[SOLVED] Is it worth trying to install a linux OS on this computer?

Shadow_7 · 04-13-2016, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks Shadow but this advice is thoroughly over my head at this point. Maybe I'll be back to ask for clarification if I need to. And this computer is 2005.

A plop CD or btmgr or whatever it goes by these days is basically the same function without the know how. But it starts to fail when there's multiple drives at play or other non-typical configurations. Otherwise it works great. I mostly learned the grub way since I don't have to google it. And I can create / use it with stuff that's already on my system. And it's yet another way to do the same function.

ardvark71 · 04-13-2016, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

And so how much roughly would a DVD-ROM cost? (Just roughly "ballpark.")

Hi Gregg...

First find out whether you need a IDE or SATA drive and then you look on ebay for a good used drive, if you would like to go cheaper.

Regards...

jefro · 04-13-2016, 07:16 PM

If floppy works you can use gpxe/ipxe floppy.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 04:52 PM

[QUOTE=rokytnji;5530176]
That tells me all I need to know. I am not game anymore.QUOTE]

My loss, I'm sure.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardvark71

Hi Gregg...

This is a real good indication of what the problem is and possibly why Windows 7 didn't work correctly: The hard drive has a bad sector(s) and is possibly on its way out. To confirm the condition of the drive, run the manufacturer's diagnostic utility or run a distribution live that has the "Gnome Disks" (or similar) utility. This tool includes S.M.A.R.T. monitoring which should give you a better idea of what's going on. I know Lubuntu 14.04 and Trisquel 6.0 have this tool, it's a good possibility that Xubuntu does, too.

If you would like to give us the manufacturer and model (and model number) of the drive and we might be able to point you to the right (manufacturer's) diagnostic utility.

Also, I didn't know the optical drive was DVD. I should have chosen my words better. My apologies for that.

Regards...

Thanks ardvark. Yeah, that computer is refurbished to begin with and very old. It probably was a bit of a pipe dream to get it going again. I'll see if the Bodhi has Gnome Disks. I think it might have it or something similar.

Well, I tried to get the hard drive info but got psyched out when I realized I had to remove the DVD-ROM to get a look at the hard drive. I'm figuring at least I got the cover off and looked around.

I'll try to run that Disks soon.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

The grub-install command shown in the image on the right in post 26 is incorrect. First off, anything to do with a basic system file like Grub needs root permissions so you need to precede the command with sudo. Second, you didn't mount the correct partition and you left off the mount point in the install. From the Ubuntu Grub documentation, Grub versions newer than 1.98 should use boot rather than root and you would need to change 'sda5' in the example below to whichever partition you installed Bodhi to.

The method above is from using the Live CD. During the actual install, did you select the manual install which is called Something Else in the various Ubuntus? The default should have been /dev/sda which would be the MBR of the first drive. You should have options to install to any other partitions in the drop down box.

I'd check the disk for bad sectors and see what the results are before trying again.

Thanks yancek. I did everything by default. (I did not do a manual install.) But I thought the Grub version was

Code:

. That's what it said on the bar below the installation window.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardvark71

Hi Gregg...

First find out whether you need a IDE or SATA drive and then you look on ebay for a good used drive, if you would like to go cheaper.

Regards...

So you're saying replace the hard drive? That's pretty easy to do, is it?

You know, the DVD-ROM tray works good now. I don't know though with a new hard drive and the $28 for the RAM. Is it really going to be worth it? I can pull a hard drive (at least I think I can) out of one of the other computers but those hard drives are only 40 GB.

Although I found a refurbished 160 GB hard drive for $15

http://www.neweggbusiness.com/produc...=9b-22-136-598

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadow_7

A plop CD or btmgr or whatever it goes by these days is basically the same function without the know how. But it starts to fail when there's multiple drives at play or other non-typical configurations. Otherwise it works great. I mostly learned the grub way since I don't have to google it. And I can create / use it with stuff that's already on my system. And it's yet another way to do the same function.

Thanks Shadow. Even without the know how stuff is complicated for me.

Like I'll have to research plop CD and btmgr. But that's cool. I'm learning.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

If floppy works you can use gpxe/ipxe floppy.

Thanks jefro. Checked out ipxe. I could burn the disk but the rest of it looks genuinely over my head. Eg.

Code:

You can examine the IP configuration and other DHCP options:

  iPXE> route
  net0: 10.0.0.155/255.255.255.0 gw 10.0.0.1
  iPXE> show dns
  net0.dhcp/dns:ipv4 = 10.0.0.6

I'd get stuck in a heart beat.

ardvark71 · 04-14-2016, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

So you're saying replace the hard drive?

Hi Gregg...

If the diagnostic tests come back with bad sectors, then yes, that would be my suggestion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

That's pretty easy to do, is it?

For a SATA drive, it should be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Is it really going to be worth it?

Personally, I would invest in a much newer system, if it were me.

Regards...

yancek · 04-14-2016, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Thanks yancek. I did everything by default. (I did not do a manual install.) But I thought the Grub version was

The output in the image in post 26 shows you are trying to install Grub subsequent to your installation from a terminal and my point was that the grub-install command was incorrect, nothing to do with the original install. When you isntall Grub code to the MBR, you have to tell it where to find the rest of the code and you had nothing in the command. Grub versions from 1.97 are all referred to as Grub2.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardvark71

Hi Gregg...

If the diagnostic tests come back with bad sectors, then yes, that would be my suggestion.

For a SATA drive, it should be.

Personally, I would invest in a much newer system, if it were me.

Regards...

Thanks ardvark. I'm sure you're right, but I can't seem to stop believing this thing is okay. But even now the DVD-ROM tray was sticking again and I had to use the paper clip to get it to open.

And the Bodhi is real bare bones. There's really nothing on this version. I'll see if I can download Disks from the App center.

I don't think it has synaptic either.

Gregg Bell · 04-14-2016, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

The output in the image in post 26 shows you are trying to install Grub subsequent to your installation from a terminal and my point was that the grub-install command was incorrect, nothing to do with the original install. When you isntall Grub code to the MBR, you have to tell it where to find the rest of the code and you had nothing in the command. Grub versions from 1.97 are all referred to as Grub2.

yancek, your advice was this:

Code:

sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda

Which was very similar to what I was reading in Ubuntu Unleashed (2011 edition) under the heading: Restoring the GRUB2 Boot Loader and it says to determine which of hard drive partitions hold the Ubuntu installation. Mine is clearly on

Code:

/dev/sda1

. Then it says to mount using:

Code:

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

So I did. Then it says: This will mount the drive in the current filesystem (running from the live DVD) at

Code:

/mnt

, where it will be accessible to you for reading and modifying as needed. Next, you will reinstall GRUB2 on this device:

Code:

sudo grub-install -root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

So I did. Then it says, at this point, you should reboot (using your hard drive and not the live DVD) and all should be well. After the reboot is complete, enter

Code:

sudo update-grub

This will refresh the GRUB2 menu and complete the restoration.

Okay, everything went as planned. It said the bootloader was installed successfully. But when I remmoved the live CD and rebooted from the hard drive, the CD tray ejected (as if asking for the CD). So I put the CD in and it did nothing (although the Bodhi Linux screen with it's circle spinning was on the screen throughout). So I left the live CD in and powered off the computer. When I turned it back on, it booted to the CD and I ran the

Code:

sudo update-grub

and when I did I got:

Code:

/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.

I left it at that. And I did not attempt a full install. (I wanted to.) I figured I'd ask here before I did. (I just left the live CD in and shut the power down. It expelled the CD and so I removed the CD and then had to power off the computer.) Am I any closer? (It feels like I am.) Any suggestions as to what I should do next? (The goal is to permanently install the Bodhi.) Thanks.

rokytnji · 04-14-2016, 08:48 PM

[QUOTE=Gregg Bell;5531272]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

That tells me all I need to know. I am not game anymore.QUOTE]

My loss, I'm sure.

I appreciate your honesty Greg. I hope you appreciate mine.
I am beta testing

Code:

$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: biker Kernel: 4.4.2-antix.2-486-smp i686 (32 bit gcc: 4.9.3)
           Desktop: IceWM 1.3.8
           Distro: antiX-16-b1_386-full Berta Cáceres 11 April 2016
Machine:   System: Matsushita product: CF-48V4HLUQM v: 004
           Mobo: Matsushita model: CF48-4 v: 001
           Bios: Phoenix K.K. v: V4.00L13 date: 12/12/2002
CPU:       Single core Intel Pentium 4 Mobile (-UP-) cache: 512 KB
           flags: (pae sse sse2) bmips: 2393 speed/max: 1200/1600 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RV200/M7 [Mobility Radeon 7500]
           bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI R100 (RV200 4C57) x86/MMX/SSE2 DRI2
           GLX Version: 1.3 Mesa 10.3.2 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 82801CA/CAM AC'97 Audio Controller
           driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: 1c00 1880 bus-ID: 00:1f.5
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.2-antix.2-486-smp
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
           driver: 8139too v: 0.9.28 port: 4400 bus-ID: 02:02.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG [Calexico2] Network Connection
           driver: ipw2200 v: 1.2.2kmprq bus-ID: 02:03.0
           IF: eth1 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 30.0GB (15.5% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: IC25N030ATCS04 size: 30.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 12G used: 2.5G (22%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.10GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 77.8C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 130 Uptime: 45 min Memory: 244.4/1256.4MB
           Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.9.2
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.301) inxi: 2.2.31

On a computer older than yours. I do these things while relaxing after a hard day of moving 4'x8' 5/8" thick sheets plywood today. By myself.

I did this install using my Plop floppy disc. This laptop has a inboard floppy drive. The usb drive I used was a Kingston 2 gig data traveler made with mkusb. I booted my floppy disc 1st. Picked usb from the menu list. Then off to the races after connecting wireless while running live and then running the installer. Grub2 went on the mbr.

I really do wish you good luck. I like your honesty and tenacity. I hope you appreciate mine.

Oh well. Back to beta testing for the distro team I belong to.

JenkinsCW · 04-14-2016, 08:59 PM

@ Gregg Bell

I think you need a new hard drive. If you plan to buy a SATA drive, you can boot to a LiveCD and check which SATA type your system supports by typing the code below

Code:

dmesg | grep -i sata | grep 'link up'

In my system, the output is

[ 0.000000] ata2: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
[ 0.000000] ata3: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
[ 0.000000] ata1: SATA link up 6.0 Gbps (SStatus 133 SControl 300)

My system supports SATA ( 1.5 Gbps ), SATA II ( 3.0 Gbps ) and SATA III ( 6.0 Gbps ).

PS: I would also recommend getting a new DVD-ROM as well because ti can become tedious sticking a pin to open it.

Or better yet, get a raspberry PI 3 as a temporary solution until you buy a new and better desktop. The rasp PI 3 has a 1.2GHZ quad core and 1.5GB ram with wifi and bluetooth for $35. And more if you buy extras.