Getting linux on a partially crippled pc...

itor66 · 06-17-2003, 07:47 PM

Hey....got a question for you linux folks out here....

I have a middle aged laptop that I picked up for a few bucks.
An old IBM thinkpad 365, (2 gig hd and 40 meg ram), it has no floppy cable and thus no floppy and the cdrom drive isn't bootable from the bios, but does work.

I do however, have working 95 and a fast cable modem connection to the outside world from the laptop.

Is there a linux that can be downloaded into windows and then started from windows or dos mode that will install enough of itself to go and get the rest from there?

Like a ftp or http install?

as I said, I can't boot a floppy to mount the cdrom and I can't boot the cdrom from the bios so, HELP.

It'll make a great linux box to carry around and play with.

Thymox · 06-17-2003, 07:52 PM

Try looking into Slackware. There's a funky dos-bootable-type install procedure that will get things up and running, from there you can install from cdrom or network, or whatever you want.

I know that SuSE installs over ftp, but you usually boot from a suse floppy, so I don't think that'd help.

2damncommon · 06-17-2003, 08:46 PM

Quote:

a funky dos-bootable-type install procedure

A current version of Zipslack is available. Zipslack is a pretty good selection of useful command line Linux tools. Networking, email, and such are available.
Going back a few versions, there was a BigSlack available. It also can be unzipped onto a DOS partition (but requires much more room). It included GUI features but is old and probably somewhat of a security risk if you are planning on getting online.
Actually, the DOS based Loadlin Linux bootloader program should be able to boot any Linux system if you understand how to use it.

Thymox · 06-18-2003, 05:45 PM

Yeah, I tried ZipSlack once - a pretty cool idea.

However, what I was talking about was a dos based root disk. Here's a little excerpt from it's readme:

Code:

install.zip - an *EXPERIMENTAL* UMSDOS-based Slackware installer.

This is the Slackware install.zip, a new approach to installing
Slackware.  It is a UMSDOS version of the Slackware installer rootdisks.

The Slackware install.zip was made for two main reasons: to address the
inconvenience and difficulty of having to use three floppy disks for
installing Slackware; and at the same time to try to reduce the hardware
memory requirement. If an operating system can run with 8MB RAM, it
should also be able to install on such a machine, right?

Sounds quite good. If you can get this, unpack it on your laptop and boot it, you should be able to select something like a network/cd install.

Cheers for the headsup on ZipSlack, though. It is a good solution if you not sure about messing with the partitions, or you need to keep your dos-based OS intact and you have limited space.

lectraplayer · 06-18-2003, 07:45 PM

Tip: pick any distro, go to CompUSA or something and pick up a 44 to 40 pin IDE adapter, and install it onto your laptop's hard disk from another computer. ...then when it goes to reboot, put it back in your laptop and set it up the rest of the way. ...at least you gotz a CD-ROM so you can install any drivers you need easily. It worked well on my P-90 laptop with a floppy drive but no CD-ROM and a screwy PCMCIA problem. ...that was until my laptop just died today.

Oh well, I'll just get another.

Still got the hard disk and everything.

joekewl00 · 06-19-2003, 06:40 AM

http://dragonlinux.sourceforge.net

save it to your HD shut down in DOS mode and run it...
sets up just like a regular install almost

itor66 · 06-19-2003, 07:41 AM

Downloaded the zip slack, followed the tutorial to edit the linux.bat file for the right hard disk, booted in dos mode and typed linux and off we went. It works right enough.

Now onto the configuration, slackware is a little "different" from libranet or JAMD.

Thanks all for the help and particularly for the zip slack idea. I'm sure I'll back looking for slackware guru's.

frieza · 06-19-2003, 09:27 AM

hmm, actually, the redhat cds do have a means of loading the installer without booting from the cd, i used this to install linux onto virtual pc
there is a directory called 'dosutils' which has a file called autoboot.bat, which, if run from 'dos' mode should take you into the installer

2damncommon · 06-19-2003, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Now onto the configuration, slackware is a little "different" from libranet or JAMD.

If you haven't found it already, the Slackware book is good for basic stuff.