HD Install :: install DSL on small pc

When you boot using the bootfloppy, you should still have the DSL CD inside the CD drive. Make sure the DSL CD is in the CD drive before you put any option at the boot prompt.

The bootfloppy contains the linux24 kernel and the minirt24.gz root image only. That's it. After the boot procedure loads the kernel and the root image, it will start scanning for a file named KNOPPIX inside a folder called KNOPPIX. This file and folder can be anywhere (CD or hard drive) as long as it is on the top directory of that drive. The message "Boot failed, please change disk ..." is an indication that the file and folder KNOPPIX is nowhere to be found. It is not in the boot floppy.

The boot option "dsl tohd=/dev/hda1" allows for the transfer of the file and folder KNOPPIX from the CD to the hard disk (usually /dev/hda1 corresponds to drive C). You do this only one time so that there will be a copy of the file and folder KNOPPIX on the hard disk. Next time you boot up, you do not need to have the DSL CD in the CD drive because the boot process will look for it automatically. You don't even have to use the boot option "dsl fromhd=/dev/hda1", but using it will save time because there will be no need to search for the location.

Now, I can see that you were actually able to go a little farther when you used the Loadlin install, since you reached the final step just before the X-windows desktop loads up. So the only problem you have right now is that you cannot figure out the settings that will work with your display. If the screen went black, it does not mean that DSL hanged. Press Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get a console terminal. Most probably you will also see an error message about the status of the X server.

If you still have this Loadlin install on the hard disk, what you can do is to use the boot floppy to boot DSL. At the boot prompt use "dsl 2 vga=normal apm=power-off nomce noapic". Try this to see if you can get to the "root" prompt. If you get to that point, then DSL loads okay. We work on your display problems and other questions you have afterwards. Please provide video specs, e.g. monitor capabilities, video card, video memory, DOS/Windows version that is known to run with it, etc.

A little correction. Use "noapm" instead of "apm=power-off". This change is better for old hardware with no automatic power management.

Try failsafe mode. It disables as much hardware detection as possible.

I have several boxes that have only 32mg ram and run okay.

Also, if you want to speed up booting the CD from a floppy, use the smart boot manager floppy from HERE.

Just select boot from CDROM, and it will load the kernel and minirt24.gz from the CD instead of taking the time to load from the floppy.

Much faster.

Everytime I want to quit with DSL I get some help or an idea or ...
So I continued with the installation.

- I CAREFULLY READ ALL YOUR ADVICES and I tried them ALL

- CD is mounted, OK, available
- booting from boot flop gives the same errors
As 'guest' said:
"The message "Boot failed, please change disk ..." is an indication that the file and folder KNOPPIX is nowhere to be found.
But it is on the original disk, so where do I go wrong

Code Sample

dir a:

Volume in drive A has no label.

Directory of A:\
09-05-05 20:50 115 boot.msg
09-05-05 20:17 1,592 f2
09-05-05 20:17 1,595 f3
29-07-04 15:11 256 german.kbd
29-07-04 15:11 994,807 linux24
09-05-05 20:16 36,649 logo.16
05-11-04 14:54 187,852 minirt24.gz
29-07-04 15:11 7,836 ldlinux.sys
09-05-05 20:17 1,993 syslinux.cfg

type syslinux.cfg

DEFAULT linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
TIMEOUT 300

PROMPT 1
DISPLAY boot.msg
F1 boot.msg
F2 f2
F3 f3
LABEL dsl
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL memtest
KERNEL memtest
APPEND initrd=
LABEL dsl-txt
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=normal initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL expert
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt24.gz nomce BOOT_IMAGE=expert
LABEL fb1280x1024
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=794 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb1024x768
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL fb800x600
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=788 xmodule=fbdev initrd=minirt24.gz nomce noapic quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL failsafe
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ramdisk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us vga=normal atapicd nosound noscsi nousb nopcmcia nofirewire noagp nomce nodhcp xmodule=vesa initrd=minirt24.gz BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix
LABEL userdef
KERNEL linux24
APPEND ###############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

- so now I get an old DSL cd (works because I used this DSL CD on a bigger machine
with lots of memory and harddisk space) and no problem. The current (newer DSL cd) has
never been installed successful so to prevent problems with this release ...

- same problems
whatever I tried ... nothing
failsafe mode
dsl 2
...
...

- I copied the CD to harddisk
you see the 2 new directories

Code Sample

ISOLINUX
KNOPPIX

Directory of C:\
DOS <DIR> 06-06-05 20:52
COMMAND COM 54.645 31-05-94 6:22
WINA20 386 9.349 31-05-94 6:22
CONFIG SYS 223 28-02-98 13:53
AUTOEXEC BAT 112 06-06-05 21:40
LOADLIN <DIR> 06-06-05 21:25
ISOLINUX <DIR> 10-06-05 14:34
KNOPPIX <DIR> 10-06-05 14:34

Directory of C:\ISOLINUX
BOOT CAT 2.048 09-09-04 22:46
BOOT MSG 110 25-07-04 1:13
F2 1.592 06-08-04 19:39
F3 1.675 25-07-04 1:13
GERMAN KBD 256 25-07-04 1:13
LINUX24 994.807 14-08-04 23:31
LOGO 16 7.367 25-07-04 1:50
MINIRT24 GZ 790.312 01-09-04 20:23
LOADLIN EXE 32.208 30-04-96 17:44
OPTIONS TXT 163 10-06-05 14:46

Directory of C:\KNOPPIX
KNOPPIX 49.106.603 09-09-04 22:46

- again, but now without a CD-ROM
same errors, same problems

- now again with loadlin
I used the file: options.txt

NOW something happens
I got the DSL x setup
select Xvesa xserver ==> screen became black
than I select Xfbdev xserver ==> installation continues

but than I got the error message

Code Sample

xauth: ....
modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb0
XIO: fatal IO error 104
dsl@tty1[dsl]$

And that's all. I'm now connected as user dsl in an text linux system and that is a very limitated DSL installation.

But looking around I noticed that after I tried to install DSL there is NOTTING on the
C-drive (nor D:) installed. You here the harddisk, CD-ROM drive. Your are waiting a long
time and .... nothing new on my harddisk.

So if anyone did have a tip, the solution or ideas. Please let me know.
Is it not required to create a linux partition (id=83)? Or does DSL it all??

ps. the tric with Ctrl-Alt-F1 gives the same error
xauth: ....
modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb0
XIO: fatal IO error 104

Sounds like you may have got a bad burn.

Redownload, check the md5sums, and reburn.

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