If you’re clinging to an aging PC and looking for a way to make it usable again, EXTON OpSuS Tumbleweed might be exactly what you need. This live Linux system is built on openSUSE Tumbleweed, offering a rolling release that stays updated with the latest stable packages. You don’t need to reinstall it every few months. Just run sudo zypper dup and you’re always up to date.
The newly released version, marked as build 250621, uses the LXQt 2.2.0-1.1 desktop environment and is designed to be lightweight and fast. The ISO is just 1850MB, and it can even run entirely from RAM if your machine has at least 4GB. That means once it loads, it runs without touching the drive at all, delivering performance that feels snappy even on older hardware.
EXTON created this version from scratch using the openSUSE expert installation method. It ships with a custom kernel called 6.14.6-amd64-exton when used live. If you install it, you’re free to switch to the standard openSUSE kernel if you want, currently version 6.15.2. For anyone using Nvidia graphics cards, there’s a warning, however. You see, you’ll need to install the appropriate firmware manually or the system may fail to boot. A quick sudo zypper in kernel-firmware* should cover it.
The system boots into LightDM, and you can log in as either “live” or “root” depending on your preference. Everything works out of the box, but what really makes this release stand out is the inclusion of Refracta Snapshot. This tool lets you take the system, customize it however you want, and generate your own personal ISO. If you’re into tinkering or building your own distro variant, this opens up a lot of possibilities.
It’s also worth noting that this release isn’t just for new machines. According to the developer, it ran fine on a 17-year-old Acer Aspire 5102 WLMi laptop, which is impressive. Few modern distros even attempt that kind of backwards compatibility anymore.
EXTON OpSuS Tumbleweed isn’t trying to be flashy. It’s trying to be practical, quick, and flexible. And in a world full of bloated operating systems, sometimes that’s exactly what people want.
You can download the ISO now from the EXTON website here.
