Ok,

Im trying to install any linux (prefer Gentoo, Debian or Slackware) onto a laptop i have that can boot from floppy but has no cd-rom (and i dont have access to one suitable) and a network card that i cant get to ework in any boot disks.

The NIC is a Belkin F5D5020 and it uses the:

card "Belkin-5020"
version "Belkin" , "F5D5020-PCMCIA-Network-Card"
bind "pcnet_cs"

commands in /etc/pcmcia/config

however i dont have a clue how to get those in there on a boot floppy..

any tips for a distro that will work or a way to make these changes (and get a kernel or driver onto the floppies if needed for pcnet_cs) would be most appreciated.

Otherwise ill have to put windows 95 back on there somehow and i dont really wanna do that.

I have access to a usb -> ide convertor if that would be any use as i can connect the laptop hdd to that and access it in my pc.. but i cant see installing linux there onto it working?? or will it?

Cheers,
sam

Solved my own problem. I'm posting this for anyone needing it.

Grab the Rescue, Root, Driver 1, 2, 3 and 4 floppy images from debian. dd/rawrite/rawritexp those to floppies and boot with the rescue disk in the drive, folloow the instructions until you arrive in the installer.

Follow the instructions to get past keyboard setup and partitioning/mounting filesystems.

Now install the kernel and drivers from the debian menu (scroll down to find it)

Now press Alt-F2 and activate the console (return) type: nano-tiny /target/etc/pcmcia/config and paste in the following exactly as written:


card "Belkin-5020"
version "Belkin" , "F5D5020-PCMCIA-Network-Card"
bind "pcnet_cs"

Now return to the installer (Alt-F1) go to configure PCMCIA and follow prompts, that will start the network card.

(you may need to go to the second console Alt-F2 and do: modprobe pcnet_cs now)

Now do the rest of debian setup and choose network when needed.