I just got my old system (AMD 700mhz) out of the closet and realized I don't have a linux distro installed. It has a 10gb HD, 128mb of mem and a Ricoh cd burner, which seems not to read burned CDs for some reason. Winxp pro is on C drive and I got bout 4gb for linux left.

Anyway, I was wondering if I wanted to install Debian minimum base using floppies to get started, would this be a very long net install? I also have a 56K connection with an external Robotics modem! If the connection get broken will it start where it left off when I restart it?

Debian website mention to create six floppy disks total, Rescue, Root, and 4 driver disks.

Is this all I need to get started with? Comments & suggestions welcome!

Thnx.

The floppy count is correct.
Minimum base install maybe an hour or two on dial up???
I don't think the connection will restart.
Are you planning to go off on holiday while downloading KDE/Gnome?
Good Luck.

Thnx for the reply. That don't sound to bad, 1 or 2 hours! I really don't need KDE or Gnome for a desktop. Since there is Fluxbox, Windowmaker etc etc etc!

Isn't apt-get great?

The basic Debian IS BASIC.
You will need to check for and install any utilites/programs you want.
Yes, apt-get is great. It puts a basic Debian install a nose in front of any other (basic install).

I just read over Debian's website and found out that you can't do a net install using ppp connection.

I just wanted to give it a try. Thnx for the replies.

Does it really say that?

http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst

This is what I saw:

"If your computer's only network connection is via a serial line, using PPP or an equivalent dialup connection, you will not be able to install the base system over the network."

I think one reason is I didn't have the ppp files to configure the modem. I guess all that is part of the base system!

Looks like you are entirely correct, BittaBrotha.
Guess your choices are what the manual mention.
CD, load files to the hard disk, or net install from a 2nd PC (networked).
Debian CDs from Cheapbytes or such do not cost much. That is not a bad alternative.

Well I still took the long route, I got Debian 3.0 base system installed using, floppy disks! It took a total of 26 disk with only one of the group being bad (base disk 8).

I got my dialup connection working, it dial's out and connect, but it don't seem to ever send or receive data, the lights never blink. I'm trying to do an apt-get update for my sources.list. I can't ping anything either.

I checked the /etc/resolv.conf file and the correct IP numbers are in it.

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thnx.

Does anybody have any more suggestions about this issue?

Thnx.

Login issues and not listing the ISPs DNS servers, if they're needed, can give the impression that you can connect but you can't.
Are you using wvdial?

I'm using the console based Pon and Poff commands. I've checked all config files for the ppp connection and everything seems to fine.

I guess I will get a cd drive and reinstall, it should work hopefully. The modem has worked using another machine and Debian but I used the complete Debian cd disc to install it.