(apparently, this isn't a "newbie" question, so I'll try it here)

Hello,
I am trying to get zipslack (8.0 or 8.1) installed on an old toshiba t4500c notebook. This is a 486 25mhz(?) with 4 megs of ram and a 120mb hd. It is currently running Dos 5.0 (maybe IBM dos, if that matters) and Win 3.1. I am having several problems that I would like to present.

First, when I unzip the thing, it has problems creating some of the deepest directories. I am assuming that this has to do with dos path length restrictions. I don't think these are critical programs (part of hamradio and ftape way down deep in the lib folder) so I either let them go, or copy the problem files into a higher directory so I can move them later once I get into linux. Does anyone know if this is a problem or if there is a way to make it work properly from the beginning?

Second, when I try to boot the 8.1 version, it loads init and then says it can't open rc.S then rc.K and then it trys to load agetty, respawns too fast and stops loading (5 min wait... I can post the exact error message if that is necessary). I've heard that I should reinstall to overcome this problem, but since it is just an unzip, and I've re-unzipped several times, it doesn't help. I wonder if perhaps since this is a new version, the bugs aren't worked out yet and one or more of these files has a coding error. Any thoughts?

And third, I deleted the 8.1 files and tried 8.0 instead and this time it loads ok all the way to the login and then when it gets there, the keyboard doesn't work. no ctrl-alt-del, no esc, no nothing. (update: the keyboard works sometimes, but I usually have to reboot and reload a couple times before it starts)

Are these distros just too new for this system... should I try 7.1 or 4.0 or something. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Samboe

I have never attempted to install ZipSlack on a DOS that old. But unzipping the files in that environment might be the problem. I think the directions state using a DOS shell under Win95 or higher. I presume this is for long file name support that the older DOS versions do not offer. You might try booting a Win95 floppy disk and unzipping the archive. At least the Win95 boot might be able to handle the file names, etc.

Also, 4 MByte RAM might be a problem as well. Look into the requirements. It might require a minimum of 8 MBytes to load. Or it might require a small swap partition.

Are you sure you are not running out of disk space. With DOS, Win3.1, and ZipSlack on a 120 MByte HD I would think it is pretty tight.

I suggest that you get a boot disk and I'm assuming it has a cd because the zip alone would take forever to transfer by floppies. format the entire drive with system files so it boots to bare bones dos then use your cd to hold zipslack and pkzip or something similar and just unzip to the blank drive...then tweak the autoexec to run loadlin on boot to go into linux...just my $0.02

Thanks for the replys...

This is just a toy install to give me something to play with untill I have access to my desktop (long story). This has turned into a interesting exercise in manipulation because the floppy drive on this system is broken (thus, no boot disk option). I've had to do most of the transfers via a laplink cable and I have just receintly been able to attach a parallel zip drive to the system (it takes about 9 hrs to unzip the darn thing).

Zipslack has an option to install an 8 mb swap file to overcome the 4 meg limitation, and I have stripped out dos and windows, so they take about 12 meg total of my hard drive, leaving me with enough space for the 97 mb install.

In accordence with the FAQ that was included with the distro, I used an old program called Zip Navigator, which is supposed to work better than the old pzunzip. But it seems like I can't force the file depth issue...

I may just try to run it from the zip drive...

Am I the only one who's ever tried this?

Thanks,
samboe

have you figured out this prob? i have the same one