I seem to recall that early versions of Linux wouldn’t run on a cheap 386sx until the kernel started to incorporate embedded applications from widespread use in the late 90s. Also I remember the minimum ram was 4 meg but could go down to 2 meg if networking wasn’t installed even though it was built in to the kernel. Until the dot com boom, I don’t recall Linux being a partially flexible operating system. I think this is what kept windows 3.1 and ms-dos going until the late 90s