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Old 06-06-2009, 12:43 PM   #1
dj92
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Location: Harbury, England.
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Unhappy Problems installing Linux (various)


Hi and Help please,

I have just joined the forum in the hope that I can get some straight answers to my problems.
I wanted to install Linux on to my old laptop, Thinkpad 600E, so I downloaded Ubuntu but could not install it.
I then asked questions on the thinkpad forum and was told to try Fedora and then Puppy.
I have tried all these and cannot get any of them to install on my laptop. The Ubuntu just would not install and Fedora started well and then when I got to 'install to hard drive' it just went nowhere and the drive was just making it's zippy noise for over an hour.
So when I was told to try a 'lighter' distro and was pointed to Puppy I thought great. But when I got to booting kernel it just froze on me and did nothing.
I have also tried donloading to a flash drive but nothing happened at all.
Can anyone tell me in simple terms what I am doing wrong please?

Derek.
 
Old 06-06-2009, 12:57 PM   #2
malekmustaq
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dj92:

Hi Welcome to Linux Questions!

Can you please post here the specifications of your Laptop? It will be easier for us to help you having those data. Mostly we don't have time to scan the web for the specifications, we expect you post it here.

It is peculiar that no distro installs it.

What have you tried?

Did you check the md5sum of the downloaded iso image to see if it was a healthy copy? This should be done to avoid further troubles. See to it that the md5sum integers are equal, then burn it into a CD.

Post it now.
 
Old 06-07-2009, 03:50 AM   #3
dj92
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Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
I am trying to install on to an

IBM Thinkpad 600E - 228mb RAM - P2 - 300Mhz.

I do not understand the md5sum bit as I am a bit limited to compuspeak so some help understanding this term would be most welcome.

Is it possible to download directly onto the 600E via an ethernet lead and do away with the need for a CD?

Derek.
 
Old 06-07-2009, 04:37 AM   #4
jdkaye
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Hi Derek (my middle name),
Quote:
I do not understand the md5sum bit
The md5sum is just your guarantee that you have downloaded a real copy of the installation program and that it hasn't been corrupted or spoiled in some way. Not obligatory but a reasonable safety measure particularly if things start to go wrong for unexplained reasons.

One suggestion to make your life more pleasant and easy is to learn to google and do it often. You want to know about md5sum? Just put that in your google search field and ...voilą you get this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Md5sum
and all is explained. Easy isn't it.

On the Ubuntu point, for your thinkpad you might try the Ubuntu alternate CD rather than the default one. The alternant CD image is better for hardware that is a bit unusual. If you want another suggestion try the knoppix live CD which is really good at detecting your hardware and configuring itself accordingly. Above all ...
have fun.
Ciao,
JDK
 
Old 06-07-2009, 06:30 AM   #5
linus72
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Mmm, simply put the laptop lacks the RAM and speed to really use Ubuntu or even Xubuntu.

However, CrunchBang-8.04/8.10,etc is Ubuntu based but uses Openbox and is made for small
screen laptops and it really does well on my Toshiba 7000CT 160MB RAM.

I would also recommend a Debian install using LXDE window manager or XFCE4.
Note, Debian's XFCE4 uses much less ram/resources than Xubuntu's XFCE4.
The best way to install minimal Debian is net-install.

Now, I have Slackware-12.2 installed to it and it runs great, though you may not want to start with Slackware unless your really into learning, which is good.

Here is a post where I had a "contest" for the laptop.
( http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...nstall-709372/ )

Crunchbang
( http://crunchbanglinux.org/ )
 
Old 06-07-2009, 08:38 AM   #6
malekmustaq
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dj92:

I see, your laptop has a very limited RAM (random access memory) your post says it is only 228mb. This issue can very frequently pose some obstacle installing recent (upbeat) Linux distro installers because these are "meant" to be used under recent hardware capabilities.

However, this is not actually forbidding you from using Linux. There are many minimalist distros that can install into limited hardware specifications, even older than yours.

I have installed Absolute Linux very easily into an old pc with only 128mb of RAM. I assure you this is a matter of experience, not speculation. Try Absolute Linux, it has a very good installer, get it here: http://www.absolutelinux.org/download.shtml

Download also the md5sum and compare it with your downloaded image and read the numbers, see to it that they are the same, to be sure you have downloaded a good copy before burning the same.

Read also the Getting Started http://www.absolutelinux.org/getting...ed/index.shtml and documentations inside the CD before you start installing. If you can manage read also a good tutorial first so that you can handle minor challenges easily, here is a pdf book for linux http://www.freebookcentre.net/unix-b...heer)-PDF.html

About md5sum JDK has very good explanation above, just follow the link and read it too.

BY THE WAY, there are also other minimalist distros available aside from Absolute Linux you may try others too. Linux72 has a free MultiDistro downloadable you may check his link above. Absolute Linux is based on a very stable conservative and minimalist distribution known as Slackware.

Finally, the only straight way to overcome challenges is to read tutorials as much as you can.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
 
Old 06-07-2009, 03:49 PM   #7
synchro
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Regarding the "zippy noise" you mentioned; I'm not sure if you meant the sound was coming from your hard drive or your CD/DVD drive but you might want to consider using a good quality cleaning disc to rule your CD/DVD drive as the cause.

Of the many computers I've encountered at work, most of their CD/DVD drives have either never been cleaned before or haven't been cleaned in a long while. If it is the CD/DVD drive that's making the noise, a good cleaning may do wonders. Just a thought...

Quote:
Originally Posted by dj92 View Post
Hi and Help please,

I have just joined the forum in the hope that I can get some straight answers to my problems.
I wanted to install Linux on to my old laptop, Thinkpad 600E, so I downloaded Ubuntu but could not install it.
I then asked questions on the thinkpad forum and was told to try Fedora and then Puppy.
I have tried all these and cannot get any of them to install on my laptop. The Ubuntu just would not install and Fedora started well and then when I got to 'install to hard drive' it just went nowhere and the drive was just making it's zippy noise for over an hour.
So when I was told to try a 'lighter' distro and was pointed to Puppy I thought great. But when I got to booting kernel it just froze on me and did nothing.
I have also tried donloading to a flash drive but nothing happened at all.
Can anyone tell me in simple terms what I am doing wrong please?

Derek.
 
Old 06-07-2009, 06:15 PM   #8
onebuck
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Hi,

Newer GNU/Linux distribution won't always support legacy hardware. Sometimes it is not a minimal system that you need but possibly a older version may suit your needs.

Try a Livecd from 'The Livecd List' but choose a older version for the distro of choice.

The 'md5sum' or 'hash' is very important to learn to use and too regularly get in the habit of utilizing it. You can get a sum checker for M$ if need be; 'md5sum.exe'.

For GNU/Linux the 'man md5sum' will get you all the information to perform the check on Linux. You can get the 'man command from the 'cli' at anytime.

If you downloaded the cd/dvd iso then be sure to check the md5sum for the original iso. From the cli;

Code:
~#cd /downloadisolocation      #cdromiso.iso cdromiso.md5 

~#md5sum -c cdromiso.md5       #substitute the correct name to check
If the iso md5 is ok then you should try 'CdromMd5sumsAfterBurning''.

This way you will know if the burn was OK!

This will check the download iso with the known md5sum that you also get with the iso. You should do the check for any download that you might perform, even a LiveCD. Plus burn the image. Sometimes you may need to lower the burn rate to get a valid burn.

These links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!
 
Old 06-08-2009, 04:24 AM   #9
dj92
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Location: Harbury, England.
Posts: 6

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Thank you for all the posts.
I will read them all again, several times, and work my way through them one by one.
I am out of burning discs at the moment so will have to buy some later when I go out.
I think I will get RW discs this time and then I can erase anything that is not correct.
I am experimenting with the laptop and when I have got to grips with it I want to install it on a desktop I have that has no OS and I don't want to pay a fortune for a windows OS. I notice from TV programmes I watch that a lot of major systems in the US are using Linux, so if it works for them then it sounds good to me.
I will let you know how I get on and again many thanks for all the help from all of you.

Derek.
 
Old 06-08-2009, 04:47 AM   #10
jdkaye
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Hi Derek,
Check out this website
http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/ibm.html
I found your IBM600E there and there are many examples of successful installations giving configuration details for a variety of distros.
Here is a Debian example:
http://condor.depaul.edu/~jkristof/debian-tp600e.html
This should save you a lot of time and effort.
cheers,
jdk
 
Old 06-08-2009, 07:17 AM   #11
onebuck
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Hi,

I really don't like the R/W media for testing. Intermediate storage is OK but can cause you problems with repeated use. The cost of cd/dvd is way down as compared to a few years ago here in the U.S. The media matching to your device is important if/when you start trying to utilize the R/W method.

I would look into the use of 'USB' as most newer distributions have the means of utilizing this media. If they don't have the means then there are enough third party methods (free) that you could utilize.

I use my LAN all the time to do installs for various machines. That means will allow another method without cd/dvd media.

Do some searching here on LQ as I know this very subject has been covered.
 
Old 06-08-2009, 08:28 AM   #12
Wim Sturkenboom
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onebuck View Post
I would look into the use of 'USB' as most newer distributions have the means of utilizing this media. If they don't have the means then there are enough third party methods (free) that you could utilize.
If you suggest to boot from a USB stick/drive, I doubt if that HW has that option. My K6-III does/did not, as far as I can remember.
 
Old 06-08-2009, 08:57 AM   #13
linus72
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Booting a USB ext2/3 with grub can boot even on PC's that don't boot from USB, although you will need a bootfloppy.

I have a 4GB usb formatted ext3 with grub installed as if to hd, booting Tinycore 1.4.3 and 2.0.
I use either the tinycore bootfloppy or plop bootmanager bootfloppy and it boots evetrytime on my Emachines PC which cannot boot from USB.

I have tried using a FAT32 syslinux usb and bootfloppy, but it won't boot on this pc.
The ext3 grub USB boots easily using bootfloppy or even bootcd (grub or Plop bootmanager cd).

To install grub to USB so it runs/boots as hd0,0 how to.
For reference you may use my tinycore_1.4.3_grub.iso ( http://multidistro.com/downloads/tc_...c_flavors.html ) to do this and install tinycore to usb.
I am writing this from tinycore-2.0 on ext3 grub usb now.

Step 1) Dis-connect your HD cable from motherboard or hd! Otherewise you will install grub to hd mbr instead of usb mbr.

Step 2) Boot off Ubuntu or similar livecd containing grub. Insert ext3 or ext2 usb
when ubuntu desktop loads. Make sure usb is mounted, it should auto-mount.

Step 3) Copy distro of choice to usb; DSL, Tinycore, Puppy, etc.
For Tinycore cd above it would be-
"cp -a /mnt/hdc/* /mnt/sdxx"
where "xx" is your usb; like sda1, sdf1, etc

On my cd grub, everything is already in boot/grub folder, so it's easier

Step 4) Invoke grub from root terminal
"grub"

Tell grub where to install to-
"root (hd0,0)"
Ah, were gonna trick grub into thinking we're installing to 1st hd, not usb.
"setup (hd0)"
Grub should report success.
"quit"
quit grub.

Step 5) Edit menu.lst in /mnt/sdxx/boot/grub if you like; I already have it somewhat pre-prepared fo tinycore here-
( http://multidistro.com/downloads/tc_flavors/menu.lst )
I stole it from my debian grub folder.
Reboot and play.

References-
Plop bootmanager floppy/cd
( http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager.html )
There are 2 versions-one simply runs off floppy or cd and tries to boot usb/cdrom/hd from there, other version installs to mbr.

Tinycore bootfloppy
( http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/...linux/release/ )
 
Old 06-14-2009, 04:56 AM   #14
dj92
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Smile

Hi all,
Just to let you know I have recieved a copy of Ubuntu from the distributors and have installed it with no problems into my laptop and a desktop, Compaq D510 sff, and they are both working OK.
The laptop seems a bit slow so I am going to try one of the older versions later on and see how that works.
Thanks for all the comments and help from all of you, most welcome.

I still have a couple of problems left if you can help me please?
On the laptop I cannot seem to get a wifi connection but I am working my way through the FAQ's and I am seeing what the problem is and I will get there in the end.

The other problem is on the laptop the screen comes up and at the bottom I have an information bar with desktop 1&2, which you all know about, but on the desktop I do not have the bar at the bottom of the page.
I do not seem to be able to find an FAQ to answer this for me so I wondered if anyone one out there has the answer for me please?

Again many thanks for the help and advice.

Regards,
Derek.
 
Old 06-14-2009, 07:18 AM   #15
jdkaye
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dj92 View Post
I still have a couple of problems left if you can help me please?
On the laptop I cannot seem to get a wifi connection but I am working my way through the FAQ's and I am seeing what the problem is and I will get there in the end.
Hi Derek,
You'll need to give some details. What Wifi does the TP600E and what driver has you loaded to run it? What is the nature of your problems with it.
cheers,
jdk
 
  


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