I've tried two small linux distros, Damn Small Linux and Basic Linux 3.5 and failed to get either working correctly. I'm trying BL 3.5 at the moment. I've made a directory in DOS, run from a basic dos prompt and as soon as I "startX the GUI only shows as coloured squares. I had the same problem loading the GUI in DSL. My old laptop is a Dell XPI P133St with 40 meg of ram, 4.2gb hard disc, display runs windows 98 at 80x60 with 256 colours with no problem at all.
Detailed instruction to get this working would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. Ken.

Have you looked at "Linux - How to Install Basic Linux 3.50 to a Hard Drive with Dual Boot
Author: L.Savage" at http://logicassembly.com/linux/basic_linux_install.htm ?

As with DSL the installation is not the problem it's something to do with the way the old laptop is handling the GUI. In both DSL and Basic Linux 3.5 everything works ok until startx is run then the laptop screen just shows coloured blocks. If I look carefully I can see a mouse pointer and what look like a toolbar on the bottom but the screen clearly isn't beeing driven properly. I've seen other posts where people have had display problems with Dell latitude Neomagic 800x600x256 disp;ay adaptors. The post in question was to do with Debian and the XF86config file had to be edited but not sure if this is applicable in my case.

try the framebuffer boot options in dsl
like vga=788, etc

and check out this stuff regarding neomagic and dsl

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/i...Libretto_100CT

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Vga%3Dxxx

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/i...hp/Cheat_Codes

try this too

xmodule=fbdev

and also try xsetup

type in vga=788 xsetup xmodule=fbdev

at boot prompt
type in dsl first

dsl vga=788 xsetup xmodule=fbdev

Yeah I've already been through those routines without success.
I'm beginning to think Linux sucks!but I'm prepared to try a bit longer.
I have managed to get Damn Small Linux to load on a Fujitsu Pentium 2 333laptop the GUI looks good but here we go again it wouldn't connect to the internet via Firefox.
To compare, the same machine already has Windows XP loaded so relaced IE with Firefox plugged in my Belkin usb wireless device and up came the internet no problem.
Tried DSL loaded via cdrom arrived at GUI plugged in Belkin usb NOTHING!
Then tried loading DSL with usb wireless already plugged in nothing.
You can see my frustration one plugs and plays another you have to do this and that and hope it works. Question now is how do I get my USB wireless dongle to connect to the internet via Firefox so that I can truely evaluate DSL against XP.

Regards screen problem I've managed to get a display using vga=785 which gives me true colour in 640 x 480.
I can get 800 x 600 but only in 256 colours. Any ideas as to how display driver can be improved. Also how to
get internet running.

what's the model and version number of the wireless card. Since Dsl is based on an older 2.4 kernel not as many wireless cards will work straight out of the box. might have to do some work to get it to work

Thanks for the reply.
I haven't tried a pcmcia card yet only a Belkin 811g usb wireless device. While running DSL there was no recognition that the device had been plugged in.I realise this device may not be compatible as it's relatively new and most of the tried and tested units seem to be 811b with WEP encryption as I believe DSL doesn't support WAP which is a shame if this is true.
I wanted to use my laptop while touring with a caravan and stopping at sites that offer WIFI but if they use WAP I'de be srewed running DSL. Any advice welcome.