Compaq with AMD K7 processor won't Boot from CD/DVD Drive

pcfast · 04-08-2013, 05:52 PM

I have this old Compaq Presario desktop which can't seem to boot from any DVD I have. First I tried Linux Mint (32-bit) which shows the Linux Mint initial boot screen options then just goes to white screening with a blinking line.

I tried MacPup but that didn't boot. Then Bodhi Linux but I get this message "Invalid or corrupt kernel image."

Seems like there is an issue with the computer.

Specs;
AMD K7 processor / 598 Mhz
384 MB of RAM

vigi · 04-08-2013, 06:14 PM

Does it work with windows.?

pcfast · 04-08-2013, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vigi

Does it work with windows.?

Yes, it is running Windows XP.

TobiSGD · 04-08-2013, 07:25 PM

With only 384MB of RAM you won't have much luck with Mint. On such a low-spec machine you might want to try antiX or Vector Lite.
If you suspect the hardware to be faulty you can run some basic tests, like Memtest86+ for testing the RAM and maybe the harddisk manufacturer's diagnosis tool.

pcfast · 04-08-2013, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD

With only 384MB of RAM you won't have much luck with Mint. On such a low-spec machine you might want to try antiX or Vector Lite.

MacPup is a Puppy Linux puplet. Should work fine on this Compaq.

rokytnji · 04-08-2013, 08:41 PM

Go with AntiX. We specialize on older gear like yours.

Anticapitalista rolls a i486 kernel just for something like you have.

Quote:

At the moment antiX-12 comes as a full distro (c695MB), a base distro (c355MB) and a new core distro (c135MB) all for 486 (PI and K5/K6 AMD) and 686 kernels. For those who wish to have total control over the install, use antiX-core and build up.

pcfast · 04-08-2013, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

Go with AntiX. We specialize on older gear like yours.

AntiX looks pretty sweet!

http://youtu.be/mGJRu6zxgR8

TobiSGD · 04-08-2013, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcfast

MacPup is a Puppy Linux puplet. Should work fine on this Compaq.

The MacPup ISO alone is about 200MB and, like all Puppy versions do it, loaded into RAM at boot. So from your 384MB you only have left about 180MB to actually run the system in, a space that will get more and more occupied with data you produce and applications you run (MacPup comes with Firefox, this alone can easily take up more than the total RAM you have).

While many people recommend Puppy for older systems they often do not see that old does not mean low-RAM, and running your whole system from RAM when RAM is something that you do not have plenty of does not make much sense. With antiX you can expect that you will have not more than 60MB used after boot.

rokytnji · 04-09-2013, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcfast

AntiX looks pretty sweet!

http://youtu.be/mGJRu6zxgR8

Better video of latest AntiX 13 beta 2 that we are testing. It works real well for a beta. Not flaky at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JUwp8A-np0

Posted from my AntiX 13 testing .

Code:

$ inxi
CPU~Dual core Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2160 (-MCP-) clocked at 1200.000 Mhz Kernel~3.8.3-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 Up~12 days Mem~470.2/1981.1MB HDD~80.0GB(-) Procs~97 Client~Shell inxi~1.8.45

It is not just for older machines with no ram or slow processors. Lean and mean works for me. By the way folks. I am also a macpup team member as well
as a antiX team member. If I thought Macpup would run on that K7 good. I would have suggested that also.

Edit: here is a video of AntiX 13 beta 1 also.

pcfast · 04-09-2013, 09:34 AM

I did a memory test using Memtest86 from the Linux Mint DVD. It didn't come up with any errors.

Any thoughts?

TobiSGD · 04-09-2013, 09:47 AM

I would just give antiX a try and see if it works.

pcfast · 04-09-2013, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD

I would just give antiX a try and see if it works.

If MacPup won't boot on it why would antiX?

TobiSGD · 04-09-2013, 03:15 PM

As explained above, you have a system with relative low amount of RAM and MacPup loads itself into it, which can cause problems. antiX on the other hand is a traditional system that runs from disk instead of RAM, with antiX you will have about 60MB used after boot, with MacPup it have to be much more, alone loading the system to RAM will take away ~200MB. Besides that, due to the different approach other kernel parameters are used and other things done at boot.

pcfast · 04-09-2013, 03:43 PM

I burned AntiX 13 onto a CD and it doesn't seem to work either!

Quote:

early console in decompress_kernel

Compressing Linux... Parsing ELF... done.
Booting the kernel.

Been on this screen for awhile and it's not booting.

This is really annoying! I was hoping installing Linux would be easier.

anticapitalista · 04-09-2013, 05:34 PM

Seems like your dvd drive is at fault.