Step 1...blank HD, how do I install?

[dhughes]

OK I have tried Linux before I put it on an old 486 but it was so slow I couldn't do much.

Now I have a new comp and I'm using my old HD and I'll just physically remove or attach it to my new comp when I want to use Linux.

My problem is that before I had DOS or Windows on the HD but I low level formatted it so it's blank, where do I go from here? I thought I could put the install CD in (Mandrake) and go from there. But I guess not :D

Anyway I need some extremely basic advice seeing I can't even get past Step 1 of preparing the hard drive! lol
I'm using an old version of Mandrake, I may download a newer version when I have the time, lots of time! ...or days. I have a dial-up connection.

Epox 8K5A2+
1GB Samsung PC2700 DDR
Athlon XP 2200+
Radeon AIW 128MB
6.4GB Fujitsu ( yeah I know but I'm poor...now )

[LrngTheHardWay]

Er....um.....I really hate to ask this, but did you happen to modify your BIOS boot device settings to allow booting from the CD-ROM?

Not to be insulting, but it *does* get overlooked on occasion.

[Saptech]

Since you are using dialup, it would be best to either buy a cd disc at Cheapbytes (http://www.cheapbytes.com), or get a friend with broadband connection to download and burn a copy of linux.

Then use the CD to boot into the installation program of linux and it will guide you from there!

When you get to the point of where to install linux, make sure it points to /dev/hdb, which should be your second HD (slave) I assume.

If you can't boot from the CD drive, then you would have to create some floppy disk to boot and start the installation routine.

[rustskull]

Ask your local linux users group if anyone has an install set laying around for slackware, debian, red hat, suse or whatever...most people install from the cds once, and pretty much never use em again (at least not with debian..it's hard to get people to support cd images because it's a net focused distro, and they've got DVD!! images now...I don't think I know anyone who does a full install of debian from cd)

-rust
.

[dhughes]

Yes I have my BIOS set to boot from the CD first.

This was a weekend project, I was bored. I installed this version of Mandrake on my old 486 a few years ago but it had DOS and Windows on it...I forget the procedure I used. It's just something to fool around with to see if I like Linux, my old 486 was too slow and I got frustrated. If I like it on my new system I may get a bigger HD and switch over totally.

But my point was how do you do it if you have a blank hard drive? It was low level formatted with a LLF utility from Fujitsu. After booting from the CD it just hangs with the this being the last line (without the quotes) :

" Kernel: panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:04 "

Yeah Cheap Bytes, I orderd a CD off them years ago, Red Hat version 5.1 Linux version 2.0.34 As I said I just want to use what I have for now. I know it's weird. :p

[rustskull]

linux cares not for your low level format!

Grab the install floppies off the debian site and go that way about it. Set it up to download the rest of the junk when you're sleeping. Hope your ISP doesn't drop the line much.

You can get a minimal install done in a couple nights, even on dial up. The boot floppies are 2 disks + 3-4 for the drivers if you need em. If you have a zip drive, I think they have a system worked out for booting from that and/or you could just go to the net cafe or library and pull down the 27MB that contains the base install of debian in your 1/2 hour slot while drinkin coffee.

Just a thought.

Otherwise, you can boot anything with the smart boot manager at sourceforge. it's only 30k and it's fast. Stick it on a floppy and roll on.

If for some reason it is the low level format that's trashing your install process...just reformat the damn thing to fat32, ntfs, or anything else that linux can digest. In fact, the old linii might very well be only able to run on something preformatted to a dos/fat16 style fs. hmmm....being a user of linux for some 10 months now, I am next to no help at all apparently.

Well, Billy has seen to it that win2k/xp are going to be of no help to you in getting an old style fs as well...heh. so I'm in good company....DOH!

damn.

-rust