Laptops :: Can not boot DSL to IBM Thinkpad 380XD



I have recently aquired an IBM Thinkpad 380XD.  All I want to really use it for is surfing the net.  I have entered the BIOS and set it to boot from the cd-rom for both the iso and the sys linux images.  But the IBM error code appears stating there is no bootable device in the cd-rom drive.  Both versions work with my newer desktop and laptop.

So, I figured I would download the bootfloppy image and from a good old floppy disk boot to linux.  I changed the BIOS to boot from floppy inserted the isolinux version in the cd-rom drive.  It begins to boot but then gives me a message saying "Can't find KNOPPIX filesystem, sorry.  Dropping you to a (very limited) shell.  Press restart to quit"

There is no OS system on there at the moment and the HDD has been formatted so I can not do the poorman's install.  

So, do I need to copy KNOPPIX to the HDD is so how?  Should I insert syslinux in the cd-rom drive when booting from a floppy?

Any help to use DSL would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

are you sure you have a good boot image on the cd? will it boot on another system?

torp

hi torp

Yeah i've burned the image to a couple of CDs but to not avail.  I've checked the CDs by booting DSL to my desktop and and a newer Acer laptop.  But it will boot to the IBM Thinkpad 380XD.  I've used the syslinux as recommended but no joy.  I've inserted the bootfloppy to the floppy drive and the syslinux to the cd-rom drive but again starts to boot but I guess where it needs to load the KNOPPIX file from the cd-rom it fails.

Could the cd-rom be at faulty?  Or am I missing something?

Sorry I meant to say it will NOT boot DSL to my IBM Thinkpad.  The CD boots fine to my other pcs.
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Could the cd-rom be at faulty?

Could be. Download http://www.toms.net/rb/, boot the diskette with the DSL cd in the drive and check if the cd recognised.

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