No floppy no CD-rom

Forum: Laptops
Topic: No floppy no CD-rom
started by: Beatryder

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 23 2004,06:45

OK, here is my deal
I am a TOTAL N00b!

I have an old Toshiba Laptop. It was given to me, so I have none of the periferals.

I have NO FLOPPY, NO CDROM.
The specs are as follows
Current OS: Windows 98 w/ 95 kernel to allow for making IE die.
HD: 700MB
RAM:40MB
CPU: Pentium 90MHz
NIC: Linksys PCMPC100 10/100 etherfast.

So here is my problem:

I wish to install DSL on this thing. I cant do a network boot. But I have network access once the OS is loaded.

I also have an adapter that will allow me to install the laptop hard drive into a desktop pc. I was thinking that this would be a great way to install an OS. But I also realized that a massive change in hardware could cause a kernel panic.

Posted by henk1955 on Sep. 23 2004,07:18

do you want to keep your w98/95?
can you use the current os on the laptop to download dsl-0.8.1.1.iso
can you download and install < isobuster >?
then i could give some directions to make a poorman's install

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 23 2004,13:40

I dont care if I get to keep the win98 or not
In fact I would like ot make it die a slow and painfull death.....\

seriously tho, I can network ghost it to save my data.

And about this poor mans install?

Posted by henk1955 on Sep. 23 2004,14:24

1 download dsl-0.8.1.1
2. use isobuster to copy the KNOPPIX folder to your c:\
3. use isobuster to copy the boot folder to your c:\
4. then you have to get loadlin.exe
5. read < Booting dsl from dos >
6. create loadlin.par and linux.bat
with these it is posible to keep w98 and have a dsl that works like a livecd

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 23 2004,19:43

I want to make DSL the only OS on this laptop

Is there a way that i can set up a network boot/install?

I want to kill windows, cause its too big

Posted by henk1955 on Sep. 23 2004,20:13

first you to the above.
then if you have a working dsl you
you come back to ask how to remove windows
one thing at a time!

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 23 2004,20:40

Sure will do

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 24 2004,02:16

OK, I got that working....
Now what?
Also is there any way I can pass it some params that will force X to use 640x480 screen res
as thats the max my little LCD can handle

So far I have been able to config it via command line using "xsetup.sh"

Posted by skaos on Sep. 24 2004,11:28

I guess the simplest would be to take out the hard disk, put it into your desktop (disconnect all other HDs), install DSL and then put it back. I have a DSL 0.4.8 HD install on a laptop and as far as I can tell, a HD install does autoconfig more or less in the same way as booting from a live CD (does anyone know if this still is true for the newest DSL version?)

Posted by henk1955 on Sep. 24 2004,13:04

i think it is best to stay with this poorman's install.
it is very easy to upgrade to a newer version than a full hd-install and i dont think a hardisk install has any advantages.
one mistake, one faulty MyDSL extension and your hd-instaliation could be gone and you have to start all over again.

now you can delete all windows files
but keep all files needed to boot to dsl
command.com mysdos.sys io.sys loadlin.exe, loadlin.par, linux.bat.
change autoexec.bat so it starts linux.bat

if you use backup/restore as explained in "Getting Started With DSL"
"Saving Your Cofiguration" you have to do you xsetup.sh only once.

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on Sep. 24 2004,16:21

Quote (skaos @ Sep. 24 2004,06:28)

this is what i do with my lil' toshiba 420cds.

unless you have usb ports on it, then you could get a usb floppy drive and follow the tomsrtbt poormans install instructions.

and win95/98 = teh lose

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 25 2004,18:39

OK, I have decided to go with that option

But I am haveing a problem

All the windows that open, open with default sizes that are WAY too big for my 640*480 Screen. is there a way I can rebuild dsl for a 640*480 res, instead of 1024*768.

Which doesn make sense to me any way.... if you are on an older computer with a monitor that only does 800x600 or in my case 640*480, then a live CD far less usefull.

Also, is there a universall, close window function. sorta like windows' alt+F4?

Posted by cbagger01 on Sep. 25 2004,21:49

Many programs have the "geometry" command line switch that can be used to open up a smaller sized window. Here is an example:

Open xterm and type:

nameofprogram -geometry 600x400

If it works you can edit your fluxbox menu file (scite /home/dsl/.fluxbox/menu) and add the "geometry" line to your menu item exec command.

If your program is started up by a shell wrapper like opera, you can edit the wrapper script file and add the "geometry" line to the execute line inside the script, IE: /opt/opera/start_opera or something like that.

Be sure to back up your changes by including the affected files in your filetool.lst and do a backup/restore function.

Hope this helps.

Posted by Beatryder on Sep. 26 2004,00:29

I am afraid that did not work

Posted by cbagger01 on Sep. 26 2004,02:40

You can check the syntax of the command by typing something like:

nameofprogram --help

or bettter yet:

nameofprogram --help | more

where the "|" symbol is SHIFT-backslash on most keyboards.

Some of the programs might require an equal sign, ie:

nameofprogram -geometry=600x400