Cheap Laptops for DSL install

Forum: Laptops
Topic: Cheap Laptops for DSL install
started by: newby

Posted by newby on July 01 2006,14:23

I'd like suggestions for cheap laptops for DSL install.

USB 2.0 and WiFi would be nice.

Small, only slightly larger than 8 1/2 x 11 would be nice.

Posted by meltdown_override on July 02 2006,04:42

DSL works on the IBM Thinkpad 385xd(I paid $30 bucks for mine) Im still working on the graphics tho'

Posted by Deumex on July 02 2006,23:49

Hi newby,

I have an old Compaq notebook, an Armada 4210T. 233 Mhz, 96MB RAM, two cardbus PCMCIA slots, docking station with CDROM and additional battery.
Have installed a noname 2-port USB 2.0 card (works fine) and a Fiberline WLAN card with Marvell chip (still working on this, but ndiswrapper accepts it, so some detail work should do the job).
It is very small, about 22 x 29 cm (Sorry, but I'm metric).

I think nearly any notebook from the Compaq 15xx, 17xx, 41xx or 42xx series should be okay for DSL. Or any other with similar technical data.

I paid 100,- for mine 1 1/2 years ago.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that this little Compaq is fanless, so it makes nearly no noise...

Posted by DaveJ45 on July 03 2006,18:58

meltdown

There is an old version of xfree86 that supports some of the laptop video chipsets that the newer versions do not.

It takes a little tweaking on the configuration to get it all set up properly, but once that is done, you get a much better graphics display than the standard xwindow options packaged with DSL.

I'll check through my notes and see if I can remember how I did this on two of 'minimal' laptops.

Try doing a forum search for xfree and laptop, which is how I managed to trace down the info to get this done.

DaveJ45

Posted by JustoTech on July 04 2006,08:32

Try the Armada M series. Most of them are in the P3 range and very small and light-weight.

Posted by newby on July 05 2006,05:43

Can anything be done with this lapcritter?

100 MHz processor

32 MB Ram

No HD

2 PCMCIA

CD

Built-in floppy.

2 USB ports (prob USB 1)

Boot floppy to boot a USB key?
Boot floppy to boot a CD?

Anyone who can make this work will earn bragging rights...

Posted by _pathos on July 05 2006,09:07

I have a Dell L400, 12inch screen cost me ~ $120USD and everything works except 56k modem (has ethernet anyway)... can't say if it has usb 2.0

its a great laptop, 700mhz 256mb ram light as a feather, great screen, great keyboard, great touch pad. External floppy drive/cdrom drive need to be purchased separately.

I would say you'd have difficulty finding a older small, laptop with in built wifi that works, wifi was not standardised like it is nowadays and you need to be picky about your wireless card chipset. Best to go for a pcmcia card version.

Posted by _pathos on July 05 2006,09:11

Quote (newby @ July 05 2006,01:43)

can't you boot off the cd ?

have you tried putting a dsl cd in the cdrom and booting off a floppy disk? It will probably work.

There is a special usb boot disk so try that as well with dsl installed on a usb memory stick.

Posted by dougz on July 05 2006,13:09

Quote

Can anything be done with this lapcritter?

100 MHz processor

32 MB Ram

No HD

2 PCMCIA

CD

Built-in floppy.

2 USB ports (prob USB 1)

The system may well be old enough that it can't boot from CD or USB. Have you considered using a boot floppy? See < DSL Wiki on boot floppies > for more info.

Quote

For some older or otherwise unique computer systems, it is not possible to boot up DSL directly from the livecd CD-R disk or from a USB pendrive.

* For the CD-R disk, some computer BIOS do not support booting from a CDROM drive or they cannot boot from a non-standard CDROM drive like a parallel port drive or a pcmcia CDROM drive.

* For the USB pendrive, most computers that were manufactured before 2001 have an older BIOS that does not support direct booting from a USB device.

However, it is still possible to boot up DSL if you make the right boot floppy disk.

Whether you use the boot floppy to boot CD or boot USB, you can use the USB pendrive as if it were a hard disk. (Pendrive boot is optimal -- No CD needed, good for battery life, faster.)

Making your own bootable pendrive is easy -- Boot the DSL CD on another box, make the pendrive using the DSL install script, make the boot floppy, as described in the wiki, and boot the lappy with the boot floppy, using the pendrive as if it were a hard disk.

If you are comfortable with command line Linux, you might consider initially booting to text mode (no GUI), at first. Use the boot cheat code "2". Even better, try the "super low RAM text mode" in < DSL Wiki on Cheat Codes. >

Alternatively, make sure you know your lappy's resolution and use the appropriate "fb" cheat code. In any case, the "lowram" cheat code is advisable.

When you are comfortable with the system and DSL, you can consider whether it is worth googling for memory and/or an HD to upgrade your box. Lots of appropriate used parts available at reasonable costs.

If you do choose to upgrade to HD, consider the excellent instructions found in Caitlin Martin's pieces via < DSL on "atticware" laptops >

It is possible to get this lappy booted. Some learning required. Not nearly as hard as it looks now. Just trust me... :;):

Posted by l400 on July 09 2006,13:06

The Dell Latitude L400 is wat u need got mine for Ł100

12inch screen -3.5pounds

Posted by newby on July 09 2006,13:51

I'd like suggestions for cheap laptops for DSL install.

USB 2.0 and WiFi would be nice.

Small, only slightly larger than 8 1/2 x 11 would be nice.

Posted by Deumex on July 12 2006,10:19

Quote (newby @ July 09 2006,09:51)

I'd like suggestions for cheap laptops for DSL install.
[...]

Mmmhh...are you kiddin around now or don't you like the recent suggestions?

If not, maybe you should be more specific.

Posted by Thulemanden on July 14 2006,20:26

3.0.1 Runs fine on 233mHz, 128mb ram Compaq Armada 7770DMT
HD is on 2GB. Vintage app. 1997. Battery is still in the trade. Floppy or cd drive, ethernet card available.

Used for Monkey Web Server. Also adequate for email.