Install DSL on an old laptop with only floppies.

Forum: DSL Tips and Tricks
Topic: Install DSL on an old laptop with only floppies.
started by: lazylazyjoe

Posted by lazylazyjoe on Oct. 27 2006,09:11

I Just wanted to share how I installed DSL on my laptop (486, 32MB ram, no cd) using free utilities and floppies.
I used my Main Windows box to download the Current iso.
I then used isobuster to uncompress the image.
In the sub-directory knoppix\knoppix , is a file named KNOPPIX.
I used jrsplit (www.spadixbd.com/freetools/jsplit.htm) to split the 49 MB file KNOPPIX into 1.4 mb chunks. It created 35 files. (Make sure you have NEW floppies; go and buy 10 new ones before you read on. Don't use your 'Free Aol' floppy disks for DOS from 1994, trust me I know.)
I then copied each file chunk to a floppy and then copied each floppy to a directory on my laptop (it already had dos 6 installed, you can use freedos if you want). I found that I could copy the files from my main computer to the floppies at the same time that I copied another floppy to my laptop. The whole process took maybe 40 minutes.
Next, I used the copy command as such.
Go into the directory you put the files in and type
copy /b file.01 + file.02 + file.03 (etc..) merge1

(Use a plus sign + between each file name, then create a new file name at the end with no hyphen before it. All the files you typed will be merged into this new file
The only problem was DOS would only let me merge up to 12 files at a time, so I ended up merging the 25 files into 3 seperate files, instead on only 1. )

Then I simply merged those 3 files together using the copy /b command again. )
copy /b merge1 + merge2 + merge3 knoppix (notice no plus sign at the end)
Then, created a directory Knoppix (mkdir c:\knoppix) from my root directory and moved that file there. (Make sure the file is names KNOPPIX with no file extension, all caps. Double check the file size with the original too)
Next, I copied the files in the directory knoppix\boot\isolinux\ (from the iso on my Windows Box) to the directory c:\isolinux. It will take a couple floppies. (I zipped and split it, then combined and unzipped it again once on the laptop)
Next, I got the program loadlin.exe (http://elserv.ffm.fgan.de/~lermen/) and copied that to the isolinux directory too.
Next, I opened MS edit (type 'edit') and wrote this

linux24
root=/dev/ram
rw
initrd=minirt24.gz
vga=normal
ramdisk_size=100000
init=/etc/init
lang=us
apm=power-off
nomce
noapic
quiet
BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
Save it as options.txt in the isolinux directory.
Finally, type loadlin @options.txt This will load linux within dos like a LIVE CD.
You can do a hd install now if you want now, just repartition your hd using Radish and install.
If anyone has any ways they think it couldve been done easier, by all means, reply. I really wanted to remove most of the packages (except dillo, rdesktop, and cardmanagers) and create a smaller iso since I could have downloaded anything I needed after I got it installed, but didnt know how. I basicly followed < http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Loadlin_Install > , but had to transfer all my files over using floppies.
After all that, I wish I'd have just bought an old parallel zip drive off ebay for $10, but...

Posted by jls legalize on Nov. 01 2006,08:34

u could also download a norton ghost floppy (non free), connect two pc with a parallel cross cable, start both pc with this floppy and transfer partitions.

legalize cannabis, etc. :angry:

Posted by Ramik on Nov. 09 2006,19:09

Or u could just use a boot floppy with an ftp server to copy the cd content to the harddrive and then use the lilo\grub from the floppy to boot that isolinux frugal style :-)

At least this is how I installed DSL on my CD-less 75mhz 32mb ram PC :-)

Posted by tuxtux on Nov. 24 2006,23:24

1) remove the hard disk from old notebook and put the hard disk in a newest notebook,with a cdrom drive.

2) installation of dsl.

3) remove hard disk from newest laptop and put in the old laptop,dsl is now ready to use!