lo All,

I've finally taken the leap to try linux. I just wanted to report that I was able to successfully install Debian 2.2.20 version 3.0 onto my old Dell Latitude LM laptop. 166 MHz Pentium with MMX.

I chose Debian because I could install it via the internet. My laptop can only boot from the floppy drive and the hard drive and I lost the cable that let me connect the CD-ROM drive externally. I only had to use 6 floppy disks: rescue.bin, root.bin, and 4 driver disks during the install. It was able to successfully detect and load drivers for my PCMCIA ethernet card. I was then able to install via internet (cable internet service), although the install hung up twice because it couldn't download something.

The primary purpose for this laptop in order of priority is:

1) experiment with linux
2) web browser, newsreader
3) network with my other computers that run Windows XP
4) some rudimentary desktop functions
5) maybe store pictures
6) maybe play music / MP3

I pretty much followed the installation guide found at Debian.org's website.

I am a total newbie at linux, so it's pretty much guranteed that I'll be posting in the future with things I can't figure out by myself.

Ciao...

Great sucess story! I have a simalar Dell Laptop that I installe Slackware 8 on. KDE is kinda slow and some problems installing but, hey, it works. Never tried a Net install, fortunate that I have had access to CDROM drives. I have some old IBM Thinkpads that are still running Redhat 6.

I think once you play with Linux for awhile you will want to have it on your main machine, It's just more pleasent on a faster machine and duel booting is not that hard to setup nowadays.

Have Fun

KC