I'd like to install v12 on a Dell Optiplex sx260. It has a floppy dive, network card, USB ports and a blank HDD it can boot from floppy, hdd, network or CD(internal one I assume). I have a EPAT parallel port CD drive that I can connect to it. Apart from that I have an elderly W98 computer with a CD burner.

What would be the best way with this set up of installing V12. I'm completely new to Linux though not to programming, I'm happy to work at this, I just don't know what to try next.

I had a go at installing V11 - this is what happened
I couldn't find any v12 floppy images so decided to go with V11 to start with in the hope of upgrading once I'd got it up and running...
I've managed to boot the Dell using floppies (pportide.i, install.1, install.2) which are kernel 2.4.33.3 and it can see the CD ROM. I've managed to get some way through the installation process. - partitioned, added the swap partition and formated the other partion as ext2. It can find the CD drive, and offers me set A (though there are others on the CD) when I agree it repeatedly asks me to insert a CD.
So I'm stuck. (Oh and from time to time during the installation it takes around 20 mins to inform me that there is no partition on /dev/pda which is making for very slow progress in experimenting with anything.

Hi,
Slackware 12 only.
Slackware 12 is the first Slackware not to come with installation floppy images. On the other hand it comes with a lot of new ideas. I have only done two installations of 12 both using the sbootmanager floppy and a CD following Slackware instructions and I think this is the simplest approach. Have you tried this way?. Do you use an American keyboard layout (a gotyah in 12 if you dont)?. My own opinion is that you should work hard on 12 and not the older ones. One of my installations was a laptop from about 1998 and it is the first time in its life that a USB stick has worked properly

Slackware 11 or older.
If you are having trouble only with a CD it is on to mount it manually rather than finding it but make a separate directory for it. Something like :-
mkdir install
mount -t iso9660 /dev/hdb1 /install

You can then check if you really have it. Something like :-

cd /install
ls

Choose an option like "install from pre mounted directory" type in /install.

This is only an example you have to see what your CD is called as it boots up.
I do have a parallel port CD made by Philips but have never even tried it.

Please report back as there are very many options.

John

Thanks for your suggestions,
Slack 11
I tried
# mount -t iso9660 /dev/pcd0 /install
mount: mount pint /install does not exist

however I'd noticed that when the set up program tried to mount the cd it used /var/log/mount rather than install, so I tried that and it listed the contents of the cd as a ap d f kernals l n x y which is what I burned to the cd.

I'm wondering if I've burned the wrong sort of CD - copied the files rather than making an iso. Can I make progress from here?


Slack 12
In the light of the above thoughts about ISO images and your suggestion to try 12, I'm downloading the Slack 12 iso images - though it will take a while as my connection is very slow :-( I have the files for Slack 12 but didn't get iso images when I downloaded them as the mirror I used didn't have them.

Liz

You must make the mount point. Check that it exists.
try

cd /
mkdir install
ls

You should now see a directory called install.

Then

mount -t iso 9660 /dev/pcd0 /install
cd /install
ls

You should now see the installation files and be able to read the text files just like you see them on a mirror site. If you can do that there is little wrong with your installation CD.

Slackware uses its own mount point if you search for the CD which is why I suggest making your own and I have found this gives a better result on troublesome CD drives.

John

Hi,
You will need to create a mount point. Note the error message.

Why not use the internal cd for the install? You need to download the Slackware 12 install cd1 & cd2 iso(s). The cd3 would be used if you want KDE international install.

You should also read the CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT, RELEASE_NOTES and UPGRADE.TXT to get some helpful information. As PV states, you should try to use one of the smp kernels if possible.

When you download the iso(s) be sure to check the md5sum for the original iso. After booting the install cd1 from cli;

This will check the download iso with the known md5sum that you should also get when you download the iso.

You could have a bad burn, to check the cd/dvd with the original iso md5, use this CdromMd5sumsAfterBurning.

If you are using M$ windows to create the iso from the image that you downloaded then you can use the 'M$Windows iso md5sum checking'. You could also use the 'Windows Burn tutorial' Nero Live Video to guide. These links are from 'Slackware-Links'.

Thanks John and Gary. I've now got a basic v11 system up and running:-)
I've decided to use it to learn about Linux before attempting to install v12. That way I might just understand a bit more of the instructions and other files you mentioned.

Thanks again.
Liz

Hi,

You can learn a lot from the installation and breaking of the system. You should also look at the 'Slackware-Links' to get some good online reference. The Linux Book Section has several choices. Loads of other choices in the Slackware® Reference Section. The Slackware® Essentials is a good read.