[dean_shan]

Originally Posted by Kati Compton

Or you could get one of those business-card sized bootable Linux distros from EFF...

I've download that before. It's no help in this case as I do not have a CD drive on the laptop.

[dean_shan]

Originally Posted by Kati Compton

Or you could get one of those business-card sized bootable Linux distros from EFF...

I've download that before. It's no help in this case as I do not have a CD drive on the laptop.

[mscdex]

How about hooking up an external drive via usb?

Also, if the laptop indeed does have a usb port, and you have a 64mb/128mb usb drive, you can boot linux right off the usb drive (provided in this case that you have a linux boot floppy that can boot to the usb drive, usually /dev/sda1)

That's how I have my usb 128mb watch. I have a small bootable version of linux that runs right off the usb memory, no need for anything else. From there I can install the system itself to a hard drive if I want, via a menu. (I current use a modified version of DSL) PM me if you want the URL to a couple of these usb drive distros.

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by dean_shan

How did people install Linux in the old days? There has to be a floppy install of linux somewhere.

Old days? Linux is only about 13 years old. Didn't most people have CD drives when it started becoming popular?

Steve

[mscdex]

Originally Posted by Pony99CA

Old days? Linux is only about 13 years old. Didn't most people have CD drives when it started becoming popular?

Steve

Not really. Besides, cd burners weren't available so it wasn't like you could just readily burn a copy of linux and install, like you can nowadays anyway.

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by mscdex

Not really. Besides, cd burners weren't available so it wasn't like you could just readily burn a copy of linux and install, like you can nowadays anyway.

That's true, I forgot that CD burners didn't come out for a while after CD drives became popular. When did burners start coming out? I think it was the mid- to late-90s, but when exactly?

Before that, I assume they just uploaded stuff to an FTP site. Most people who wanted Linux probably had a fast connection. :-)

Steve

[dean_shan]

Originally Posted by mscdex

How about hooking up an external drive via usb?

No this computer doesn't have USB. This is a now frills system. It has a floppy, a HD, ram, mobo, screen, trackpad. That's it. No network, no PCMCIA, no CD, no USB.

[Steven Cedrone]

Originally Posted by dean_shan

No network, no PCMCIA, no CD, no USB.

And no Linux... :wink:

Steve

[Sven Johannsen]

Nothing useful to contribute, but enjoy you young guys who have never known a world without PCs . I remember getting my first PC/DOS compatible machine. It was a Compaq portable (if you had a truck). Two full height 5.25 floppy drives...that was it. I remember sandwiching in a 5M (yes M) hard drive, full height, at the expense of one floppy. My Hayes internal, full size card, 2400B modem...a screamer for the day..was $500.
This was late 80's guys, and brand new stuff, not last year's models. This was like 16 years ago. Look where we are now. We are now burning our own DVDs which didn't even exist 15 years ago.
After noting the basic system that poor dean-shan is working with, I had to smile when he nixed the CD suggestion and then someone suggested, well just throw a USB thumb drive on there. USB came well after CDs guys. I have more storage on a key-chain today, than most PCs had 5 years ago.
It's freakin amazing.

[dean_shan]

Originally Posted by Sven

5.25 floppy drives

Ah yes, memories of Kindergarden. I remember I thought they were old even then. By first grade they were out.

[Janak Parekh]

Originally Posted by Pony99CA

Before that, I assume they just uploaded stuff to an FTP site. Most people who wanted Linux probably had a fast connection. :-)

Only for those at universities and the like. Most others bought copies for the pressed CDs. I know -- I have a copy of RedHat 4.2 on my shelf.

--janak