Help for a 100% Linux newbie
Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Help for a 100% Linux newbie
started by: Carsyn
Posted by Carsyn on Nov. 13 2005,23:34
Hello folks! I've got a mission 
1) I was in need of a low overhead OS to run BOINC on some old machines. I found DSL.
2) The problem is I've never ever ever used and/or installed Linux before.
3) Can someone direct me to any documentation _for a newbie_ on how to install DSL? I'm looking to just load it from CD into RAM (no hard drive install). Minimum install, I just need internet connectivity and a simple browser to download BOINC and it's the only program I'll be running.
Since it's LiveCD, do I just copy the files to a CD and boot from the CD? It's a dumb question I know, but that's easy for you to say
I'm really lost and all the documentation I'm seeing is way over my head. Any help appreciated.
Posted by adssse on Nov. 14 2005,00:43
If you just want to run it from a cd and load it into ram, all you will need to do is download the dsl-1.5.iso file from here.< ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/damnsmall/current/ >
or the Release Candidate, dsl-2.0RC2.iso from here:
< ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/damnsmall/release_candidate/ >
and than burn the iso to a cd using an option such as 'burn image'
As long as you are set to boot from the cd, just pop it in and at the boot prompt type 'dsl toram' to load it into ram. Hope this helps get you started.
Posted by Carsyn on Nov. 14 2005,02:35
Not working. Let me trace my steps...1) I downloaded the file aok. dsl-2.orc2 and windows says it's an ISO image file. About 49 megs big. Happy there.
2) I quick formatted a CD-R, copied the file to the CD-R and did the windows "make compatible" thing. I've verified that the file is in fact on the CD.
3) I made it boot from the CD drive. I hear it spinning.
Then I get the message:
Selected boot device not available - strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility.
Sounds like the CD drive isn't working? I hear it spinning on startup...
Any help appreciated. Anything to help my progress from ridding Windows from my life is appreciated.
Carsyn
Posted by brianw on Nov. 14 2005,02:58
I have never heard of formatting a cd-r (do you mean cdrw?). All you should need to do is use burning software that writes an iso to a cdr (I am not sure if you can use a cdrw for this). You need to make sure that the burn software is writing the image not just copying the image as a file.
Posted by Carsyn on Nov. 14 2005,03:06
Up and running. Using Firefox as I tupe this.Yeah, I was just copying the ISO to a CD, I didn't know anything about the burning process. Figured it out though.
Many thanks,
Carsyn
Posted by adssse on Nov. 14 2005,04:55
Congrats. Its always fullfilling to figure out something new. Hope you enjoy dsl.