trying to run Linux from a CD

[kazoo]

I found this distro, DeLi Linux, DeLi Linux 0.6 Review - OSNews.com, that said it could be installed on a machine with just 8 MB RAM (which is what I have, a 486 IBM ThinkPad 701CS laptop).

I managed to create the CD on a different computer and then view the contents on the 486. I created some install floppy disk that it said to using "rawrite." Then I tried to reboot the computer so it would boot from the floppy (because my computer isn't booting from my CD drive, for whatever reason). When I did that, it went nowhere -- just got a black screen w/ a flashing cursor in the upper left corner. I couldn't type anything there.

My goal was to create some sort of "live CD" so I could preview Linux w/out messing up Windows 95. Is my problem that I didn't do the disk partitioning thing?

I don't have anything of value on this computer; I was mainly trying to keep Win95 up and running because I figured at least that way I could still access the drives (the CD-Rom is connected via a PCMCIA card, and it connects to the Internet via another PCMCIA card). But I don't care about losing any information on it.

I've been trying to Google for help but am having trouble understanding what it is I'm doing wrong.

[antivirus_b]

Sorry if i get wrong with you but whats ur problem? Why floppy not working or finding another installation media? I think u have got a pritty old machine. you can try puppy with it, if your motherboad supports you can use a pen drive as a boot media and also the hole os on it.

[antivirus_b]

Sorry if i get wrong with you but whats ur problem? Why floppy not working or finding another installation media? I think u have got a pritty old machine. you can try puppy with it, if your motherboad supports you can use a pen drive as a boot media and also the hole os on it.

chick it out
Puppy Linux

[kazoo]

Hi, thanks so much for responding -- I'll try to clarify my problem:

I have this old 486 w/ 8 MB RAM. I know the RAM is more problematic than the age of the CPU, but I would like to use this computer to try out Linux, since I don't care if I mess it up.

My one concern in all this is that while I don't care if I mess up Windows 95, I do care if that's the only way I can access my network card and CD-ROM drive, which are both connected via PCMCIA card. I have a 3.5" floppy drive that I think I can rely on, but obviously, it's much easier to use a CD drive b/c you can fit more on a CD.

So my idea was to somehow "try out" Linux -- I've heard of a few distributions that are offered this way, but the RAM is always a problem. I found DeLi Linux 0.7.2 and thought I could put it on CD and boot from the CD. Except this computer won't boot from the CD. It will, however, boot from the floppy.

In the DeLi readme.txt, it said that you could use rawrite on a floppy to cause the computer to boot from CD. So I created this floppy, rebooted the computer, and all I got was a black screen with a cursor in the upper-left corner.

So my question was: did this happen b/c I didn't partition the hard drive? Do I need to partition the hard drive if I'm booting from CD-ROM? But I think there are also a couple of other variations of Rawrite I can try, so that's my next step. But I would still like to find out the answer to my first question, which is, if I'm booting from a CD, and not from the hard drive, do I still need to partition the hard drive?

Sorry for the long explanation -- hope it clarifies my problem though.

[rcgreen]

There is either something wrong with the floppy disk, or drive, or
some other issue like low ram is stalling the boot process. Does
it have more than one floppy disk image available for you to choose from?
Make sure it has pcmcia support, or it won't be able to read the
installation cd once the process gets under way. Remember, floppy
disks are infamously unreliable. Make extra copies if necessary.

Put a new floppy in the drive and run scandisk on it. If you get persistent
errors, it could be the drive.

[abhishek456]

Do I need to partition the hard drive if I'm booting from CD-ROM?

no you don't need to partion your harddisk to boot from CD-ROM

found this distro, DeLi Linux, DeLi Linux 0.6 Review - OSNews.com, that said it could be installed on a machine with just 8 MB RAM (which is what I have, a 486 IBM ThinkPad 701CS laptop).

the minimum RAM requriments for Deli is 16 mb

check this page DeLi Linux

and for latest versions of Deli-32 it's 32Mb of minimum RAM