Hello,

I am a web designed that is new to linux. I am trying to find a version that will install properly on my old toshiba satilite laptop (specs posted below). Alls i really need is a text only version of linux, gui would be nice. It will be for running apache w/ php mysql est for home use only. It will only host a local webpage for testing est. I currently run a windows version but i do want to learn how to use linux when it comes to apache est.

Ive tried 5 or 6 versions of linux, most ubuntu or offshoots of it. As well as a old Redhat 5.0 official copy my brother had laying around. Cant seem to get any to install. Some will boot and work directly from the CD but i do want something installed on the HD itself.

Thanks!


Specs:

id: nflux
(was current cd booted install of ubuntu when i got the specs, would not install on HD)
description: Notebook
product: Portable PC
vendor: TOSHIBA
version: Version 1.0
serial: 0000000000
width: 32 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.3 dmi-2.3
configuration: administrator_password = disabled
boot = user-requested
chassis = notebook
frontpanel_password = disabled
keyboard_password = disabled
power-on_password = disabled


id: core
description: Motherboard
product: Portable PC
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 0
version: Version A0
serial: 0000000000

id: firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 0
version: Version 1.20 (06/04/2002)
size: 128KiB
capacity: 448KiB
capabilities: isa pci pcmcia pnp apm upgrade shadowing vesa cdboot bootselect pcmciaboot edd int13floppytoshiba int13floppy720 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer acpi usb agp biosbootspecification netboot

id: cpu
description: CPU
product: Intel(R) Celeron(TM) CPU 1333MHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 4
bus info: cpu@0
version: 6.11.1
slot: uFC-PGA Socket
size: 1333MHz
capacity: 1333MHz
width: 32 bits
clock: 133MHz
capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 mtrr pge mca cmov pse36 mmx fxsr sse up

id: cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 12
slot: CPU Internal
size: 32KiB
capacity: 32KiB
clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
capabilities: internal write-back

id: cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 13
slot: CPU Internal
size: 256KiB
capacity: 256KiB
clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
capabilities: internal write-back

id: memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 81
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 512MiB
capacity: 1GiB

id: bank:0
description: SODIMM SDRAM Synchronous
physical id: 0
slot: DIMM 0
size: 256MiB
width: 64 bits

id: bank:1
description: SODIMM SDRAM Synchronous
physical id: 1
slot: DIMM 1
size: 256MiB
width: 64 bits

id: pci
description: Host bridge
product: M1644/M1644T Northbridge+Trident
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 01
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver = agpgart-ali

resources: irq : 0
memory : f0000000-f3ffffff(prefetchable)


id: pci
description: PCI bridge
product: PCI to AGP Controller
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci bus_master
resources: memory : f7f00000-fdffffff
memory : 30000000-300fffff(prefetchable)


id: display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: CyberBlade XPAi1
vendor: Trident Microsystems
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: 82
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: agp agp-2.0 pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency = 8

resources: memory : fc000000-fdffffff
memory : fbc00000-fbffffff
memory : f8000000-f9ffffff
memory : f7ff8000-f7ffffff
memory : 30000000-3000ffff(prefetchable)


id: usb
description: USB Controller
product: USB 1.1 Controller
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver = ohci_hcd
latency = 64
maxlatency = 80

resources: irq : 11
memory : f7eff000-f7efffff


id: ide
description: IDE interface
product: M5229 IDE
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 4
bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0
logical name: scsi0
logical name: scsi1
version: c3
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list emulated
configuration: driver = pata_ali
latency = 64
maxlatency = 4
mingnt = 2

resources: irq : 255
ioport : 1f0(size=8)
ioport : 3f6
ioport : 170(size=8)
ioport : 376
ioport : eff0(size=16)


id: disk
description: ATA Disk
product: IC25N030ATCS04-0
vendor: Hitachi
physical id: 0
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: CA3O
serial: CSL304D5CB6T5A
size: 27GiB (30GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion = 5
signature = 3b7b3b7a


id: volume:0
description: Linux filesystem partition
vendor: Linux
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
version: 0.0
size: 23MiB
capacity: 23MiB
capabilities: primary ext2 initialized
configuration: filesystem = ext2
modified = 2000-01-03 05:21:11
mounted = 2000-01-03 05:00:56


id: volume:1
description: Extended partition
physical id: 2
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,2
logical name: /dev/sda2
size: 8032MiB
capacity: 8032MiB
capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended

id: logicalvolume:0
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 5
logical name: /dev/sda5
capacity: 7993MiB

id: logicalvolume:1
description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
physical id: 6
logical name: /dev/sda6
capacity: 39MiB
capabilities: nofs

id: cdrom
description: DVD reader
product: DVD-ROM SD-R2102
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/scd0
logical name: /dev/sr0
logical name: /cdrom
version: 1316
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd
configuration: ansiversion = 5
mount.fstype = iso9660
mount.options = ro,noatime
state = mounted
status = ready


id: medium
physical id: 0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /cdrom
configuration: mount.fstype = iso9660
mount.options = ro,noatime
state = mounted


id: multimedia
description: Multimedia audio controller
product: M5451 PCI AC-Link Controller Audio Device
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 6
bus info: pci@0000:00:06.0
version: 01
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver = ALI 5451
latency = 64
maxlatency = 24
mingnt = 2

resources: irq : 11
ioport : 1000(size=256)
memory : 30100000-30100fff


id: isa
description: ISA bridge
product: M1533/M1535/M1543 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV/V/V+]
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 7
bus info: pci@0000:00:07.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: isa pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency = 0


id: bridge
description: Bridge
product: M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU]
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 8
bus info: pci@0000:00:08.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bridge
configuration: driver = ali1535_smbus
latency = 0

resources: irq : 0


id: network
description: Ethernet interface
product: 82551QM Ethernet Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: a
bus info: pci@0000:00:0a.0
logical name: eth0
version: 10
serial: 00:00:39:64:28:c9
size: 100MB/s
capacity: 100MB/s
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation = on
broadcast = yes
driver = e100
driverversion = 3.5.24-k2-NAPI
duplex = full
firmware = N/A
ip = 192.168.0.101
latency = 64
link = yes
maxlatency = 56
mingnt = 8
multicast = yes
port = MII
speed = 100MB/s

resources: irq : 11
memory : f7efe000-f7efefff
ioport : eec0(size=64)
memory : f7ec0000-f7edffff


id: pcmcia:0
description: CardBus bridge
product: ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support
vendor: Toshiba America Info Systems
physical id: 11
bus info: pci@0000:00:11.0
version: 32
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pcmcia bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver = yenta_cardbus
latency = 0
maxlatency = 5
mingnt = 128

resources: irq : 11
memory : 30101000-30101fff
ioport : 1400(size=256)
ioport : 1800(size=256)
memory : 20000000-23ffffff(prefetchable)
memory : 24000000-27ffffff


id: pcmcia:1
description: CardBus bridge
product: ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support
vendor: Toshiba America Info Systems
physical id: 11.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:11.1
version: 32
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pcmcia bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver = yenta_cardbus
latency = 0
maxlatency = 5
mingnt = 128

resources: irq : 11
memory : 30102000-30102fff
ioport : 1c00(size=256)
ioport : 2000(size=256)
memory : 28000000-2bffffff(prefetchable)
memory : 2c000000-2fffffff


id: battery
description: Lithium Ion Battery
product: CG916A
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 1
version: 05/21/02
serial: 2100000120
slot: 1st Battery
configuration: voltage = 10.8V

I would suggest trying Debian. You probably don't want to use Gentoo, which requires local compilation of all packages. Arch would work well if you want to know more about how a linux system works. Debian is the base system of ubuntu but doesn't come with all the branding, and probably with a lighter weight window manager as default.

If you can get the system to work on the livecd, then you can get the system to work without it. There must be a kernel configuration error going on somewhere; forgetting to include something or the like.

Be careful when asking this sort of question though. Because it is so much based on preference of the person responding, you may not find that the advice really fits your needs. If you can ask more specific questions which are objective you will get better answers.

Details would help.

Have you tried running hardware health check software such as Toshiba's own (assuming they have one publicly available) or MemTest86 ... ?

Assuming the hardware is healthy, chances are it's one or more specific hardware items that are causing the trouble. Installation failure messages might identify the problem area and allow more focussed research for a solution.

I installed and used Zenwalk on a laptop of much lesser specs and it worked like a dream. And Im no expert. Before that I installed Mu on the same laptop.
I would go for Zenwalk.!
autoPhil

maybe also check out Slack-Mini-Server
http://sms.it-ccs.com/downloads.html

they have both install and livecds headless no X
with lots of addons
great thing is it will run from hdd in frugal mode like with usb with persistency
meaning a frugal install (usb/hdd) would be about 700+MB
vs a hdd install at about 3.5+GB
good support too and its slackware current
perhaps the Greatest distro of all?