i searched for similar links, and found no info on my sony vaio fx370. as stated, i am trying to install debian gnu/linux 2.1 from a cd i purchased with an installation cd. cfdisk starts, but when it asks me to partition the hd, i get hva1 wrote to the disk, but it won't let me go to the next partition. i worked into the wee hours reading and searching, now i fear if i don't get some assistance soon, my wife will shoot me. thanx,

Why are you using such an old Debian disc?? the new Debian "Sarge" 3.1 installer is great... and much more user friendly... If you have high-speed internet.. I would greatly recommend using the small Debain net-inst disc....

It is a small download and it just connect to the internet to pull down all your packages... very simple... you don't even need to know what the IP address is.... it gives you a list of mirrors to select from.. pick one and go....

Good Luck...

and not enough knowledge. i downloaded a 6 cd set of redhat but it's in iso images. i don't have software to burn iso images to cd, so i downloaded a linux cd burner that is supposed to run in windows. i can't work it. if you can show me how to find linux on the net NOT in iso images, show me where to go get them.

Dude... you HAVE to use ISO images... because the iso contains the bootable cd image which is laid over the entire disk... you cant just copy the files and expect it to be bootable....

I suggest you go pick up a copy of Roxia easy cd creator... even the old versions burn iso's perfectly... all you do is double click the iso file and roxia will automatically open up and burn it to a disk...

if you can't burn an iso image... run to CompUSA of Best Buy and buy one of distros they have... Best Buy carries Red Hat and SuSE... CompUSA has Red Hat, SuSE, FreeBSD, and occasionally Debian or slackware...

If nothing else pick up SuSE 9.1 personal.. $40

while i appreciate the info, a few points i had problems with....roxio 5.0 won't run with xp, i tried to get the update, but it won't download for some reason, i really want to use the cd that came with the 1100 page book i read before trying this install, and i tried and the cd burner is on the computer with no operating system....
i tried again and came up with some error messages:
Kernal panis: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:01
it recognized my cd, floppy, and hard drive, i just don't have the knowledge of what to type in on cfdisk at this point.

i did it....i just had to fool with it for a while, and don't ask me what i did...but it wirks....

what works?? the debian disk?? Of course it works.. it just takes time.. the best way to learn is to teach yourself...

As long as it's installed well....that's what counts.. now for updating your system.. so long as you have an internet connection..

open up terminal.. "su -" to root and enter root password...

then type "apt-get update"

after that finishes type "apt-get dist-upgrade"

and this will update all packages installed on your debian system to their newest versions... good luck!! and contratulations..