Newbie needs help installing Linux

[GreenNeub]

Hey guys, this is my first time posting on this site, so just bear with me. I'm a total neub to most of this stuff, but I wouldn't mind learning a few things.

I've got an old Compaq Presario 2200 series desktop that I'm trying to use again. I only need it for simple things like word processing, maybe spreadsheets, and possibly surfing the net. It had windows 95 on it, but we lost the windows manual that had the certificate of authenticity on it. I figured to get around this problem, I'd just wipe windows off the hard drive, and try to install a small linux OS, like Small Linux, Damn Small Linux, or Pocket Linux. I didn't realize how tough this would be. I've wiped the hard drive with the free download of killdisk, but I'm not really sure where to go from here. When i turn the computer on, it just goes past the COMPAQ intro screen to a black screen with the cursor blinking in the top lefthand corner, and I'm unable to do anything. I downloaded the ISO for Damn Small Linux and burned it onto a cd, but when I put the cd in the drive, shut down the computer and turn it on again, it goes past the COMPAQ intro screen to just a black screen, no cursor. I'm guessing i have to format the drives, or partition them or something, but i'm not sure how to go about doing this? Could someone give me some help, in detail, about what to do? Or give me a link that would help me out?? Thanks for your time guys. Here's the specs on my Compaq:

Model COMPAQ PRESARIO 2200

Compaq P/N 292600-004

Standard Features
Dimensions and Weight Dimensions (H x W x D) and Weight

Unit: 4.0 inches x 14.17 inches x 14.5 inches (19.8 lbs.)

Package: 9.13 inches x 19.63 inches x 23 inches (27.5 lbs.)
Processor 180 MHz processor with MediaGX Technology
System Bus 66MHz
Memory 16 MB of Total System Memory; expandable to 80 MB (60ns EDO SIMM required)
Hard Drive 1.6 GB hard drive
CD-ROM Drive 8X CD-ROM drive
Modem Modem upgradable to 56K ; 33.6K modem standard
Graphics 64-bit graphics with Direct3D
Maximum non-interlaced resolution of up to 1024 x 768 (when supported with monitor)
MPEG full screen video playback

[dogdude16]

make sure u have it set to boot from CD as first option to get the comp to install linux. you can do that in bios

[glc]

You are going to have a hard time installing *anything* but the original load of 95 on that old MediaGX-based PC. It's chock full of proprietary parts. You may have wiped any bios setting capability when you used Killdisk - Compaqs used to put it in a proprietary partition at the front of the hard drive. If you can't boot it with a bootable CD or bootable floppy, you are pretty much stuck.

[faulkner132]

It wouldn't be worth it to install any modern distribution of Linux on a machine with those specs.

[nix4ever]

Ancient workstations Compaq and Packard Bells were big trouble for linux. They often used abnormal setups, wierd cd drivers, wierd hd setups (like glc mentioned) and daughter boards with intergrated crap (sound/ide/etc...). Your best bet is to toss old klunky hw in the can. The term klunky meaning Compaq/Packard Bell workstations. Using a machine of that calibre with a modern linux distrubtion would be fine. I happily used 486 and p133's for years and only recently tossed them out since I had things that were way faster. They were all still useable tho. If you use older hw your skill level will have to be a bit higher and you'll have to make sure you run a lighter weight wm however old hw is still quite useful even with modern linux dists. You'll also have to be careful which dist you choose as many are currently designed to run on newer hw.