Author Topic: Linux on floppies for old pc (Read 24156 times)

squall_01 · « **on:** September 15, 2008, 10:36:13 AM »

Is there any way to put the Linux OS on to a floppy an load it? Preferably knoppix, doesn't have to be just like easy to understand an use. I want to put it on a gateway 2000, 486 pent

Zylstra · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2008, 03:35:02 PM »

Does the computer have a CD Drive? Can the CD drive boot?

Do you need JUST Linux, or a desktop too? You will never fit a good Desktop distribution on a floppy... but the base Kernel and Command Line Interface will run off a floppy.

You can get a disk/disc bootup utility that works like a bootloader on a floppy so you can boot off a CD, even if your BIOS dont support CD ROM Booting.

squall_01 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2008, 03:41:43 PM »

Yes,no

Linux,I want a bootable installment floppy.

Zylstra · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2008, 05:15:17 PM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 15, 2008, 03:41:43 PM

Yes,no

Linux,I want a bootable installment floppy.

Your going to have to type out your full response... I dont understand what you mean.

squall_01 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2008, 10:25:25 AM »

Quote from: Zylstra on September 15, 2008, 03:35:02 PM

Does the computer have a CD Drive? Can the CD drive boot? Yes,No

Do you need JUST Linux, or a desktop too? You will never fit a good Desktop distribution on a floppy... but the base Kernel and Command Line Interface will run off a floppy. Linux, I want an installment floppy

You can get a disk/disc bootup utility that works like a bootloader on a floppy so you can boot off a CD, even if your BIOS dont support CD ROM Booting.

patio · « **Reply #5 on:** September 17, 2008, 06:56:12 PM »

So instead of posting a response to Zylstra's question you've quoted him instead ? ?

You totally puzzle me at times i must admit...

Zylstra · « **Reply #6 on:** September 17, 2008, 07:32:58 PM »

"Coyote Linux "
Suggested by Dead_Reckon...

Che-che-che-check it out:
http://www.coyotelinux.com/

squall_01 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2008, 05:30:39 AM »

He wanted to know what my answers where so I just put it in his quote. Patio its not the people who think in the box that affect the world. Its the people outside of it to begin with.

Dead_reckon · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2008, 08:23:19 AM »

Quote from: Zylstra on September 17, 2008, 07:32:58 PM

"Coyote Linux "
Suggested by Dead_Reckon...

Che-che-che-check it out:
http://www.coyotelinux.com/

Zylstra, I thought you meant router linux. The smallest usable linux i know of is DSL, its 50MB, so you'd need a CD. Coyote is just for a router, next time ask me the intention of OS.

squall_01 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 18, 2008, 01:24:44 PM »

The drive size is 540 so if its not all that good I can go a little bigger.

Dead_reckon · « **Reply #10 on:** September 18, 2008, 04:35:31 PM »

the install of DSL is only 50MB, it'll install on near anything... Wait, is the drive 540MB...? If it is, how old IS this computer in question?

patio · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2008, 05:12:22 PM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 18, 2008, 05:30:39 AM

He wanted to know what my answers where so I just put it in his quote. Patio its not the people who think in the box that affect the world. Its the people outside of it to begin with.

So thinking outside the box means i have to re-read a quote to find out what you're replies are to a question ? ?

Then why would you put your replies inside a box ? ?

Do you want me to think inside a box or outside the box ? ? ? ? ?

Dead_reckon · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2008, 09:55:14 PM »

Uh, did patio go off the deep end?

squall_01 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 19, 2008, 06:03:10 AM »

it on a gateway 2000, 486 pent, I think the drive had 1995 on it.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #14 on:** September 19, 2008, 06:06:59 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 15, 2008, 10:36:13 AM

486 pent

What is a "486 pent"?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #15 on:** September 19, 2008, 06:09:15 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 18, 2008, 05:30:39 AM

He wanted to know what my answers where so I just put it in his quote. Patio its not the people who think in the box that affect the world. Its the people outside of it to begin with.

Sometimes people who think outside the box are crazy, like you, squall.

squall_01 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 19, 2008, 06:11:23 AM »

Not sure I was thinking its a pentium because intel made them an used to seeing them, but it says intel 486. socket 3, e=mc2 is that not so?

?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #17 on:** September 19, 2008, 08:30:13 AM »

It's an 80486, sometimes shortened to "486". pentiums came later. This computer is going to run like a stone dog.

squall_01 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 19, 2008, 08:58:31 AM »

I know, so you think linux mite be too much for it? It did have like windows 3 or something old like that. I took it only cause its collectable an still works.

Dead_reckon · « **Reply #19 on:** September 19, 2008, 09:01:12 AM »

Yeah, I think its a shelf novelty Squall, its beyond its life span.

squall_01 · « **Reply #20 on:** September 19, 2008, 09:02:38 AM »

I got two of them

Any buyers?

patio · « **Reply #21 on:** September 19, 2008, 04:43:47 PM »

I'll take one off your hands if you pay shipping...

Zylstra · « **Reply #22 on:** September 19, 2008, 10:03:57 PM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 19, 2008, 06:03:10 AM

it on a gateway 2000, 486 pent, I think the drive had 1995 on it.

That doesnt tell us much...
What kind of processor is it exactly? And how fast is it?
How much RAM does it have?

540MB sounds about right for a basic home computer during the 95' era...

Dias de verano · « **Reply #23 on:** September 20, 2008, 01:25:44 AM »

Quote from: Zylstra on September 19, 2008, 10:03:57 PM

Quote from: squall_01 on September 19, 2008, 06:03:10 AM
it on a gateway 2000, 486 pent, I think the drive had 1995 on it.
That doesnt tell us much...
What kind of processor is it exactly? And how fast is it?
How much RAM does it have?

540MB sounds about right for a basic home computer during the 95' era...

If it's a 486 it's going to be 100 MHz or under, and it is unlikely to have more than 4 or 8 MB of RAM.

squall_01 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 20, 2008, 05:03:01 AM »

Yeah, it was a sectary finical PC or something similar of that. I'm joking, I don't even know where you are patio.

Zylstra · « **Reply #25 on:** September 20, 2008, 11:09:38 AM »

I dont think there are any (not even XFce) desktop Linux distributions that support a computer like your... the processor wouldent be much of a problem, but the low RAM would be a huge problem.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #26 on:** September 20, 2008, 11:30:07 AM »

*censored* Small Linux, which has been suggested already, runs on a 486 with 8Mb

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/486.html

Here's a pic of a 486 with 16 MB running DSL. 16 Mb is better, but it will run in 8. A DX processor (the kind with an FPU) is better for any kind of multimedia including looking at jpegs. An SX33 (without FPU) rendered the bbc.co.uk front page in around 15 seconds.

We don't know what speed the CPU is on squall's machine,nor whether it is a DX or SX, nor the amount of RAM.

patio · « **Reply #27 on:** September 20, 2008, 11:43:39 AM »

Is that Uncle Bob on the left there ? ?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #28 on:** September 20, 2008, 11:47:00 AM »

Quote from: patio on September 20, 2008, 11:43:39 AM

Is that Uncle Bob on the left there ? ?

That's my grandson.

patio · « **Reply #29 on:** September 20, 2008, 12:52:52 PM »

Dias de verano · « **Reply #30 on:** September 20, 2008, 02:27:43 PM »

A 540 Mb mid 1990s hard drive, if it spins up at all (if the lube hasn't all dried up) is not going to have much life expectancy. I would have thought.

patio · « **Reply #31 on:** September 20, 2008, 05:53:46 PM »

You have to start thinking outside the box........

squall_01 · « **Reply #32 on:** September 21, 2008, 05:58:53 AM »

I was thinking about putting a bigger drive in it like 10 gb western.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #33 on:** September 21, 2008, 06:07:07 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 21, 2008, 05:58:53 AM

I was thinking about putting a bigger drive in it like 10 gb western.

You'll never fill it. The BIOS may not recognise all of it anyway. There was a 4096 cylinder/2.11 GB size barrier that became a problem around 1996. However, it may have a bit more life in it than the original one, which must be nearly old enough to vote!

How are you planning to get an OS onto it?

squall_01 · « **Reply #34 on:** September 21, 2008, 06:35:27 AM »

Thats good maybe I'll use that 2 gb maxtor I have in place. Floppies how else?

Zylstra · « **Reply #35 on:** September 21, 2008, 01:16:09 PM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 21, 2008, 06:35:27 AM

Floppies how else?

I think we ruled that out..
Any good descent OS with desktop interface is going to require at least 50MB... and I doubt you want to go through 50 floppies...
How about taking the drive out of the computer, and putting it in a newer one and setting it up on that newer computer, and then taking the drive back out, and putting it into the old computer...

squall_01 · « **Reply #36 on:** September 22, 2008, 10:41:06 AM »

I thought about that but arent most like xp an sense hardware changes.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #37 on:** September 22, 2008, 10:58:05 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 22, 2008, 10:41:06 AM

I thought about that but arent most like xp an sense hardware changes.

Many older Linux distros arent fussy about hardware. Especially the little ones. They require an x86 cpu and a vga display and a small amount of RAM. Pre- 95 Windows is the same. I moved a WFWG 3.11 installation from a 486 Compaq to a P120 homebuild and it worked first time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Linux#Floppy_disk_distributions

Dead_reckon · « **Reply #38 on:** September 22, 2008, 11:04:46 AM »

Linux is nice about running in a cramped environment like what a 486 would give it, but, a system that old isn't likely to have much use even if you got it working. You'd need an NIC or WIC for one if you want internet. That's if it has at least one PCI slot, if it only has ISA, your screwed.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #39 on:** September 22, 2008, 11:07:19 AM »

Come on, Dead_Reckon, surely you must realise this is one of Squall's "thought experiments".

Anyway, I would think that an MS-DOS 6.22 and/or a Windows for Workgroups floppy set is a better bet. Of course there isn't any way at all of getting that, eh folks?

Quote from: You'd need an NIC or WIC for one if you want internet.

You'd need an NIC or WIC for one if you want internet.

That isn't exactly true. You could use a 56K modem hung off the serial port and get a dial up account.

Zylstra · « **Reply #40 on:** September 22, 2008, 02:49:18 PM »

You can legally download DOS 6.22 as far as I am concerned...

http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Dead_reckon · « **Reply #41 on:** September 22, 2008, 02:52:50 PM »

If someone says dial up again, I'm going to beat them to death with a phone book. So many awful memories of dial up on our first family PC so long ago... Anyway, you should ask Zylstra about his 4MHz IBM

Zylstra · « **Reply #42 on:** September 22, 2008, 02:56:58 PM »

Quote from: Dead_Reckon on September 22, 2008, 02:52:50 PM

Anyway, you should ask Zylstra about his 4MHz IBM

The beige beat of doom from 1986!
4MHz computer, 2MB of RAM, and a dead 80MB HDD.
Runs hard core Windows 3.11 for Workgroups, and DOS 5.0.
(Of course, the drive is dead... so, it doesnt really run any of that anymore...)

VINTAGE!

Dias de verano · « **Reply #43 on:** September 22, 2008, 03:34:18 PM »

Quote from: Zylstra on September 22, 2008, 02:49:18 PM

You can legally download DOS 6.22 as far as I am concerned...

http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

That one disk is just a boot disk with a few disk tools on it. It isn't the MS-DOS 6.22 full OS install, which is 3 floppies, 4 if you count the supplemental disk.

People who posted links to so-called "abandonware" sites on CH have been told to remove them... Has that policy changed? As far as I know MS has not made MS-DOS freeware. I know about the 6.22 upgrade \available for free download, but that requires an existing 6.22 installation.

Zylstra · « **Reply #44 on:** September 22, 2008, 03:51:02 PM »

Quote from: Dias de verano on September 22, 2008, 03:34:18 PM

Quote from: Zylstra on September 22, 2008, 02:49:18 PM
You can legally download DOS 6.22 as far as I am concerned...

http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

That one disk is just a boot disk with a few disk tools on it. It isn't the MS-DOS 6.22 full OS install, which is 3 floppies, 4 if you count the supplemental disk.

People who posted links to so-called "abandonware" sites on CH have been told to remove them... Has that policy changed? As far as I know MS has not made MS-DOS freeware. I know about the 6.22 upgrade \available for free download, but that requires an existing 6.22 installation.

Hmm... your right... thats not the full version.

Abandonwear... thats a bit of a gray line, and as far as I can tell, has never been determined.

But! Microsoft has released DOS 6.22 for free:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=96cc3197-b7e5-4b31-badb-ddaac771295f&displaylang=en
You could use a file splitting program that is compatible with DOS to get this on three disks...

If the Original Poster wants the Setup file in three diskettes, Lets NOT Tell the original poster to search for the following on Google:
DOS 6.22 Full Version download

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #45 on:** September 22, 2008, 04:39:51 PM »

Quote from: Dias de verano on September 20, 2008, 02:27:43 PM

A 540 Mb mid 1990s hard drive, if it spins up at all (if the lube hasn't all dried up) is not going to have much life expectancy. I would have thought.

I still have two 50MB drives, and they work fine. I had an older giant looking Western Digital from around '87, but I decided to rip it open to see it's insides. Then I ran it through a USB enclosure with the cover open. Good times.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #46 on:** September 23, 2008, 12:18:20 AM »

Quote from: Zylstra on September 22, 2008, 03:51:02 PM

But! Microsoft has released DOS 6.22 for free:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=96cc3197-b7e5-4b31-badb-ddaac771295f&displaylang=en

It hasn't, as I already pointed out.

The link you gave leads to MS-DOS 6.2 Step-Up. It is for 6.0 Users Only. (MS-DOS Step-Up differs from Upgrade in that it is limited to earlier 6x versions only and contains file updates not complete copies of application files other than IO.SYS & MSDOS.SYS)

I wrote this in my previous post but you ignored it:

Quote from: Me,, earlier

I know about the 6.22 upgrade available for free download, but that requires an existing 6.22 installation.

I got the version numbers wrong, and I didn't then appreciate the difference beteen step-up and upgrade, but the essence is true. The only thing Microsoft has "released" is a 6.2 (not 6.22) step-up for legal 6.0 owners.

squall_01 · « **Reply #47 on:** September 23, 2008, 05:30:53 AM »

yeah, its experimental stuff, that also gives me an idea but I think I ruled the drive to be dead.

patio · « **Reply #48 on:** September 23, 2008, 05:56:21 AM »

Great...so now what do we do ? ?

squall_01 · « **Reply #49 on:** September 23, 2008, 06:14:29 AM »

we wait till I put the other one together an what else was recommened.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #50 on:** September 23, 2008, 10:27:01 AM »

When I said it was a "thought experiment" I meant I didn't think anything would actually happen.

squall_01 · « **Reply #51 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:26:43 AM »

It works an everything just needed an os

Dias de verano · « **Reply #52 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:45:33 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 24, 2008, 10:26:43 AM

It works an everything just needed an os

For want of an 'os(s) the kingdom was lost

squall_01 · « **Reply #53 on:** September 24, 2008, 10:58:33 AM »

Any how I'm going to put dos 6 on the one ect....

Dias de verano · « **Reply #54 on:** September 24, 2008, 11:31:01 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on September 24, 2008, 10:58:33 AM

For want of a nail the horsehoe was lost,
For want of a shoe the horse ('oss") was lost,
For want of a horse the battle was lost,
For want of a battle the war was lost,
For want of a war the kingdom was lost.

squall_01 · « **Reply #55 on:** September 24, 2008, 02:56:19 PM »

well its not working I have to get a new copy of the linux os zip an I dont think that dos will fit on the floppy.

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #56 on:** September 24, 2008, 03:40:29 PM »

DOS normally comes on several floppies. They are labelled sequentially, from 1 to the number of floppies in the set. In addition, the installation procedure requires that these floppies be used in order, using the first one to start a "SETUP" program, and waiting until the program requests the next disk. At this time, the disk present in the drive will be removed, and replaced with the next disk in the set. A key will be pressed to indicate to the setup program that the disk has been inserted, at which point it will continue copying files until the next disk.

In short: you can make a basic DOS boot disk with one floppy, but it's necessary to use several to install the whole OS on a computer. Ideally, of course, using the installation program. (for DOS versions 4 and higher)

squall_01 · « **Reply #57 on:** September 24, 2008, 03:58:03 PM »

Oh yeah, well I dont no how to do that...

Zylstra · « **Reply #58 on:** September 24, 2008, 06:28:30 PM »

Quote from: Dias de verano on September 23, 2008, 12:18:20 AM

Quote from: Zylstra on September 22, 2008, 03:51:02 PM

But! Microsoft has released DOS 6.22 for free:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=96cc3197-b7e5-4b31-badb-ddaac771295f&displaylang=en

It hasn't, as I already pointed out.

The link you gave leads to MS-DOS 6.2 Step-Up. It is for 6.0 Users Only. (MS-DOS Step-Up differs from Upgrade in that it is limited to earlier 6x versions only and contains file updates not complete copies of application files other than IO.SYS & MSDOS.SYS)

Ah, okay. I see now

Quote

I wrote this in my previous post but you ignored it:

Quote from: Me,, earlier
I know about the 6.22 upgrade available for free download, but that requires an existing 6.22 installation.

Didnt ignore it, I just didnt understand fully what you meant. I get what you said now

squall_01 · « **Reply #59 on:** October 03, 2008, 09:50:04 AM »

That dont tell me how....

Dias de verano · « **Reply #60 on:** October 03, 2008, 10:26:37 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on October 03, 2008, 09:50:04 AM

That dont tell me how....

No.

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #61 on:** October 03, 2008, 10:28:21 AM »

squall_01 · « **Reply #62 on:** October 03, 2008, 10:42:32 AM »

?? Its just saing the differnce between the two or whichever.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #63 on:** October 03, 2008, 10:45:45 AM »

Keep on rockin' squally boy

squall_01 · « **Reply #64 on:** October 03, 2008, 10:47:13 AM »

Is he on something?

?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #65 on:** October 03, 2008, 10:49:58 AM »

It's you that seems to be "on something", O Squallish One

squall_01 · « **Reply #66 on:** October 03, 2008, 11:46:53 AM »

okay ..... the link to cyoto linux download dont work the program not the link.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #67 on:** October 03, 2008, 12:45:31 PM »

Quote from: squall_01 on October 03, 2008, 11:46:53 AM

okay ..... the link to cyoto linux download dont work the program not the link.

The link ... not the link? What are you on?

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #68 on:** October 03, 2008, 05:49:40 PM »

Dias de verano · « **Reply #69 on:** October 04, 2008, 12:28:17 AM »

He's been listening to too many Sarah Palin speeches.

squall_01 · « **Reply #70 on:** October 06, 2008, 10:19:59 AM »

what is 43. I'm against her why would I? I dont care that much about politates. I'm a thrid party person myself. I mean that I could get the linux program but when I ran it, it wouldnt work at all or all the files coppie thats it.

Dias de verano · « **Reply #71 on:** October 06, 2008, 10:35:26 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on October 06, 2008, 10:19:59 AM

I'm against her

Ol' Squall ain't so bad.

squall_01 · « **Reply #72 on:** October 06, 2008, 10:40:47 AM »

she conterdicts herself. I could get it on the machine just where to get it to put it on floppies an stuff, a nother site with cyoto linux.

BC_Programmer · « **Reply #73 on:** October 07, 2008, 12:19:53 AM »

If I told you what the 43 meant you would get very angry. I'm afraid you will need to discover it's meaning over time.

squall_01 · « **Reply #74 on:** October 07, 2008, 06:31:34 AM »

I now what your meaning know. Its seems like that I'll have too find info about this tommorow then.

Zylstra · « **Reply #75 on:** October 07, 2008, 09:34:26 PM »

I thought we determined:
You cant install Linux via Floppy...
And the computer wouldent get that great of performance anyways... and the drive will most likely die out soon.

squall_01 · « **Reply #76 on:** October 08, 2008, 05:29:56 AM »

I thought that we found an os copy that would fit?

michaewlewis · « **Reply #77 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:35:46 AM »

http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html
Follow the link, open the category menu, and select minimalist, and Go.
There's a few distros that say they fit on floppies. (you'll have to weed through the unmaintained ones)
Seriously.... Did no one look at linux.org!?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #78 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:38:58 AM »

Quote from: michaewlewis on October 08, 2008, 10:35:46 AM

Seriously.... Did no one look at linux.org!?

Seriously ... what did you expect?

squall_01 · « **Reply #79 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:40:43 AM »

I never heard of it. So what where you expecting?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #80 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:44:46 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on October 08, 2008, 10:40:43 AM

I never heard of it. So what where you expecting?

Linux.org is where you go to find out about Linux.

You didn't tell us anything about why you could not get Coyote to work, so I think this thread is running out of steam.

squall_01 · « **Reply #81 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:49:28 AM »

I now that, I like some of the ones on here. Right off that I will try.

Any place for DOS?

Dias de verano · « **Reply #82 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:50:54 AM »

Quote from: squall_01 on October 08, 2008, 10:49:28 AM

I now that, I like some of the ones on here. Right off that I will try. Any place for DOS?

http://www.google.com

squall_01 · « **Reply #83 on:** October 09, 2008, 05:26:20 AM »

figured someone would start saing that. Have to get them again not sure why that the files didnt download right.

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Author Topic: Linux on floppies for old pc (Read 24156 times)

squall_01

Zylstra

squall_01

Zylstra

squall_01

patio

Zylstra

squall_01

Dead_reckon

squall_01

Dead_reckon

patio

Dead_reckon

squall_01

Dias de verano

Dias de verano

squall_01

Dias de verano

squall_01

Dead_reckon

squall_01

patio

Zylstra

Dias de verano

squall_01

Zylstra

Dias de verano

patio

Dias de verano

patio

Dias de verano

patio

squall_01

Dias de verano

squall_01

Zylstra

squall_01

Dias de verano

Dead_reckon

Dias de verano

Zylstra

Dead_reckon

Zylstra

Dias de verano

Zylstra

BC_Programmer

Dias de verano

squall_01

patio

squall_01

Dias de verano

squall_01

Dias de verano

squall_01

Dias de verano

squall_01

BC_Programmer

squall_01

Zylstra

squall_01

Dias de verano

BC_Programmer

squall_01

Dias de verano

squall_01

Dias de verano

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Dias de verano

BC_Programmer

Dias de verano

squall_01

Dias de verano

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BC_Programmer