install DSL on small pc

Forum: HD Install
Topic: install DSL on small pc
started by: Karin81

Posted by Karin81 on June 05 2005,14:28

Hi
I am a new DSL and i want to install it on my P90 32Mb pc.
Due to the small amount of memory I can NOT use the live CD.
So now I want to start from dos (I have a small bootable DOS partition)
and a large D: partition (not formatted yet).

I found the link:
< http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/install_from_floppy.html > = how to install form floppy

but ...

1. I have the DSL cd with everything
2. booting from CD fails (no error but I think not enough memory)
3. placing the CD in a friends pc -> DSL runs from memory (RAM), so the CD is OK

I want to install DSL on my harddisk. The doc's say:
- get WINRAR and UnRAR for DOS files
why ??

- format C: /u or D: /u
OK

- using 2 "good" floppies copy over the individual rar files to the D: drive on
the computer [/CODE]a:\copy *.* d:[/CODE], once you have all the files copied
over we need to:
extract the files back to their original state ?????

HOW ?????

- create a DSL boot floppy by using RAWWRITEWIN and boot.img from the KNOPPIX dir
I know RAWWRITEWIN
but where do I get the boot.img ????
There is only a KNOPPIX dir about 50Mb

- next step : Boot from DSL boot floppy and it will auto detect the
c drive (/dev/hda1) and start running DSL.

The problem is:
- where do I find an image
- and WHEN it is on the CD, how do i extract it from CD

Please help,
Regards Karin

Posted by cbagger01 on June 05 2005,17:41

The boot image was removed from DSL after version 0.5.3.1

You can download it here. It is good for DSL version 0.8 or newer including the latest version.

< http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub....ppy.img >

Posted by Karin81 on June 05 2005,20:17

Hi cbagger, or anyone

Thanks for the link. Now I have my image on floppy. It boots
and then ....

When I get the question:
'Press <enter> to begin, F2 and F3 for boot options."

I tried:
- enter => faild
- press F2
and entered after the prompt
boot: dsl mydsl=hda1

and
boot: dsl mydsl=hda2

and
boot: dsl mydsl=hdb

and
boot: dsl tohd=/dev/hda2

but in all circumstances I get the same (error) message:
Loading linux24
Loading minirt24.gz
Boot failed: please change disks and ....

So I try to follow still the description on

< Can I install DSL via floppy drive ? >

Step 9, part C kills me.

My goal is to install DSL on my 'D-drive'.
It is allowed to format D-drive with ext2 or ...

Maybe DSL cannot be installed on D-drive but only on C:

?

Can someone explain what steps to follow.
Regards Karin

ps. Pentium 90MHz, 32 Mb RAM
boot from CD fails due to the 32Mb RAM

Posted by cbagger01 on June 06 2005,02:59

If you immediatly get a boot failed message before DSL even attempts to look for the \knoppix\knoppix file then you have a problem.

It is possible that Syslinux 2.04 (linux boot floppy loader) does not work with your computer.

If booting with typing:

failsafe

on the boot line does not work, then my advice is to try the loadlin method of booting. You can boot from Win95/98 true MSDOS mode (Press F8 key and choose safe mode command prompt) or from a true MSDOS or FREEDOS prompt.

If this doesn't work, then I am out of ideas on how to load the kernel and initial root filesystem.

However, if the problem is can't find knoppix ... dropping to a limited shell, then you can solve this by copying the \knoppix\knoppix file over to C:\knoppix\knoppix and try the boot floppy again.

Good Luck.

Posted by Karin81 on June 09 2005,20:55

Hi everyone, the last try before I give up.

steps I followed for my Pentium 100 MHz 32 Mb ram machine.

setup DOS environment (no windows no .... just clean start)

fdisk
- create 1 boot partition 100Mb
- create extended partition 400Mb
create logical drive (D:)

reboot and format the drives and install MS-DOS 6.2.
Than I have:
- drive C: with DOS size 100 Mb
- drive D: formatted size 400 Mb
- CDROM I:

1. boot from the boot floppy (with Syslinux 2.04 from the boot floppy loader)
as you suggested. Boot is OK, got DSL logo and boot prompt, than I
2. press F2 for boot options
3. tried boot: dsl tohd=/dev/hda1
boot: dsl failsafe
boot: dsl fromhd=/dev/hda1
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
that what I typed

received the following on my screen

loading linux24.................
loading minirt24.gz....
Boot failed: please change disks and press any key to continue

Also tried step: '2.i - LOADLIN install' from DSL.
Start installing something but after entering DISPLAY properties
of 640x480 4 colors (minimal) the screen became black after a while.

Any suggestions?

I think the 32Mb mem is to small to install or setup something.
Questions:
- how do you install DSL on harddisk WITHOUT booting from CD ?
- what commands do you have to type after the boot prompt ?
boot options F2 followed by ......
- do I have to make any preparations ?
eg: format, partitioning, setup things
where and when in the installation do you get the options of
cfdisk and do you create the partitions ?
- where do I specify where I want DSL ? (C or D drive, eg /dev/hda1 or /dev/hda#)

regards
Karin

Posted by Guest on June 09 2005,22:19

When you boot using the bootfloppy, you should still have the DSL CD inside the CD drive. Make sure the DSL CD is in the CD drive before you put any option at the boot prompt.

The bootfloppy contains the linux24 kernel and the minirt24.gz root image only. That's it. After the boot procedure loads the kernel and the root image, it will start scanning for a file named KNOPPIX inside a folder called KNOPPIX. This file and folder can be anywhere (CD or hard drive) as long as it is on the top directory of that drive. The message "Boot failed, please change disk ..." is an indication that the file and folder KNOPPIX is nowhere to be found. It is not in the boot floppy.

The boot option "dsl tohd=/dev/hda1" allows for the transfer of the file and folder KNOPPIX from the CD to the hard disk (usually /dev/hda1 corresponds to drive C). You do this only one time so that there will be a copy of the file and folder KNOPPIX on the hard disk. Next time you boot up, you do not need to have the DSL CD in the CD drive because the boot process will look for it automatically. You don't even have to use the boot option "dsl fromhd=/dev/hda1", but using it will save time because there will be no need to search for the location.

Now, I can see that you were actually able to go a little farther when you used the Loadlin install, since you reached the final step just before the X-windows desktop loads up. So the only problem you have right now is that you cannot figure out the settings that will work with your display. If the screen went black, it does not mean that DSL hanged. Press Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get a console terminal. Most probably you will also see an error message about the status of the X server.

If you still have this Loadlin install on the hard disk, what you can do is to use the boot floppy to boot DSL. At the boot prompt use "dsl 2 vga=normal apm=power-off nomce noapic". Try this to see if you can get to the "root" prompt. If you get to that point, then DSL loads okay. We work on your display problems and other questions you have afterwards. Please provide video specs, e.g. monitor capabilities, video card, video memory, DOS/Windows version that is known to run with it, etc.

Posted by Guest on June 09 2005,22:23

A little correction. Use "noapm" instead of "apm=power-off". This change is better for old hardware with no automatic power management.

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on June 09 2005,22:58

Try failsafe mode. It disables as much hardware detection as possible.

I have several boxes that have only 32mg ram and run okay.

Also, if you want to speed up booting the CD from a floppy, use the smart boot manager floppy from < HERE >.

Just select boot from CDROM, and it will load the kernel and minirt24.gz from the CD instead of taking the time to load from the floppy.

Much faster.

Posted by Karin81 on June 11 2005,14:01

Everytime I want to quit with DSL I get some help or an idea or ...
So I continued with the installation.

- I CAREFULLY READ ALL YOUR ADVICES and I tried them ALL

- CD is mounted, OK, available
- booting from boot flop gives the same errors
As 'guest' said:
"The message "Boot failed, please change disk ..." is an indication that the file and folder KNOPPIX is nowhere to be found.
But it is on the original disk, so where do I go wrong

Code Sample

dir a:

Volume in drive A has no label.

Directory of A:\
09-05-05 20:50 115 boot.msg
09-05-05 20:17 1,592 f2
09-05-05 20:17 1,595 f3
29-07-04 15:11 256 german.kbd
29-07-04 15:11 994,807 linux24
09-05-05 20:16 36,649 logo.16
05-11-04 14:54 187,852 minirt24.gz
29-07-04 15:11 7,836 ldlinux.sys
09-05-05 20:17 1,993 syslinux.cfg

type syslinux.cfg

DEFAULT linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
TIMEOUT 300

PROMPT 1
DISPLAY boot.msg
F1 boot.msg
F2 f2
F3 f3
LABEL dsl
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL memtest
KERNEL memtest
APPEND initrd=
LABEL dsl-txt
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=normal initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL expert
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt24.gz nomce BOOT_IMAGE=expert
LABEL fb1280x1024
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=794 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb1024x768
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb800x600
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=788 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL failsafe
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=normal atapicd nosound noscsi nousb nopcmcia nofirewire noagp nomce nodhcp xmodule=vesa initrd=minirt24.gz BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL userdef
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ###############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

- so now I get an old DSL cd (works because I used this DSL CD on a bigger machine
with lots of memory and harddisk space) and no problem. The current (newer DSL cd) has
never been installed successful so to prevent problems with this release ...

- same problems
whatever I tried ... nothing
failsafe mode
dsl 2
...
...

- I copied the CD to harddisk
you see the 2 new directories

Code Sample

ISOLINUX
KNOPPIX

Directory of C:\
DOS <DIR> 06-06-05 20:52
COMMAND COM 54.645 31-05-94 6:22
WINA20 386 9.349 31-05-94 6:22
CONFIG SYS 223 28-02-98 13:53
AUTOEXEC BAT 112 06-06-05 21:40
LOADLIN <DIR> 06-06-05 21:25
ISOLINUX <DIR> 10-06-05 14:34
KNOPPIX <DIR> 10-06-05 14:34

Directory of C:\ISOLINUX
BOOT CAT 2.048 09-09-04 22:46
BOOT MSG 110 25-07-04 1:13
F2 1.592 06-08-04 19:39
F3 1.675 25-07-04 1:13
GERMAN KBD 256 25-07-04 1:13
LINUX24 994.807 14-08-04 23:31
LOGO 16 7.367 25-07-04 1:50
MINIRT24 GZ 790.312 01-09-04 20:23
LOADLIN EXE 32.208 30-04-96 17:44
OPTIONS TXT 163 10-06-05 14:46

Directory of C:\KNOPPIX
KNOPPIX 49.106.603 09-09-04 22:46

- again, but now without a CD-ROM
same errors, same problems

- now again with loadlin
I used the file: options.txt

NOW something happens
I got the DSL x setup
select Xvesa xserver ==> screen became black
than I select Xfbdev xserver ==> installation continues

but than I got the error message

Code Sample

xauth: ....
modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb0
XIO: fatal IO error 104
dsl@tty1[dsl]$

And that's all. I'm now connected as user dsl in an text linux system and that is a very limitated DSL installation.

But looking around I noticed that after I tried to install DSL there is NOTTING on the
C-drive (nor D:) installed. You here the harddisk, CD-ROM drive. Your are waiting a long
time and .... nothing new on my harddisk.

So if anyone did have a tip, the solution or ideas. Please let me know.
Is it not required to create a linux partition (id=83)? Or does DSL it all??

ps. the tric with Ctrl-Alt-F1 gives the same error
xauth: ....
modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb0
XIO: fatal IO error 104

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on June 11 2005,15:58

Sounds like you may have got a bad burn.

Redownload, check the md5sums, and reburn.

Posted by AwPhuch on June 13 2005,17:58

Sorry I have been away

Can you give us specs of your machine (hardware and everything you have/dont have)...do you not have a CDROM in your machine?

What you are doing on the floppy install is taking the files from the cd and creating a multiple (broken up) image of the files, then with the floppies manually copying them to your harddrive and then uncompressing them, then booting from boot floppy

If you dont have a CDROM or network card, then the only way it to break the cd into small chunks and put on the harddrive

Try using the syslinux version of DSL instead of the new isolinux version...

32Megs should be enuff for your machine to purr on DSL, 16Megs on my old laptop that I installed it on was a bugger..but it ran...

PM if you need any more help ok

Brian
AwPhuch