I have a beta of Intel's Book Size PC (or NetPC). It has no floppy, no CD ROM drive. A 20 GB HARD DRIVE was recently added. How can I get Linux on to this computer?

I was going to copy the linux disto cd that I have from TurboLinux on to a small partition on the 20 gig using another PC and then attempt install it.
How can I make the small partition bootable?
How can I mount it in Windows 95?

Thanks
John Nunez

If you have any other linux/unix machines, could you not set up a NFS server and serve all the packages off the intranet. I've also heard of installation by FTP, but keep in mind this all requires a network.

I've got another idea, but I have no clue if this will work at all! First of all, you're going to have to repartition it, and considering it's a laptop, you're going to want to be really careful. If there's any data you care about, then be extra-super careful. Set yourself up another FAT partition and make it bootable, and also make room for your linux partitions as well (leave space), preferably within the 8gb mark. Download the files from your other source (again, you need a network), they'll go into the FAT partition just fine, then you go into your bios and switch the drive letter boot-up, so it starts on D: and not C:. From there, run the install program, and build your other partitions.
I'm not sure if the linux install will read the FAT partitions, although I've got a good idea that it will. It can read CDs, ext2's, NFS, so it'll be fine I think.

There could be some wierdness, considering it's a lap top. You may not be able to switch your boot options in the bios, I've seen that restricted before. The download won't be fast either. Just download the files and install them EXACTLY as if it were the CD you're downloading from. I don't know if turbo linux uses lilo or anything, but from what I've read, turbo linux is more oriented on clustering puters ...

Hope this all helps!

-Infamous-Tim-

Tim thanks for your response. but the computer is not a laptop it's a book sized desktop pc. Intel used it to test the feasability of Net PC's in a corporation environment. Like a iMac these came with no floppy drives plus no CD Drives. Corporate I.T. Depts were expected to use Intel's Lan Manager to load software on to the computer. At 18,000 dollars, i don't think I will be going that route.

The method I use to install Windows 98 into it is by taking the Hard Drive to my other PC. Format and copy system files into it. Copy all the Win98 Cab Files into a folder and then take the drive back to the Net PC and run the Windows 98 Installer.

I have installed Linux over FTP but the problem with this machine it getting it to boot up. There is currently no OS on the newly purchased 20GB HD. I have contemplated on partitioning the drives, installing DOS 5.0 (lying around somewhere) and copying the packages over from the cd. But will the Linux installer run from a dos prompt?

I think that the ideal method would be to repart the HD with a small Linux partition. Make it bootable (how?). And then copy over the turbo linux cd.

Thanks Again.
John

Have you considered an external cdrom drive?

Will this system boot via the network? Is there an option for TFTP, NFS, or BOOTP boot or something like that in this systems BIOS?

Exactly what model of hardware is this?

http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Networ...WTO/index.html

OR... check THIS out...
http://www.slackware.com/zipslack/

Which I think would work for you and is a great alternative.

KevinJ

First off, you will need to repartition your hard drive. You can use Windows fdisk, but it is risky, and will wipe your hard drive.
You really need to invest in an external CD and some partitioning software like Partition Magic or System Commander.

Without this stuff, you are in for a lot of work and frustration.

If your systems BIOS has an option for some sort of network boot, then you can get a regular Linux install with no problem.

If that isn't an option... look at that Zipslack URL I posted. That will give you a fully functional Linux OS, just not on the ext2 filesystem. But it works and it works well.

You don't need to repartition or purchase any more hardware for either of those options.

Here is another idea:
Since you take the HD to another computer anyway (to copy ove the installation files), you could install Linux on that machine. Then take the drive back to your BookPC and boot it up. If you have kudzu installed, it should detect all hardware changes and configure the necessary drivers.

I've done this before (moving an installed HD to another machine) with RedHat 7.0 and Mandrake, haven't had a problem with it.

Just another idea....

There's something I need to know. You said you had a 20gb hard drive installed. Is there ANYTHING on that drive? Or do you mean you switched out the 20gb drive for the original drive?
If it's got nothing on it, then that's no problem. Like msh8r said, you might be able to install it on another machine, then bring it back. In the install, and I KNOW that RH 7.1 does this, it will give you the option to install lilo in the MBR or the boot sector of the current drive. Choose the second option, so that when you stick it in, it should boot up just fine.
Along the lines of two seperate hard drives, what you could do is somehow switch the master/slave situation, and then put an option in lilo to boot to the windows drive.
If you've got only that 1 drive, then I think your only options are like an ftp install, an nfs install, some kind of bootp ( but I wouldn't think that a laptop like that would support it very well), or going out and buying the dock/external CDROM. I wish I knew more so I could help, but everything I know is based around using a floppy . That is an interesting quandry, and I love a good challenge!

-Infamous-Tim-
Not a for much longer

The process of learning and installing Linux is a real time consumer and education. You don't need the aggravation of trying to deal with yet an additional variable. If you really want to use this computer to its full potential and avoid all kinds of frustration, spend a few bucks on a CD and some software.

Okay... Just to clarify.. this is how I understand the problem:

The problem is booting into the install program. There is no CDROM or floppy. Its not a matter of how will he install (i.e. local disk, NFS, FTP, etc. etc.) Its a matter of how to boot into the install program. Even if he was able to add some sort of external CDROM or floppy, the BIOS of system may not support booting to it so he would be in the same boat.

I just read his second post a little more carefully and he says that these NetPC's were supposed to communicate with LANmanager. I did some checking on LANmanager it basically has a network client that boots in DOS to connect to the server and download what needs to be installed. That's not boot.p. I am guessing that he has an EEPROM that loads DOS and starts a network client in this manner. Still no way to boot the install program that I know of.

With this in mind, and assuming there is no option to turn a boot.p boot on in the bios, I think the best suggestions given so far are to:

1. Install Redhat (with Kudzu) onto the disk in another box. DON'T SET IT UP TO BOOT DIRECTLY INTO X-WINDOWS!! Make sure you don't do that! Install X-windows, but have it boot to a command line so that you have to start X-windows manually. You can change that later. Hopefully you will get a bootable install that you can work with.

OR....

2. Check out Zipslack or Bigslack from Slackware.


KevinJ

First... Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

This NetPC does not have a standard Boot ROM that uses BootP. It has a special version of Intel's LanManager Client. For everyone who were asking about more info on the hardware... I don't know... It's not listed at Intel's Web Site. I think it's due to the device being part of a Beta Project.

The 20GB HD is brand new with no data.

I have installed TurboLinux but I didn't tell it to install LILO on the drive. Does anyone know if TurboLinux installs Kudzu or something like it? I have no need to X Windows because I just need a low powered web server.

This seems to be my solution... Thanks Again

Install Redhat (with Kudzu) onto the disk in another box. DON'T SET IT UP TO BOOT DIRECTLY INTO X-WINDOWS!! Make sure you don't do that! Install X-windows, but have it boot to a command line so that you have to start X-windows manually. You can change that later. Hopefully you will get a bootable install that you can work with.