Linux on a P1

[cuog]

I have an old P1 laptop that my family uses occasionally which has 98 on it and only has another 600 MB of free space, can I make a dual boot on here with Linux and also which Linux OS should I use???????\


Thanx a heap

[mattg2k4]

You have a few options here.

The easiest option is to use a Live CD, which is simply a version of linux that boots only from CD and installs nothing from the hard drive. Knoppix is a very popular Live CD distro, I've used it and am quite pleased with it. There are also dozens of distros based off of knoppix which may be to your liking. Knoppix can read and write to FAT32 partitions, so you can use the files on your windows hard drive.

If you want to install to the hard drive, first you will need to resize the windows partition smaller (or delete it and start anew). QTParted, a tool include with Knoppix, will resize partitions, but you might also try Partition Magic if you have a copy. You will need a small distribution to fit in that little free space, and you also need a linux swap partition. I'm not really familiar with what's best for that, but I seem to remember reading about damn small linux, which is, asyou might have guessed, small.

[mikeL]

the only other way I see besides what Mattg2k4 said, it would be to run linux from the command line only (no eye candy there).

you could always use the P1 as a router, If you wanted to.

[cuog]

Thamks I will do some more research on all of this then and also I don't think that a router on Dial up would be very useful

[dragonxx4]

Knoppix probably isnt a very good choice for that laptop. from what ive experienced it doesnt run to well on any thing less than 256mb of ram. I have run Damn Small Linux on as little as 64mb of RAM. Ran very well. Another i would look at is Vector Linux. ( http://www.vectorlinux.com/ ) It is made to run on older hardware .

[cuog]

I guess my old P1 is not up to the requirements for the Linux systems you guys mentioned(not enough ram or HD space so I will just tough it out with windows but I may dual boot the new laptop im getting this summer with Linux

[thefultonhow]

I guess my old P1 is not up to the requirements for the Linux systems you guys mentioned(not enough ram or HD space so I will just tough it out with windows but I may dual boot the new laptop im getting this summer with Linux

My brother tried Linux on his Toshiba... pain in the arse. He spent more time trying to get basic functions like power management and the proper screen resolution working (he has a widescreen) than he did actually doing work. It's much easier to use Linux on a desktop.

[cuog]

I may try and put it on my desktop which has a 233 mhz mmx w/ 192 MB of RAM but I accidentaly did some arc welding trying to hook up the main power switch(I haven't touched it in the past few days I think I may try again later)

[cuog]

Hey all thanks for the help I decided im going to download dsl tommorow when i get to school since it will take until tomorrow with dial up and I am going to put it on my flash drive and use it both on my laptop and desktop

Yet again thanx a bunch ill let you know later how it works

[mattg2k4]

There is a damn small linux distro of knoppix, and you can boot knoppix in the command line only by typing the option "knoppix 2" at the initial screen that comes up.

[cuog]

Well I downloaded DSL now what I have never installed Linux before so what should I do now