Auto boot with settings

Forum: HD Install
Topic: Auto boot with settings
started by: ck_Fish

Posted by ck_Fish on Feb. 15 2005,07:03

Hi all,
I've successfully installed DSL to the hard drive of my machine, but I'm wondering is it possible to set it up so that it automatically boots straight in with Specific settings for X?

I'm running a Pentium 120 with 32MB RAM, 540MB HD, and a floppy drive. I'm using an older monitor, so the highest resolution i can run atm is 800*600. also using a serial mouse, so when DSL just boots up with the standard settings, I've got no mouse...

I'm hoping to be able to set it up for someone else so that they don't need to do anything for it to get to the "friendlier" GUI.

Posted by ck_Fish on Feb. 16 2005,13:51

With bits and pieces of info from all over the forums, and some tinkering on my own, I have managed to solve the mouse problem. (Configured .xinitrc, and .xserverrc with mouse settings (Xvesa -mouse /dev/ttyS0)) Thanks to all contributors.

Also determined that the default res was fine.

However, straight after LILO runs on boot, I get the following messages:
---------------------------------
BIOS data check successful
You passed an undefined mode number.
Press <RETURN> to see video modes available, <SPACE> to skip or wait 30 secs
--------------------------------

Is this normal? If so can I turn it off somehow? Otherwise, how would I go about fixing it?

I am also hoping to find a good word processor to install that is compatible with M$ Word .doc files.

My current setup is DSL 0.8.0 with the following partitions:
96MB Swap
280MB /
180MB home/

Thanks again

Posted by cbagger01 on Feb. 16 2005,18:41

1)

Edit your LILO configuration file and at the line

vga=normal

just before the append line

Then save the file and type

lilo -v

to activate your changes.

2)
Abiword is a good word processor for your use. You can also install OpenOffice from the myDSL repository, but it is very large and uses a lot of memory.

Posted by ck_Fish on Feb. 19 2005,01:24

OK, that's cool

I got lilo sorted yesterday morning.

I've downloaded dsl-dpkg.dsl, gnu-utils.dsl, and abiword.dsl on another computer and have copied them via CD-RW onto hda3. I tried using the emlfm MyDSL thing, I can see the files, but it doesn't seem to do anything, the hard drive clunks around a bit as though it's looking for something, or copying something but then nothing, it doesn't say it did anything and there are no programs installed in the optional folder on hda3, where myDSL is set to use. Am I doing something wrong, or should I be using another method on this system?

The above mentioned system does not (and will not) have access to the net. I have a number of LinxFormat magazines (one of which I got my current DSL .iso from) that probably have all the programs that I need on the DVDs, just they'll be in rpm, src.rpm, or tar.bz2. I think the main thing I need to figure out is actually how to go about installing stuff (at least semi-permanently). Would I be better off downloading the .deb packages, with my other system?

Posted by ck_Fish on Feb. 21 2005,06:06

Hello again,

I've managed to get the packages installed, though probably not in the "normal" method... the myDSL button in emelfm, still doesn't seem to do anything on this beast, so i just ended up copying the files into the optional folder on my third partition and used the myDSL GUI thingy to install them.

I am now kinda wondering if there is a simple way to uninstall them (while still keeping DSL installed)? I have since removed them from the optional folder but the programs still seem to be available...

I will be wiping this install and starting over (a lot easier the second time round, thanks to all the peoples on this forum) before removing the CD-RW drive that is currently in it leaving only the HD and floppy, no net access. After that I think the system will be remaining in a fairly static (or permanent) state (probably only used for word processing, or similar), so I am planning on removing a fair bit of the extra stuff from autoconfig, etc. to make it MORE newb friendly (it will be for someone else)... Would I be better off with 2 or 3 partitions? If 3 how should I go about mapping the 3rd as the user's home directory? Also, as the system will most likely remain quite static, what is the best way to install programs to minimise RAM usage when run?

I hope to somehow write a script that will setup a new user (perhaps using useradd ?) and remove the dsl user, also setting up an automatic login for the new user (ie. no password prompt).

Cheers,
ck

PS. Sorry if I sound pushy, I'm living at home and mum is insisting that I get rid of the 7-8 computers (that's all except my personal laptop) from my room this week. They are for a charity organisation, and I've been trying to get around to fixing them up since November, around other commitments. If I can't figure it out in the next 2-3 days I can take them over in their current state and work on them when I get the chance. I had previously been installing them with Win95 and 602PC Suite, but decided it probably wasn't the most ideal method...:)