Linux on Hp Vectra Model 522

[Jianan]

Hi folks,

I am moving into open source computing. I do not want to disturb my main workhorse PC. I want to experiment with my vectra 522 which otherwise would be in cold storage.

The 522 has a 100MHz Pentium processor, 40MB memory, two 500 MB harddisk. It connects to the Net via COM1 with a 56K Faxmodem.

I intend to set up and run GNU/Debian Linux on the secondary drive and use it to access the net with PPP.

I would appreciate info on the easiest way to achieve this. Would it be as easy as getting hold of a distribution CD-ROM?

Hope to hear from you folks.

[Steven E. Protter]

Your processor is on the slow side for today's Linux, a bit lite on RAM as well.

I will assume you want to run X Windows and some of the nice GUI applications.

So long as you will tolerate medicore performance, though better than windows, any distribution will work.

If your hardware is not standard, Red Hat 9 is your best bet. SUSE will work good, hardware support is almost as good.

Download the CD's burn them, use rawrite to make a boot disk and go. It will be fun.

SEP

[Jianan]

SEP,
Thanks for the reply. I believe I have to clear some fundamental issues before the installation. Firstly, my machine must be able to boot from the CD-ROM drive. The current BIOS only allows the machine to boot from either the Floppy or the Drive 1 which is the C drive. I wonder how folks can install Linux on 486 machines. Is there a version of BIOS that allows my machine to boot from the CD-ROM drive? The second issue is that I want to install Linux on the D drive. The machine would finally be dual bootable, from Drive C for Windows and Drive D for Linux. Which all means that the machine should be bootable from any of the drives, floppy, harddisks or CD-ROM.
Can that be achieved?

[Bruno Vidal]

Hi,
In the CDROm you can use the rawwrite executable to create a bootable floppy that then can be use to install your PC, on the floppy you have a linux kernel with all major cdrom driver (you can also use network installation). But in your case, load the CD on your PC (dos or windows), then use the rawwrite (it is a dos executable, it is nearly the same thing than our ux dd command). Indicate which floppy image you want and the drive where is your floppy. Then reboot on this floppy, and follow installation instruction (really easy in fact).

Good luck

[Jianan]

Hi folks,

I havd been busy installing and setting up Debian/GNU Linux. I did it all by downloading some files into my Drive C and started the installation from there; no diskettes, no CD-ROM. My old Vectra 522 can now run Linux from Drive D in addition to Windows on Drive C:.

Thanks for the suggestions for my questions.

[Steven E. Protter]

Thank you much appreciated.

A point or two assigned for those that helped you would be also much appreciated.

Glad it worked out for you.

SEP

[Jianan]

SEP

I had actually assigned points during the session when I posted my last message. Probably I did not press the "submit" button before logging out. I have done it now.

Thanks again for the help.