Linux need help in installing Linux over a old laptop

A

ajonnet

Disciple
hi guys...

i have got a IBM 560Z, 32MB RAM, 233MHz, Floppy Drive, NO CD-ROM, NO Network support.

:( SAD story of windows over it.:(
previously windows 98SE was installed on it with 6GB HDD. For some uknown reason the HDD got crashed. Now due to the unavailability of low capacity HDD i have to replace the 6GB HDD with a 40GB HDD which was unsupported by its BIOS(even after patching the bios). But luckily the 40GB HDD got boots normally into the DOS mode as i expected. So i tried installing windows 98 over it, but the setup could not be completed, might be because of the mismatch of the information stored in BIOS configuration. :(
After many tries of installing windows i have decided to swith over to LINUX.

Now i want to install linux over it, which could run smoothly over it, so i can read my PDFs Docs,do my programming stuff (GCC,if possible JAVA too) and listen to mp3s over it.

Please suggest me which Linux Distro would be most suitable for it.
currently i am having DSL distro with me.

As there is no CD-ROM:( , i need to know a way of installing linux without it. I can surely detached the HDD of it and connect it to my PC via USB port.

i am having little working knowledge of LINUX and had previously installed LINUX on PC with no problems.
 
checksum said:
I don't know how you can install linux on it without a cd rom, or network or usb. how did you install win98 on it?
Click to expand...

He probably did it by copying setup files on his hard-disk and running the setup from it.

As far as linux is concerned,there are a few distros that allow you to use the iso images from your hard disk to install.You need to make a boot floppy which essentially loads the linux loader which then reads the iso from hard-disk! Google around a bit for distros which support this method! From my memory,I can think of Debian which might be the thing you should look ahead too in this scenario ! Report back if you face any issues !!
 
nah u can try puppy linux, damn small linux, slax these might work,,u can try the alternate desktop environments,,

Also,i don know the exact procedure but maybe ucan search and make it real,,,
1)u can use syslinux, because it supports old hardware,, its not jus version of linux, a kernel i think... It is used to boot from pendrives too,

2) so u can attach that hdd to other comp, copy the dsl or puppy files, copy syslinux, then there is a syslinux command which makes the bootsector on the usb card, jus by changing the device name i think u can get it installed!!!

Im damn sure it'l work...

try
pendrivelinux.com/
Use the pendrive installation guide and jus substitute the device name,,,sda or something...May dark star can help u getting that device name...
Or when i once installed syslinux from windows, all i had to do was give the path of the hdd!!!!
like f:\ or something...
Im really excited man..It jus might work out for u,,,!!!!

@dark star,,,come on man..I've seen u do much better than dat...linux master!!!!
 
Pat said:
Err...I guess you guys got it wrong..He doesnt want to install and use it like an installation on USB drive..He wants to do it natively on his laptop hard disk..Something like this should help

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromHardDriveWithFloppies

Check the system requirements first before you decide on any distro!
Also,I think debian would be the best option for you considering the specs of your laptop!
Click to expand...

you got it right PAT, i need to install linux natively over the hard drive and so i need to know a process so i can just copy the setup files over the hard drive and run the setup from there....

but do you ubuntu will run fine on such a configuration..... the link u gave seems to be helpful. so i am going to give it a try...
 
checksum said:
Nope ubuntu will not run with 32mb ram. YOu have to try puppy, damn small or slax
Click to expand...

well u r very right, it does not work that way....

i tried to follow the pat method.....
but could not to do that way.... as it requires u a 1.72 mb floppy support...... for booting through a floppy and formatting the hdd, then loading the ubuntu iso image over a partition.......

on going through that article, i found that they want u to make two floppies
viz.
1. tomsrtbt
2. grub boot floppy

purpose of tomsrtbt is to partition the hdd and load the setup iso image to it....
and grub boot floppy is used to boot that loaded image.

well now i need alternative to the first floppy and a good alternative to ubuntu distro
 
Party Monger said:
USB Damn Small Linux install | Pen Drive Linux

jus skip the hp tool..

and in d step6 replace x with the laptop harddisk drive letter,,,
I've tried it wid a flash card n it works!!!
Click to expand...
i think the steps u r telling r for installing linux over a portable media..... but i need to install it on hdd attached to my laptop.......
but as i have no cdrom with it.....so i am looking for a method that could boot a installation image from the hdd.
 
Well if ur not willing to try its okkk..:mad: i told u dat it might jus work and wud be a whole lot simpler dan anything else...

and that guide is for usb but all u need is to change a letter to make it work with ur hdd...:rofl:

Ur choice..:no:
 
Party Monger said:
Well if ur not willing to try its okkk..:mad: i told u dat it might jus work and wud be a whole lot simpler dan anything else...

and that guide is for usb but all u need is to change a letter to make it work with ur hdd...:rofl:

Ur choice..:no:
Click to expand...

its just not that, i dont want to give it a try........
in particular to me there are two issues attached with that method...
1) it is not using the DSL standard image.... it is using DSL-Embedded image, which i think might had already been specialzed to boot from usb or some other removable media. And what i need is to connect the HDD on the IDE port. so it might not run.
2) secondly i am not having DSL-embedded image available locally, and even if i think of downloading it, it would take considerable time over my 75Kb connection.

so i am looking for some other straight solution.
 
its 50 mb max...wat i meant was dat its the most hasssle free method,,,n no its not optimised for usb jus that isolinux used in normal image has issues wid usv and syslinux doesnt,, else everything including ide and all is the same,,,i think u can even find the same tutorial wid normal iso on that site,,,its an excellent resource,that site..
 
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