basic form in Lazarus. It froze with just containing a form for minutes every start.
This was no fun.

Is is one year ago?
I stepped on long ago.

[Curt Carpenter]

For what it's worth:  used computers are inexpensive, maybe even free sometimes.  So get one and make it a linux machine while leaving your windows system entirely alone.  That eliminates the need for VM software entirely and guarantees you won't harm your windows stuff while you play with linux and learn to use it. 

[Nicole]

Computers may be inexpensive, my life-time is - NOT. 

[Curt Carpenter]

I know what you mean.  You need to have a significant motivation to trade all of your old familiar windows frustrations for a set of new, unfamiliar linux frustrations.

[dbannon]

My last attempt was Linux Cinnamon.
I downloaded a KDE version at last, but did not try again.....
And I had troubles with VMWare as well.

Guessing you mean Linux Mint with a KDE desktop ?  Mint make and champion Cinnamon but also ship a KDS desktop version. I'd recommend Cinnamon over KDE but neither are kind on resources. And you mean VirtualBox rather than VMWare ?  A full blow VMWare install is pretty resource hungry, Virtual Box (made by VMWare) less so.

Trying to use VirtualBox to run Linux Mint install with KDE would require, in my opinion, at least 4Gig Ram and one or two cpus.  Linux Mint is a pretty version of Ubuntu which has itself become a resource hog.

While there are some specialized Linux distros that claim to be suited to low hardware spec, I'd suggest a base Debian install using XFCE (or Mate if you want something just a little prettier). Both will run usefully in 2gig ram and just one reasonable CPU

So I stayed with Win 7 and had a bad moment when I copied my VM to a new computer and Win 7 said "I am not registered".

Yes, VirtualBox likes to keep control of the VMs you have and want to use. Its a real pain and unnecessary given the way people like you and I use VirtualBox. Just keep your VMs in the one place and show them to VirtualBox before trying to start them.
[/quote]

Curts solution is also a good one !  Virtualization, especially on older hardware, is a resource demanding business. I use a seven year old laptop with eight CPUs (4 real + 4 fake) and 16Gig ram. I always give my VMs 4gig ram and one to two cpus depending on what its for.  And they run (Linux) perfectly. So, and old box with 4gig of ram would probably be all you need. More = better.

Davo

[valdir.marcos]

The magazine was c't of Heise-Verlag.
heise.de

Danke schön.

https://www.heise.de/select
https://shop.heise.de/magazine/ct-magazin/

[marcov]

   A full blow VMWare install is pretty resource hungry, Virtual Box (made by VMWare) less so.

"VirtualBox was originally created by InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH, which was acquired by Sun Microsystems in 2008, which was in turn acquired by Oracle in 2010. "

[valdir.marcos]

Soon enough to learn about the results:
I gave up and work on with Win 7.

The magazine was c't of Heise-Verlag.
heise.de

My last attempt was Linux Cinnamon.
I downloaded a KDE version at last, but did not try again.
I was tired.
Every attempt lasted that long.
And I had troubles with VMWare as well. Days and days I sat messing error-messages and poorly developed software.

The reason for giving up was a report, that Cinnamon should be the worst version ever.
And I was tired, that there was not means showing me, which software is installed in my VM.
I was tired of the ooooold and incomplete repositories, suggesting e.g. Firebird 3 at a time, when Firebird 5 was known as stable.
I was tired of this searching of versions and software, which was hard do find, douzends of versions and nobody knows, what fits to which.

So I stayed with Win 7 and had a bad moment when I copied my VM to a new computer and Win 7 said "I am not registered".
Somehow it decided to work again.
And so do I.

A pity!
Linus is not an alternative.
I could not even do a most basic form in Lazarus. It froze with just containing a form for minutes every start.
This was no fun.

Is is one year ago?
I stepped on long ago.

Computers may be ", my life-time is - NOT. 

There are many layers.

1. An easy, quick, and expensive solution would be to hire a specialist to train you individually only in what is most important for you to become productive quickly.

2. The next easy, less quick, and less expensive solution would be to take some in-person or online Linux courses before you start using it for programming with Lazarus and Firebird.

3. A solution with medium difficulty, medium learning time, and free access would be to learn Linux for free on YouTube before you start using it for programming.

4. Finally, the least recommended solution, because it is difficult, time-consuming, and free, would be to try to learn to program in Linux without knowing anything about the Linux operating system. It seems you have chosen this path. And, as expected, you suffered, got tired of suffering, and gave up.


Regarding hardware, there are also several options:

1. Two computers, new or used, both with good processing performance, memory, and ample disk space would be ideal.

2. Using a physical computer and a virtual one would require greater processing performance, more memory, and more disk space on a single computer. This solution would hardly be comfortable without a fast processor, 16GB of RAM, and an SSD. It seems you've chosen this path.

4. Have a computer with a USB 3.0 port or better and install Linux on a USB 3.0 flash drive with 128GB or more to create a dual boot. This path would allow you to easily access all your files on the Microsoft Windows 7 SSD from within Linux. It would even be worthwhile to pay a technician to prepare this flash drive for you, avoiding any risk of accidentally formatting your work SSD.

5. A point of no return. You buy a new SSD, remove the old one to be just an external backup. Install Linux on your computer without looking back. A new life from then on, with all its joys and sorrows.


And lastly, there are countless Linux distributions to choose from. Coming from Microsoft Windows 7, as a suggestion, you could try Zorin OS 18.3 based on Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 13:



Zorin OS vs Windows 11: The Upgrade Microsoft Doesn’t Want You to See
by Thomas Cherickal
April 22nd, 2026
https://hackernoon.com/zorin-os-vs-windows-11-the-upgrade-microsoft-doesnt-want-you-to-see


25:34
18 Reasons Zorin OS 18 is the PERFECT Windows 10 Replacement (FREE, Faster & Runs Windows Apps!)
21-Oct-2025
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SXUuPgw4JY


19:54
Zorin OS Review – The BEST Linux Switch from Windows - YouTube
16-Oct-2025
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni-JXsp0Vtw


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Is Zorin OS the Best Windows Replacement?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx_eLoAlS9I