Hi there

I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following problem

1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
2 NO repeat NO cd rom
3 Lan connectivity
4 usb memory stick 1gb.
5 machine will NOT boot from USB
6 machine currently has win98 on it ( god help me.)

So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers for
those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich enough
to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple technique
that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable and
replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008??? I'm
all for change :-)

tia

harry palmer wrote:
> Hi there
>
> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following problem
>
> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
> 3 Lan connectivity
> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB

If your machine don't support USB booting, then there is nothing you can do to
boot from USB.


> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers for
> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich enough
> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple technique
> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable and
> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008??? I'm
> all for change :-)

If you are lucky, you can boot over lan (netboot), then you setup a tftp
service with DSL and the boot your laptop using the other computers tftp service.
Done this with a Ultra Sparc ("desktop" machine, but without a CD-Rom),
following this nice documentation for Gentoo Linux:
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-...boot-howto.xml

--

//Aho

Responding to harry palmer...
> Hi there
>
> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following problem
>
> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
> 3 Lan connectivity
> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB
> 6 machine currently has win98 on it ( god help me.)
>
> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers for
> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich enough
> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple technique
> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable and
> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008??? I'm
> all for change :-)
>

Could this be of any use?

http://wiki.debian.org/BootingFromFloppyToUsb

--
________________.0.________________
The Way of the Chao-Pao! is strong.
http://tinyurl.com/382gmp
-----------.|.-----------

harry palmer wrote:
> Is there a simple technique
> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable and
> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008??? I'm
> all for change :-)

If you can't get anything else to work, you could try a Debian (DSL
becomes Debian after install) install from the Web, and just don't
install Gnome or KDE (desktop). After the install, just apt-get Fluxbox
and JWM, which is what DSL uses for Desktop/Window managers:
http://goodbye-microsoft.com/


--
As we enjoy great advantages from inventions of others, we should be
glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
and this we should do freely and generously.
--Benjamin Franklin

"Mike" <Not@Arizona.Bay> wrote in message
news:TcSej.74057$036.35058@fe1.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
> Responding to harry palmer...
>> Hi there
>>
>> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following problem
>>
>> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
>> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
>> 3 Lan connectivity
>> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
>> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB
>> 6 machine currently has win98 on it ( god help me.)
>>
>> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers
>> for
>> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich
>> enough
>> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple
>> technique
>> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable
>> and
>> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008???
>> I'm
>> all for change :-)
>>
>
> Could this be of any use?
>
> http://wiki.debian.org/BootingFromFloppyToUsb
>
> --
> ________________.0.________________
> The Way of the Chao-Pao! is strong.
> http://tinyurl.com/382gmp
> -----------.|.-----------

Sorry no, I don't have a floppy drive. Pathetic isn't it :-) all I have is
what is in the list above. Thanks though all information is good.

"J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> wrote in message
news:5u2417F1ffji0U1@mid.individual.net...
> harry palmer wrote:
>> Hi there
>>
>> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following problem
>>
>> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
>> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
>> 3 Lan connectivity
>> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
>> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB
>
> If your machine don't support USB booting, then there is nothing you can
> do to
> boot from USB.
>
>
>> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers
>> for
>> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich
>> enough
>> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple
>> technique
>> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable
>> and
>> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008???
>> I'm
>> all for change :-)
>
> If you are lucky, you can boot over lan (netboot), then you setup a tftp
> service with DSL and the boot your laptop using the other computers tftp
> service.
> Done this with a Ultra Sparc ("desktop" machine, but without a CD-Rom),
> following this nice documentation for Gentoo Linux:
> http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-...boot-howto.xml
>
> --
>
> //Aho

Lucky :-) I was hoping for an easier copy zip, unzip, run executable, run
install but I can see how that might be difficult. Ho hum... I miss the TAOS
operating system sometimes.

"johnny bobby bee" <useraddshine-no_spam_eh******.ca> wrote in message
news:csTej.25534$wy2.3226@edtnps90...
> harry palmer wrote:
>> Is there a simple technique
>> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable
>> and replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in
>> 2008??? I'm all for change :-)
>
> If you can't get anything else to work, you could try a Debian (DSL
> becomes Debian after install) install from the Web, and just don't install
> Gnome or KDE (desktop). After the install, just apt-get Fluxbox and JWM,
> which is what DSL uses for Desktop/Window managers:
> http://goodbye-microsoft.com/
>
>
> --
> As we enjoy great advantages from inventions of others, we should be
> glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
> and this we should do freely and generously.
> --Benjamin Franklin

hey johnny

my major concern is the 64mb ram and the slow processor in the Vaio. I'll
check this out though thanks.

harry palmer wrote:
> my major concern is the 64mb ram and the slow processor in the Vaio. I'll
> check this out though thanks.

What's the difference? DSL or Debian with the same window manger and
desktop manager will use the same 64MB.

--
As we enjoy great advantages from inventions of others, we should be
glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours;
and this we should do freely and generously.
--Benjamin Franklin

harry palmer wrote:
> Hi there
>
> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following problem
>
> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
> 3 Lan connectivity
> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB
> 6 machine currently has win98 on it ( god help me.)
>
> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers for
> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich enough
> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple technique
> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable and
> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008??? I'm
> all for change :-)
>
> tia
>
>
>

Take the drive to another machine (a friend's machine perhaps) and
install it there. Then put the drive back.

Vahis
--
"Only wimps use tape backup:
_real_ men just upload their important stuff on ftp,
and let the rest of the world mirror it ;)"
Linus Torvalds 1996.

"harry palmer" <nope@nope.for> writes:

> Hi there
>
> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following
> problem

If you are new to Linux, I would strongly suggest getting a machine with
more clout. This is really jumping in at the deep end IMO and will
frustrate you I think.

DSL is limited in MANY ways to keep it under the 50 meg limit. I
*suspect* but I don't know that the kernel modules are limited - for a
start I'm fairly sure that it still uses the 2.4 kernel. This might be
fine for you. Personally, as someone new to Linux, I think you're in for
a fun ride - but good luck regardless!

>
> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
> 3 Lan connectivity
> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB
> 6 machine currently has win98 on it ( god help me.)
>
> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers for
> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich enough
> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple technique
> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable and
> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008??? I'm
> all for change :-)
>
> tia
>
>
>

--
Al primo bicchiere, agnello; al secondo bicchiere, leone;
al terzo bicchiere maiale.
-- Dal Talmud

"Hadron" <hadronquark@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:fligcj$bit$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> "harry palmer" <nope@nope.for> writes:
>
>> Hi there
>>
>> I am new to linux so be gentle. Simply put I have the following
>> problem
>
> If you are new to Linux, I would strongly suggest getting a machine with
> more clout. This is really jumping in at the deep end IMO and will
> frustrate you I think.
>
> DSL is limited in MANY ways to keep it under the 50 meg limit. I
> *suspect* but I don't know that the kernel modules are limited - for a
> start I'm fairly sure that it still uses the 2.4 kernel. This might be
> fine for you. Personally, as someone new to Linux, I think you're in for
> a fun ride - but good luck regardless!
>
>>
>> 1 a Sony Vaio pcgt-505ts with 64mb ram and 4 gb harddrive
>> 2 NO repeat NO cd rom
>> 3 Lan connectivity
>> 4 usb memory stick 1gb.
>> 5 machine will NOT boot from USB
>> 6 machine currently has win98 on it ( god help me.)
>>
>> So, I've read through the various websites and can find lots of answers
>> for
>> those lucky people that can boot from the memory stick or those rich
>> enough
>> to own an external cdrom :-) I can't do either. Is there a simple
>> technique
>> that emulates the download dsl.zip unzip to executable, run executable
>> and
>> replace the dreaded win98 with DSL so I can make the switch in 2008???
>> I'm
>> all for change :-)
>>
>> tia
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> Al primo bicchiere, agnello; al secondo bicchiere, leone;
> al terzo bicchiere maiale.
> -- Dal Talmud

hey hadron

I want to use this laptop and it only has 64mb ram so I'm kinda sol :-)
it's light nice big screen and can run firefox, which I truly like.