Tying to install ubuntu on old pc, need help booting new to linux

boriggly · 05-22-2009, 10:22 PM

Hello:

I am trying to boot linux from a cd on an old emachines pc, with no current O/S. It trys to install but then goes to a command prompt screen. I am unable to type anything. I would like to be able to use this machine. Is there a certain process I should be using?

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 05-22-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boriggly

Hello:

I am trying to boot linux from a cd on an old emachines pc, with no current O/S. It trys to install but then goes to a command prompt screen. I am unable to type anything. I would like to be able to use this machine. Is there a certain process I should be using?

Post the specs of the machine you are trying to install to.

boriggly · 05-22-2009, 10:41 PM

emachine specs- T1801, cpu pentium 800mhz 20Gb hard drive 640kb memory

cynicalpsycho · 05-22-2009, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boriggly

emachine specs- T1801, cpu pentium 800mhz 20Gb hard drive 640kb memory

dunno if 640 kb memory is gonna cut it...
1024 Kb is equal to 1 Mb.... in other words, you gotta have at least 64 mb and you don't even have one of em...

Quote:

Bare Minimum requirements

It should be possible to get Ubuntu running on a system with the following minimum hardware specification, although it is unlikely that the system would run well. You should use the Alternate install CD to attempt such an installation.

* 300 MHz x86 processor
* 64 MB of system memory (RAM)
* At least 4 GB of disk space (for full installation and swap space)
* VGA graphics card capable of 640x480 resolution
* CD-ROM drive or network card

Recommended minimum requirements

Ubuntu should run reasonably well on a computer with the following minimum hardware specification. However, features such as visual effects may not run smoothly.

* 700 MHz x86 processor
* 384 MB of system memory (RAM)
* 8 GB of disk space
* Graphics card capable of 1024x768 resolution
*

Sound card
*

A network or Internet connection

might wanna opt for a less decked out version of linux...

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 05-24-2009, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boriggly

640kb memory

You're looking in the wrong place, that's not the total amount of your system ram. The default for your system is 128 MB (SDRAM) which is technically enough for Ubuntu but I doubt the system would be very useable. Go for a more lightweight version like Xubuntu or something like Puppy Linux, DSL etc.