FreeBSD 2.x or 4.x

[gepooljr]

I have a NOS Intel Tuscon Socket 7 TX Motherboard w/built in OPL4 Sound. I'm going to add a Pentium 233 MMX, 256 Meg of Ram and an IDE to CF Adapter. After much thought, I've decided to make it into a FreeBSD system pretending to be a Small Server from an Imaginary ISP on my legacy network. It will have Telnet Access, Usenet, FTP, Email & Gopher Services. It will not be accessible on the Commercial Internet, though I might change my mind at some future date.

I'm looking to keep this system as close to original as possible. My question is which would better - FreeBSD 2.x or 4.x? I've only played around with FreeBSD but I understand it was very popular with early ISPs.

Also, will FreeBSD 4.x reliably run (low system load) on just a Socket 7 P233?

 

[tingo]

I didn't start using FreeBSD until 3.x, so I can't answer about FreeBSD 2.x.
As for the last question - yes, FreeBSD 4.x will run reliably on a P233.

 

[avongil]

I ran freeBSD on a super cheap junk HP consumer pentium 166 from 2002 to 2004. It ran quick. I am assuming you will not be installing a gui. If I remember correctly, it was really easy to get up and going the handbook is great. I just checked the handbook and it seems like 4.5 was out at the time. You will be fine.