Is it possible?Forum: HD Install Topic: Is it possible? started by: jnutter Posted by jnutter on Jan. 16 2007,02:41
I've got an old Acernote Light 370PC that I would like to do a HDD install on with the ultimate goal of internet connectivity and running a GUI on it. I'd like to totally wipe the Windows from the HDD and just have a DSL install. I've got a Netgear WG511T PCMCIA card coming for it, but it isn't here yet. It's got a P1 75Mhz, 1.3GB HD, 16MB ram. Currently running Windows 95. Complications: No floppy No USB (it's way too old for that) Can't boot from the CD because the bios battery is dead. Really dead. If I change the settings and save, it comes back with the dead bios battery screen again. So Far... I've tried the Loadlin install as described in the Wiki. It won't boot loadlin from the menu on initial startup. If I boot to 95 and then do a 'restart in dos mode' I can get more action out of Loadlin, but usually is hangs before it fully boots. Once I got it to boot all the way to the linux command prompt and was able to look at the directory structure, but it really wasn't that useful of a session. I haven't been able to replicate it since. Here's my questions: Am I going to be able to do what I want with this laptop? Assuming there is hope, what is the best way to do a HDD install within the constraints of this machine? Should I spend $36 on 64mb of memory for this machine? This isn't my first Linux experience, but I don't know much about Linux either. I've got another older PC running the EMC distribution of Ubuntu. I use this to check G-code files before I run them on my CNC mill. I have also set up another old laptop on Ubuntu, but it wasn't nearly this old. I was able to use ndiswrapper on both and get a USB wireless adapter going. I'm not afraid of the command line. I used to use it a lot in the days before Windows. Posted by u2musicmike on Jan. 17 2007,19:55
You could take out the harddrive and do an install from another PC. While you have the case open see if it has a button cell battery and replace it. If it has a battery soldered directly to the board you can get a little battery holder at Radio Shack. Most of the BIOS batteries are 3 V.I have a P 75 desktop with 22 MB and it runs slow. You might want to use Gparted to partition your drive and keep Win 95. I recommend making a 128MB swap file. Posted by andrewphoto on Feb. 01 2007,00:18
If it was me, I would put on my anti static bracelet, clip the crocodile clip on earth, and fix the bios battery, but I am fortunate to be skilled at soldering, courtesy of IBM. No soldering training, find someone who can.
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