Installing Mandrake 10.1

PLEASE HELP.

I am a complete newby to Linux.

Computer is P11, running windows 98, 160mb ram, 4gb HDD(2.89 free space), ATAPI CdROM.

I am trying to install Mandrake 10.1 on my old computer to eventually use as a firewall but also to play around with Linux.

I got a DVD off a magazine, copied the Mandrake files to CD's. Instructions says CD1 will boot up. IT DOESN"T. Yes, I did try disk No2 too.

I have followed instructions about "Make a boot floppy":

# insert the CDROM, then open the icon "My Computer", right click on the CDROM drive icon and select "Open"
# go into the "dosutils" directory and double-click on the "rawwritewin" icon
# insert a blank floppy in the floppy drive
# select "D:\images\cdrom.img" in the "Image File" field (assuming that your CDROM drive is "D:", otherwise replace "D:" as needed)
# select "A:" in the "Floppy Drive" field then click on "Write"

My problem is when I right click on the CDROM drive icon I cannot see "Open". All I see is the same as if I left click ie I see the contents of the CD.

Please be aware this is new to me.

I appreciate any help

Thanks

Reg

If I understand right, all you have to do is "explore" the CD and head to the dosutils directory -> then double click the rawritewin.exe and follow the instructions from there.

If you can see the contents on the CD - cool - that's exactly what you're supposed to see :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dtodd

If I understand right, all you have to do is "explore" the CD and head to the dosutils directory -> then double click the rawritewin.exe and follow the instructions from there.

If you can see the contents on the CD - cool - that's exactly what you're supposed to see :)

---

Thanks for your reply. Given I am a newby, how do you "head to the dosutils directory"?

Reg

Hi- double click the dosutils folder

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dtodd

Hi- double click the dosutils folder

---

DTodd - for the life of me I cannot see any folde 'dosutils'.

Now, you said to Explore the "CD" (which CD? the one I am going to install?) and go to the Dosutils directory.

Are you able to give me a step by step please?

Sorry about this.

Reg

Is your bios set up to check the cdrom for a boot disc before loading the main OS? and if it is- did you burn cd disc 1 as an iso? As far as I know, if you didn't, then your PC won't recognize it as a boot disc.

To do that you need to open your cd burning software and look for an option to burn an iso image, then burn the disc, and it should boot. For more detailed instructions you'll have to refer to the documentation that came with your particular burning suite or google around for it.

I may be off base with this, but I've run into that in the past, and that was how I solved it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by finklewicz

Is your bios set up to check the cdrom for a boot disc before loading the main OS? and if it is- did you burn cd disc 1 as an iso? As far as I know, if you didn't, then your PC won't recognize it as a boot disc.

To do that you need to open your cd burning software and look for an option to burn an iso image, then burn the disc, and it should boot. For more detailed instructions you'll have to refer to the documentation that came with your particular burning suite or google around for it.

I may be off base with this, but I've run into that in the past, and that was how I solved it.

---

Thanks for your reply. I still cannot get it up and will therefore look at another way of doing it - with a bit of luck

I did manage to get a hold of 9.1 disks. I can't get it going. At least the cd boots up to the stage of selecting "install". When 'Install....' is selected it doesn't go antwhere. So, I must be doing something wrong.

Hi,
the dosutils folder is found on the 1st cd and the boot images are found in the images folder.

Also I have noticed that, if you have certain versions of Norton or some other AV product installed, they woun't allow you to install Linux. So you should uninstall the AV software temproarily.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AlexK

Hi,
the dosutils folder is found on the 1st cd and the boot images are found in the images folder.

Also I have noticed that, if you have certain versions of Norton or some other AV product installed, they woun't allow you to install Linux. So you should uninstall the AV software temproarily.

---

I appreciate your help. I think I am having trouble becasue the hdd needs to be partitioned and I don't have the program to do it (??).

Are you trying to dual boot your system? it is only then you require some sort of partition management. Otherwise, the linux install process should install and manage the required partitions for you.

also, when you get tot the install screen try passing arguments to the system (i think it was by pressing F2) type in noapic and see how that goes.