HD Install :: Install DSL on an old Windows95 computer



Somebody please help me.  I'm trying to get DSL onto my computer and I keep running into problems.

Ok. First, I have "THE OFFICIAL DAMN SMALL LINUX BOOK" with the CD.  So I have all the files.  I can boot fine from the CD on my 3 year old computer with Windows XP.  But on my 11 year old Windows 95 computer, I can't.

Here's what my 11 year old Windows 95 computer has:
Pentium II, 200MHz, MMX processor
128 MB RAM
FAT32
3 GB hard drive
-- used 261 MB
-- unused 2.68 GB
A: drive is for a 3-1/2" floppy
D: drive is for a CD-ROM

Booting from the CD does not work.
I tried setting my bios to boot from the CDROM first, but that didn't work.  So the alternative ways to install will not work.

Then I tried using the BOOTFLOPPY.IMG file. But that file size is 1,474,560 bytes and the 3-1/2" floppy only has a capacity of 1,457,664 bytes.  So BOOTFLOPPY is of no use.

I'd like to just load it to the hard drive then boot from there.  I have PARTITION MAGIC 6.0, that is easier to use than FDISK.  So I can partition the hard drive however is needed. But I don't have (or don't know how to use) the BOOTMAGIC CONFIGURATION.  

Can I just copy the files from the CD to the hard drive using drop and drag from EXPLORER on WINDOWS95?  And then just boot from there?

Any help is appreciated.
- you'll probably need the syslinux cd image
- bootfloppy.img is a floppy image, read a guide or something if you dont know how to use it (i.e. rawrite)
- see your docs for bootmagic if you want to use that
- you can copy the files, but you'll need to set up your boot differently.  For example, you can use loadlin on a fat32 partition with dos instead of using a traditional bootloader that would require you to modify the mbr.

- there's some info in these forums, the wiki, etc.
Quote
Ok. First, I have "THE OFFICIAL DAMN SMALL LINUX BOOK" with the CD.


The Book has the isolinux edition of the cd. Downloading and creating the syslinux edition is probably what you need. This is described in Chapter 2 page 33.

Alternately you have many choices as described in Chapter 8.
Starting with defining Poormans and Frugal

How to properly create the boot floppy on page 163

How to install onto Win9x partition on page 164.

How to use LinLd on page 166.

How to use LoadLin on page 167.

How to install from a stack of floppies on page 169.

Bottom line, skip to Chapter 8 and there you will find many options.

Thanks Roberts for pointing me in the right direction.  I wasn't preparing my bootfloppy correctly.

Now I have almost sucessfully booted from the live CD using the bootfloppy image.  I get all the way to the DSL desktop.  But I'm only able to use my up and down arrow keys to scroll up and down in the DILLO window.  My mouse does not work.

I have a 2-button serial mouse.

I tried rebooting.  When I get to the DSL boot screen I choose F2. Then I run dsl xsetup.

I rebooted many times to try all of the com ports--COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4. None of them seem to work. I get the same result as before--I can scroll but not use my mouse.

I choose the correct screen resolution, color depth and keyboard.  And I get the same looking DSL desktop as before. But no mouse.

I rebooted using Windows 95 instead of DSL to test my mouse and mouse connection.  It works fine in Win95.

Any suggestions?
2 button serial mouse is supported in DSL.
It is not the default. The Default is ps/2.
You should boot with with the xsetup option and enter the screens until you see the serial mouse, select com port and select button screen. See pages 41-43 of the book.
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