mmm
Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: Jan. 2007 |
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Posted: Jan. 22 2007,16:31 |
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Dear Group,
I'm really new to Linux and trying to install DSL onto an old Compaq 1130T laptop computer. It is a Windows 95a, pentium 120, 800x600 TFT screen (16 M colours), no CD ROM, 16 MB RAM. This computer is in good condition but is pretty much useless these days. My Dad wants to get a computer for email, and he's prepared to get one but it would be nice to get this working for him and save another computer from the landfill. He would just be using Mozilla to access Yahoo mail. I have followed the instructions provided by lazylazyjoe on Oct. 27 2006,05:11 titled "Install DSL on an old laptop with only floppies". Thanks lazylazyjoe. Text quoted below.
START
"
I Just wanted to share how I installed DSL on my laptop (486, 32MB ram, no cd) using free utilities and floppies.
I used my Main Windows box to download the Current iso.
I then used isobuster to uncompress the image.
In the sub-directory knoppix\knoppix , is a file named KNOPPIX.
I used jrsplit (www.spadixbd.com/freetools/jsplit.htm) to split the 49 MB file KNOPPIX into 1.4 mb chunks. It created 35 files. (Make sure you have NEW floppies; go and buy 10 new ones before you read on. Don't use your 'Free Aol' floppy disks for DOS from 1994, trust me I know.)
I then copied each file chunk to a floppy and then copied each floppy to a directory on my laptop (it already had dos 6 installed, you can use freedos if you want). I found that I could copy the files from my main computer to the floppies at the same time that I copied another floppy to my laptop. The whole process took maybe 40 minutes.
Next, I used the copy command as such.
Go into the directory you put the files in and type
copy /b file.01 + file.02 + file.03 (etc..) merge1
(Use a plus sign + between each file name, then create a new file name at the end with no hyphen before it. All the files you typed will be merged into this new file
The only problem was DOS would only let me merge up to 12 files at a time, so I ended up merging the 25 files into 3 seperate files, instead on only 1. )
Then I simply merged those 3 files together using the copy /b command again. )
copy /b merge1 + merge2 + merge3 knoppix (notice no plus sign at the end)
Then, created a directory Knoppix (mkdir c:\knoppix) from my root directory and moved that file there. (Make sure the file is names KNOPPIX with no file extension, all caps. Double check the file size with the original too)
Next, I copied the files in the directory knoppix\boot\isolinux\ (from the iso on my Windows Box) to the directory c:\isolinux. It will take a couple floppies. (I zipped and split it, then combined and unzipped it again once on the laptop)
Next, I got the program loadlin.exe (http://elserv.ffm.fgan.de/~lermen/) and copied that to the isolinux directory too.
Next, I opened MS edit (type 'edit') and wrote this
linux24
root=/dev/ram
rw
initrd=minirt24.gz
vga=normal
ramdisk_size=100000
init=/etc/init
lang=us
apm=power-off
nomce
noapic
quiet
BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
Save it as options.txt in the isolinux directory.
Finally, type loadlin @options.txt This will load linux within dos like a LIVE CD.
You can do a hd install now if you want now, just repartition your hd using Radish and install.
If anyone has any ways they think it couldve been done easier, by all means, reply. I really wanted to remove most of the packages (except dillo, rdesktop, and cardmanagers) and create a smaller iso since I could have downloaded anything I needed after I got it installed, but didnt know how. I basicly followed http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Loadlin_Install , but had to transfer all my files over using floppies.
After all that, I wish I'd have just bought an old parallel zip drive off ebay for $10, but...
"
END
I followed these instruction to the letter. Although I used freedos as I wiped the hardrive of DOS by mistake trying another method.
This worked quite well but not quite, I had two errors. I googled the errors and serched the DSL archives but I haven't found the solution. I also tried using the boot floppy with cheatcodes (install, lowram, vga=7xx, failsafe), and I had significantly more errors. The above method doesn't allow for using cheatcodes F2 & F3 don't seem to do anything. Overall I have less error with lazylazyjoe's method so I think I'll continue with it.
The errors I get are as follows:
ERROR #1
mount: can't find/ ramdisk in /etc/fstab or etc/mtab
This doesn't seem to cause any problems as the process continues through to setting up video (XFBDEV xserver), USB mouse (no), IMPS/2 (no) YES?, ps2 port (Ok), number of mouse buttons (2) and keyboard us us (Ok) and then I get this.
ERROR #2
modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb0
XIO: fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.
dsl@tty1[dsl]$
So I guess I'm getting somewhere. I've edited the options.txt file for different video e.g. VGA=7xx but this results in an additional error along the lines of exceeded some value. VGA=normal avoids that error. I've added a line or two above the VGA=normal line with "lowram", "install" and "failsafe" but I still end up at the same point.
The Knoppix file is consistent in size with the original but I wasn't able to do and MD5sum on the reformed one on the laptop. The original was good.
Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? Am I trying to make an elephant dance (Pentium 120, 16M RAM seems to be within the minimum system requirements). I've searched everwhere for help but no luck. I suspect it has something to do with the video or the low amount of RAM but I really don't know.
I just tried # dsl-hdinstall and lost everything, some loop error, need to start over again. But I'll still have the above problems again.
Thanking you in advance for any/all help.
Cheers,
mmm
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