Laptops :: Another old Laptop w/o CDRom and probs.



Hi Folks,

as Linux Rookie I had the great idea to install linux on my old laptop to get most of performance out of it.
(At the end I may take him as a router with integrated voicebox and fax server if possible).
But I fear that it is a little bit too old to get this done.

Here is where I started

Compaq Centura 486/DX50; 32MB RAM ; 1,5GB HD; _no_ CDRom (unfortunately)
hda1 800MB with 95 on it.
hda2 300MB planned root
hda3 50MB swap
hda5 data partition for 95 planned to be removed when linux is up and running.

Fortunately I got a 3com PC-Lancard up and running to access my desktop.
So I copied dsl 0.9.3 to hda1
Got a grub start disk up and running
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/grub/damnsmll.lnx keyboard=de lang=de knoppix_dir=dsl knoppix_name=dsl
initrd /boot/grub/damnsmll.dsk
makeactive
boot

and was surprised that it came up and shaked my hand with linux.
I think this is what you call a poor man's. It is possible to reach the network but the AVM pcmcia was not initialized.

Figured out that a right click is the magic key in this installation and found the hd-install
and tried it. it copies the data to hda2 but when starting with the boot things to copy it is looking for
/dev/cdrom that does not exist and so it could not copy the bootimage things.
also the mkliloboot fails.
mounting hda2 and looking on it there is nothing in /boot than the System.map, a boot.0300 (or so I do not remember) and another map- file.

I think the trick will be to make the last steps manually but I have no clou how.
I also did not find anything here but I am sure it exists.

One more thing is, that with the ?poor mans' ?  I can access the network but dillo or Firefox are not running.
Also other apps behave strange, so I think it is not completely done.


Could someone please be so kind to give me some hints
Thanks in advance
Oliver
I'm having the same problem with dillo firefox and other apps: it depens, in my case, that my old laptop (pretty much like yours, P100Mz, 40 Mb ram) cannot run at more than 4 bit 800*600. Those apps require 8 bit screen resolution to work. solution is probably to install another x windows manager, that is already there as a .dsl pakage in the repository: xfree86 , standard linux xserver. But it's going to be slower, as it is havier than the one dsl uses as default.

I'll try this week. I'll post my progresses. Keep an eye on this forum if you're interested.
oups, it is 09.01 not 09.03
I copied the isolinux dir from 0.8.1.1 to hda1 and
redone the hd-install and now I have lilo and linux booting from hda2.
Try to remove hda1 linux staff and retry.
Easist way i've found to install DSL (or anything else) to an old laptop is to buy an adapter that lets you install the 2.5" hdd from the laptop in a desktop.  They run about $100 on eBay.  get it installed and running  on the desktop, and then put the hdd back in the laptop.

Paul
Quote (pcicchin @ Mar. 01 2005,20:33)
Easist way i've found to install DSL (or anything else) to an old laptop is to buy an adapter that lets you install the 2.5" hdd from the laptop in a desktop.  They run about $100 on eBay.  get it installed and running  on the desktop, and then put the hdd back in the laptop.

Paul


Fry's for $7
Directron for $10
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