I am trying to install Slackware 9.1 on a TP 560x. I have a floppy and a PCMCIA cdrom. I can't get the CDROM to work for the install, so I am going to try to install over a network.

(1) I set up an NFS server on an XP box.
(2) I installed the PCMCIA LAN card.
(3) I ran the setup program successfully to a pont. The setup program doesn't find the NFS server.
(4) My network router indicates that the TP 560x is on the network.

So, am I supposed to mount the NFS server on the TP 560x? If so, exactly how do I do that?

Thanks,

Ray

you might try making the root disks, with this you first boot the floppies to setup the installer and then insert the CD to continue with installing the programs, setup the partitions, start swap, etc...........look for root disk directory on the CD and find the README.

Well, I finally did it...so, I thought I would tell everyone how...

First, the Slackware instructions are awful. Apparently, the instructions haven't been updated since the 1.0 beta. SO:

(1) Download the two slackware ISO and make the CDs.
(2) Build the appropriate boot disks and root disks.
(3) Set up a separate PC as an NFS server. There are several programs allowing the creation of an NFS server on a Windows box. I used Omni-NFS. The shareware versions are time limited to 2 weeks, but that is no problem. The Windows NFS servers are very easy to use.
(4) Copy the directory "slackware" from the CD (the directory containing the a, b, c etc. directories) onto the NFS server.
(5) Identify that directory (the "slackware" directory) as the one being shared. Use an alias for easier sharing.
(6) Set up your network card. I was setting up a TP 560x, so I had to install the PCMCIA drivers.
(7) Run setup.
(8) Do the rest of the stuff as to partitioning, etc.
(9) On select source, use the NFS option.
(10) Identifiy the directory "slackware" previously set up on the NFS server as the source directory. NOTE: Forget what the setup says about needing "tree structure from the slackware ftp site." (I have no idea what that means anyway.) You ONLY NEED THE DIRECTORY "slackware" on your NFS server. Point the setup program to that directory.
(11) Proceed with installation.

Again, this is all really simple--but, for some reason, no one has updated the installation instructions since "heck was a pup." The instrutions given in the setup program are incomprehensible.

NOTE: This does NOT install gnome or KDE. You have to install those packages manually.

Hey, thanks a lot Ratwod! I was up all night trying to figure out how to install slackware without having a CD writer around... You're totally right, the documentation for this stuff is pretty crappy. Anyway, it worked out now, thanks to you. Thanks for sharing

Cheers,
Reekkor

i could prolly give you thier reason for not changing it... why fix something that isnt broke

Assuming you referred to the mentioned documentation, well, i would classify it as broken. It's not very well done imho, and could be done so much easier, as Ratwod proved.

hm.. I get an error saying that it can't reach my network ...

"Configuring ethernet card...
SIOCSIFADDR: No such device
SIOCSIFNETMASK: No such device
SIOCSIFBRDADDR: No such device
Configuring your gateway...
SIOCADDRT: Network is unreachable
Running /sbin/rpc.portmap...
Mounting NFS...
mount: RPC: Port mapper failure - RPC: Unable to send"

what should I do?
I booted with bare.i and the two root-disks...

I solved it.. forgot to use the "network" command...