HD install from DOS?

Forum: HD Install
Topic: HD install from DOS?
started by: DarkBlue

Posted by DarkBlue on May 28 2006,13:25

Hi,
my specs are an old Omnibook 5500cs, 16 mb ram, 1GB disk, running Windows 98se a bit slow. So I had plans to put DSL on my laptop. I don't have a CD-romdrive, do have a floppydrive, and fortunately I have the possibility to attach my laptop-harddisk via USB to my normal computer and put files on it.

So, that's what I did, I started with the < LoadLin Install > and did everything the wiki told me. Copied the files onto the hd, booted to DOS, ran Loadlin with the options file; so far, so good.

When the wiki says 'you should now see the DSL desktop' I waited for half an hour or so to get a blue 16 bit screen, a mousepointer that moved once in 10 seconds

and finally, a bar that stated date, time and so on. Until then, the harddisk had been making lots of noise but suddenly, it was quiet and the laptop froze.
After a few minutes of silence I reset the laptop and it booted (windows again, that was my previous install). Why, I really don't know. Lack of RAM memory?

I took the normal DSL package, (current.iso) ... not the syslinux or embedded. Should I have done that?

For my system specs are so poor - especially my RAM specs

I really need to install it to HD instead of running it live! Can anyone help me out with this?

Thanks in advance

Posted by dzubin on May 28 2006,14:29

Yes, I suspect your RAM is too low to run the X GUI
A few months ago I did DSL (2.1b?) on a 24MB Compaq Presario 425 w. 24MB of memory and it took a LOT of "shoe-horning" to get it up and running with X. (and I had to substitute a Slackware kernel since I didn't have a math copro!)
(now, I just boot it up in text CLI mode and that works just fine with 24MB)

But I really think it will be tough to get X running with 16MB.
(on the other hand, I'm pretty sure you CAN do it...it'll just take a lot of work...back in the "old days" (kernel 2.2...many years ago) running X on 8MB was possible & do-able)

Posted by dzubin on May 28 2006,14:42

Forgot to mention, yes...I did use LOADLIN from MSDOS 6.22 to do this.

Posted by skaos on May 28 2006,16:14

If you're going to do a hard disk install, you could boot into command line (I think you do this by adding '2' to the end of the loadlin command)) and then run the hd install script. You have to repartition your disk first, setting aside around 60 MB for dos, the KNOPPIX file, loadlin etc., maybe 64 MB for swap, and the rest for DSL. With only 16 MB I guess that it will be pretty slow.

You could also take a look at < http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/baslinux/ >

Posted by DarkBlue on May 28 2006,16:38

Hmmm allright... so assume that my 16 mb is too low - my boyfriend (who's always busy but knows a hell of a lot more about Linux than I do

) says I really should have some more RAM, and yes I do agree, but where do I get those parts nowadays, that's the problem!

I have two modules of 8 MB now and according to the datasheet (or Familization Guide, HP calls it) on the OB 5500cs, I can several modules up to 64 mb of RAM.

But, for now: can I boot the whole thing without immediately going to desktop mode?
^^ ah I read it. I'll find that out.

I can format the HD, create 2 partitions using a bootdisk with fdisk... and place the install files on it again. Find out how to boot to command line modus, then run the install script...
what's actually that script?
Have never read about it before.

I know it will be slow...
Read about BasicLinux, was very helpful

but maybe a bit too basic... no desktop, everything from commandline... I'm a linux newbie and working from commandline all day would really drive me crazy. I love visual things :P