14.1 on old hardware with 512M RAM
Is it still possible to install Slackware on some very minimal hardware?
I have an old board that I was trying to see if I could at least get it up and running. If I use huge.s mem=512M that gets it past the PAE check and unpacking the kernel but now I get the message couldn't find valid RAM disk image starting at 0. |
I think that 512M RAM is more than enough, and that "mem=512M" is useless and possibly hurts.
Try to just press [Enter] at the initial prompt. |
If I just press enter I get the message about the cpu not supporting PAE. So I tell it to use huge.s and then it hangs trying ti uncompress the initrd. telling it mem=512 gets past that from what my searching tells me but I couldn't find an answer to not being able to create the ramdisk.
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Haven't tried 14.1 on such limited hardware but I do run 14.0 on an old eeepc (also with 512M RAM). Other than limiting the package selection somewhat (due to lack of disk space) I needed to do nothing special. I use the generic SMP kernel.
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"Slackware Linux doesn't require an extremely powerful system to run (though having one is quite nice :). It will run on systems as far back as the 486. Below is a list of minimum system requirements needed to install and run Slackware.
486 processor 64MB RAM (1GB+ suggested) About 5GB+ of hard disk space for a full install CD or DVD drive (if not bootable, then a bootable USB flash stick or PXE server/network card) Additional hardware may be needed if you want to run the X Window System at a usable speed or if you want network capabilities. " I am surprised that they still claim this but OK. http://www.slackware.com/install/sysreq.php |
More accurate messages would be helpful, word for word. I've installed Slackware 14.0 on a much more minimal system e.g. P3 128 MB RAM, so it should work. More info on the system would also be helpful.
May I also recommend that with any old system you run memtest86 before doing anything with it. Every old system I have tried to install on have had at least 1 bad RAM stick. |
The actual message I get is:
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I did a workaround of borrowing RAM from another box, completing the install then removing the RAM so I guess we can say solved by workaround but I'd still like to know how to install 14.1 with 512M. Anyway, looking at this http://www.provantage.com/asus-am1i~7ASUS29A.htm and a processor and ram. I'm throwing together a little miniitx box to replace our crappy Samsung Bluray Home Theater box. |
The cpu not supporting PAE...
Are you installing slackware 64 bits version? [edit] Oops forget what I said, I made a confustion ;) |
No, its a really old board. I was at a local pc shop and saw this little miniitx case for $34 and my wife had been complaining about having to reboot the bluray player twice during one show so I decided its time to revive the media pc project I never got started. Threw the old board in that I had lying around to test it out.
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Sounds like a bad RAM stick to me. Run memtest86+ or you may have to reinstall the system again after you realize things aren't working properly.
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no, the RAMs fine, it installed fine once I borrowed more ram from another system, took the borrowed back out and the original 512M still works fine, system is running now. I'm just looking for a way to get the installer to run in 512M.
I actually had an old version of Slackware on it, just wanted to move to the latest. |
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In any case, even if it does not work the easiest way around this is to use the 14.0 installer and point at repository of 14.1 packages. Quote:
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The old version I had wasn't complete though, I had done a bare minimal install so I figured by the time I upgrade what was there and then add the rest I could just as easy wipe and install everything in one step.
Anyway, new hardware is on the way. Its been probably a decade since I put together a non-laptop system, hopefully I remember how :) |
Member Response
Hi,
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Hope this helps. Have fun & enjoy! :hattip: |
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