I need help copying this iso of slax I have to a cd and make the cd bootable. I wasted 3 cds already. I really don't want to waste any more. I looked up some guides but they didn't work.
Copying an iso direct to a disc won't work. Did you follow the instruction on the Slax website? It is a different process for each different program, but if you don't tell us what you're trying to burn it in, we can't help you beyond giving vague instructions just like those on the website where you grabbed the iso from... Windows? Linux? Nero? ImgBurn? K3B? http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61
There is a problem with the laptop booting from the cd rom drive. I made multiple linux live cds using different distros like ubuntu and lsax and a couple of others, but they all don't boot from the cd rom drive. THey boot up fine from my desktop but not my laptop. I even tried using a windows repair disc but that didn't boot up either. ONly a floppy works for some reason.
Then it must be your cd drive not working.. I just noticed the bit about not booting the windows repair cd. There are ways to get around having no cd drive and installing the very basics from floppy, then doing a netinstall. How brave are you feeling today? http://www.youroot.com/howto/4mb-Laptops.html#ss2.1 (NOT for the faint hearted that guide there are some other suggestions here, though they all seem to be bashing on about getting the cd to boot. http://ask.metafilter.com/27724/LinuxFilter-Install-Linux-on-laptop-from-Floppy I reckon it can be done, I'm pretty sure Mick and myself would be able to do it with some messing around.. boot from minimal floppy.. copy files from usb stick to hdd then install grub to mbr, get on thrernet and update/install other software and voila.... similar to installing on notebooks.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2006/09/20/all-in-one-usb-slaxzip/ If you must use slax, you can put it on a usb stick and (if your bios can be configured correctly) boot from that. Most distros can be done in that way. I haven't had a floppy drive in my computer for the better part of 10 years now (only EVER demanded by Winblows because it doesn't come with even the most common sata controllers built in, though that has been solved by recent bioses), usb has just become so pervasive that floppy discs are only needed on real dinosaurs of machines, and laptops rarely have them these days too.
varnull, I saw the links you sent me and I don't have 15 floppies to install it from. I only have 3 floppies available. I already made a floppy disk with a linux distro on it. I managed to boot it but it was all text. I had no clue what to type. I have no clue how to boot a usb stick from a floppy. I already have slax on by usb stick, I made it a while ago. (its either slax or ubuntu)
Is there a way to update the bios when I boot from a floppy so I can run linux from a usb stick instead?
15 floppies?.. no seriously.. you can do it with 2.. one to run the core minimal os which allows simple things like format, mount and copy and another with grub The 4mb linux guides go round the houses because they are in a low ram situation with no cd drive. I never think of usb booting because I don't have any hardware which will boot from usb XD As for updating the bios.. google it.. probably not if it doesn't already. Still think my method has the best chance.. put the needed linux image files on a usb drive, then boot a minimal floppy distro and format the hdd, then mount the usb drive and the hdd target partition.. copy the files across.. then use the grub floppy to install grub so the system will boot I have done this loads of times on old lappys with no cd drives and that won't run anything after windows98... I think Mick will agree.. sometimes it's a compulsion to achieve something more than the end result. What is this laptop anyway? is it new or an antique?
Its pretty old. It came out when xp pro did or around that time because when my parents got it I was like woooo because I was used to 98. What you said about doing it your way, is there a guy becaus eI basicly have no clue how to do anything u said. The only thing I know how to do is " put the needed linux image files on a usb drive, then boot a minimal floppy distro and format the hdd,". If I have a guide or instructions I would be able to do it. I am some what computer literate. I already have a floppy distro but I just don't know what to type in.
IS ANYONE REALLY TALENTED WITH BACKTRACK 2 RUNNING FROM VMWARE?I'M TRYING TO HACK A WEP KEY. PLEASE MESSAGE ME ON AIM, LOTS OF QUESTIONS HERE. AIM = *removed*
NO WE WILL NOT HELP YOU COMMIT A CRIMINAL OFFENSE, STOP YELLING, AND DON'T POST CONTACT DETAILS IN A THREAD. SOMEONE MIGHT SUBSCRIBE IT FOR A BUTT LOAD OF SPAM AFTER READING YOUR POST.
Less shouting and (much) more common sense needed here. And no posting AIM/email addresses. I hereby nominate you for the Darwin awards.
okies.. here we go.. an old machine like that will no way boot from usb so here is what we do. First we need to make a pendrive with a linux on it.. You can run a live linux on your desktop to prepare the usb drive. they use ubuntu, I would use something else, but for our purposes the live ubuntu cd is as good as any. http://www.pendrivelinux.com/2008/05/21/usb-xubuntu-804-persistent-install-from-linux/#more-408 Then it is a good idea to also grab at some point a grub install floppy.. you could use lilo, but I never have... Boot your minimal floppy and at the prompt see if the command cfdisk does anything.. if not it's time to use fdisk.. http://www.fdisk.com/fdisk/ (references) http://linux.about.com/od/commands/l/blcmdl8_fdisk.htm http://felipecruz.com/adding-linux-swap-space.php http://www.dslreports.com/faq/4851 (lots of reading.. sorry) What you need are 2 partitions.. one for /home and another for /swap (double the size of the ram is a good choice) A good idea here would be to get mulinux and then jump to step4 http://www.youroot.com/howto/4mb-Laptops.html#ss2.1 you have more than 4mb ram so it will boot in "full on" mode.. no need to muck about.. Once formatted you can mount the partitions and copy files from the usb.. the 2 files we are after from the usb installation are isolinux and vmlinuz.. mounting the usb:: mount -t vfat /dev/sda check it by cd /dev/sda ls will give you a list of the contents... this is a little dependent on hardware... mount your new hdd partition mount -t ext2 /dev/hda1 turn swap on: At a shell prompt as root, type the following: mkswap /dev/hdb2 To enable the swap partition immediately, type the following command: swapon /dev/hdb2 then copy the 2 relevant files from the usb to the hdd.. http://linux.about.com/od/commands/l/blcmdl1_cp.htm after all that it's time for a bootloader so everything will start.. I use grub, but google lilo and that will explain those options too http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html#Creating-a-GRUB-boot-floppy and set the pointers to where you have vmlinuz and any other boot time options.. et voila. you should be able to boot into your working linux system. If you want to take the machine to "the man" I would strongly suggest getting somebody to repair or replace the cd drive and then just use a standard linux netinstall disk. My method is old fashioned and very hands on, but it works. Not a job for if you are in a hurry.. take your time and google errors... it will become clear how things work as you progress through the install.. above all.. have fun and make notes. If I had more time this weekend I would pull the cd drive out of an old p3 machine and have a play myself, as I have been forced to do on more than one occasion with old duff pentium (win95/98) era laptops. LOL @ darwin award
Wow, thats alot. I will try tomorrow. Its too late today to do it. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the nice guide.
