trying to install SuSE 9.1 on 200MHz, 32MB Pentium

martinpi · 05-12-2004, 04:36 AM

I keep trying to install SuSE 9.1 on 200MHz, 32MB Pentium.

A minimal, text-based install will do for me.
I try to install on a 2.5GB disk. Disk and RAM seem to be OK.
I intend to use this machine as a router for the internet.

SuSE CD 1 doesnt boot, so I boot CD 2, select install, then I am prompted to insert CD 1. So far, this is the only Linux CD (other than Knoppix) that boots on this machine.

The first obstacle: Not enough RAM to run install, so I used Knoppix to make a 128MB swap partition.

Normal install and install without ACPI yield some error messages (segmentation faults, something is not an elf file, some link is not OK), then the system tries to load kernel modules for install, but next morning the screen still looks the same, ie. the system hangs.

Installation with "safe settings" yields a red window telling me that "an error occured while installation".

Next (and last) try will be manual installation.
Any other suggestions?

javpra · 05-12-2004, 09:22 AM

There are two possible reasons for your problems that come to mind. First an install requires 128mb of ram for YAST. Here are the requirements

http://www.suse.com/en/private/produ...uirements.html

I don't believe that adding swap space can actually compensate for this requirement since I don't believe swapon is activated until later. Also CD1 is supposed to be bootable. If this is a burn I would try reburning the CD. I hope this resolves your problem.

martinpi · 05-12-2004, 11:26 AM

Thank you.

According to the handbook, CD2 is bootable for the cases in which CD1 does not boot. And it promts me to put CD1 into the drive for install.

Then I get the message that there is not enough RAM and I am asked to activate some swap space. The install program does not offer to create a swap partition, but it recognizes the swap partition I made with Knoppix. It continues only when I confirm to use this partition, so it definitely helpes. I might make a bigger swap partition.

I had a look in the requirements, they say
"At least 128 MB are required for the installation with YaST2 in graphical mode". Well, they do not say how much is needed in text mode.

Btw, when I installed SuSE 9.1 on a computer with more than 128MB but no DVD drive, yast ran in textmode, anyway.

bruno buys · 05-12-2004, 02:26 PM

Why don't you try a router-oriented distro?
http://www.coyotelinux.com/

Coyote will run fine in this machine.

It seems that there's a freesco thing that can do the same, but I don't know much about it.

martinpi · 05-13-2004, 08:49 AM

I just had a glance at coyotelinux and it makes sense to me.
I had not heared of coyotelinux, thanks for the information.
I had tried Fli4l, but it did not work because it asks for specific NIC's, and mine was not in the list of supported cards. I had tried ipcop, but i panicked when the setup program attempted to format my harddisk.

About the SuSE install, it turned out to be a problem reading the CD. By chance, I found workaround: boot CD2 in my old drive, while having CD1 in an external USB drive (which would not boot).

Yast started, but it is very slow.

ima · 05-16-2004, 10:36 AM

I can also vouch for Smoothwall Express
It's free, compact, easy to setup and use, and I have it running smoothly on my Pentium 200 MMX (although mine has 64 megs.)

Details from the webpage follow:

Quote:

About Smoothwall

The SmoothWall project was founded by Lawrence Manning, Richard Morrell, Jon Fautley and Tom Ellis in Summer 2000, with the first version — version 0.9 — released via the SourceForge open source collaboration site in August of that year. The intention was to create a firewall operating system distribution based on Linux, enabling a low-end, possibly otherwise redundant, Intel and compatible PC to become a hardened Internet firewall. The SmoothWall team created a real alternative to hardware routers with costs beyond the financial reach of most individuals.

From these small beginnings, the project grew rapidly. Soon hundreds of copies were being downloaded every month, and then thousands, with people using it all over the world. Even the project founders were amazed at just how quickly SmoothWall became so popular. The team grew; new features such as ISDN and ADSL support, Squid web proxying, and additional languages were added, and SmoothWall became — and is still — one of the most popular open source software projects.

The initial design goals are still the foundation of SmoothWall today, namely:

Protect the local network from outside attack, whilst interfering as little as possible with user activities
Be simple enough to be installed by home users with no previous knowledge of Linux required
Support a wide variety of network cards, modems and other hardware
Work with many different connection methods and ISPs across the world
Increase ease of use, management and configuration by use of tools such as web access interface

SmoothWall is intended for use by anyone from home users to systems administrators. It can run on virtually any 32-bit Intel or i386-compatible PC from a 486 to an Athlon or Pentium 4, and it enables that PC to become a dedicated firewall appliance, aka a SmoothWall box. Apart from the PC to run SmoothWall on, all that is required is an Internet connection, some simple networking equipment to connect the SmoothWall box to the rest of your private LAN, and the SmoothWall CD image file .