Installing Linux on my laptop... having troubles...

Lynton · 10th September 2002, 7:44 PM

I can't even get the laptop to boot from the CD.
So i will have to make a bootable disk... but i don't know how. :|
Thats problem no.1
Problem no.2 is that the laptop is a compaq armada 1573D
It has an Intel Pentium 233mhz CPU
32mb RAM, etc.
Will linux work with this laptop, or am i wasting my time..

Cheers for any help people.

Bern · 10th September 2002, 8:03 PM

Have a look at linux-laptop.net for hints.

Lynton · 10th September 2002, 8:11 PM

pitty my laptop ain't there

(
thanks anyways

HSV GTS · 10th September 2002, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lynton
I can't even get the laptop to boot from the CD.
So i will have to make a bootable disk... but i don't know how. :|
Thats problem no.1
Problem no.2 is that the laptop is a compaq armada 1573D
It has an Intel Pentium 233mhz CPU
32mb RAM, etc.
Will linux work with this laptop, or am i wasting my time..

Cheers for any help people.

Check your bios settings in your laptop and ensure that the cdrom is booting before the hard drive, in the bootup options. Also some of the old Compaqs if i remember correctly also had a boot from cd key (eg F6), have a look in your manual and see what you can find. Finally the cd you are using...is it from a magazine or did you download an iso and put it onto cd? If you have got it from a magazine etc it should be a booting cd. If you downloaded an iso from the Internet you need to burn it with a program such as Nero to turn it into a proper installation cd.

Bern · 10th September 2002, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lynton
pitty my laptop ain't there (
thanks anyways

There is still a lot of general info about linux and laptops there, and some of the other armada's might have similar hardware that would be applicable. Also have a browse at mobilix.org.

Lynton · 11th September 2002, 8:42 AM

Its a burnt copy of Redhat 7.2
Its bootable because i had it installed on my main machine about 2 months ago.
I don't know how to get into the BIOS on my laptop

tin · 12th September 2002, 2:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lynton
Its a burnt copy of Redhat 7.2
Its bootable because i had it installed on my main machine about 2 months ago.
I don't know how to get into the BIOS on my laptop

Compaq is really silly about the BIOS. They are always trying to protect it from users. They have caught the MS disease. They act like end users are completely and totally useless and will screw everything up.

Anyway, try pressing one of these keys during the BIOS startup screen thing (compaq logo or system info of some sort. usually best to press a little b4 or after it beeps)

DEL, F1, F2, INS, F10, F9.
Some compaqs also may have to use a prog to edit BIOS settings, or cant be changed at all.

leperMessiah · 13th September 2002, 6:50 PM

Easy way of getting into BIOS on compaqs is to remove some RAM, then it will come up with a config error from which you can enter setup.

OR

Hold down one key on boot, till it comes up with a keyboard error, then enter BIOS.

ToranaGuy · 17th September 2002, 2:57 PM

Linux will run with only 32mb ram, but it wont be very nice to use as a GUI, as the GUI's need a fair bit of ram,just like the Windows GUI. I would sugest you figure out if your laptop take's SODIMMS or EDO, and get a memory upgrade to @ least 64mb. If you could afford it, go to 128mb. You won't regret the memory upgrade if you plan on keeping the laptop for many years.

Cheers

ToranaGuy

10th September 2002, 7:44 PM	#1
Lynton Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 539	Installing Linux on my laptop... having troubles... I can't even get the laptop to boot from the CD. So i will have to make a bootable disk... but i don't know how. :\| Thats problem no.1 Problem no.2 is that the laptop is a compaq armada 1573D It has an Intel Pentium 233mhz CPU 32mb RAM, etc. Will linux work with this laptop, or am i wasting my time.. Cheers for any help people. __________________ I am 61% addicted to Counterstrike. What about you?

10th September 2002, 8:03 PM	#2
Bern Off the rails Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brighton, QLD Posts: 5,000	Have a look at linux-laptop.net for hints. __________________ \| Free Beer \| p-two.net \| OCAU Forum Rules \| \| news \| stff \| stfw \| wiki \| \|

10th September 2002, 8:11 PM	#3
Lynton Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 539	pitty my laptop ain't there ( thanks anyways __________________ I am 61% addicted to Counterstrike. What about you?

11th September 2002, 8:42 AM	#6
Lynton Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Melbourne Posts: 539	Its a burnt copy of Redhat 7.2 Its bootable because i had it installed on my main machine about 2 months ago. I don't know how to get into the BIOS on my laptop __________________ I am 61% addicted to Counterstrike. What about you?

17th September 2002, 2:57 PM	#9
ToranaGuy Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: In the Shed Posts: 4,378	Linux will run with only 32mb ram, but it wont be very nice to use as a GUI, as the GUI's need a fair bit of ram,just like the Windows GUI. I would sugest you figure out if your laptop take's SODIMMS or EDO, and get a memory upgrade to @ least 64mb. If you could afford it, go to 128mb. You won't regret the memory upgrade if you plan on keeping the laptop for many years. Cheers ToranaGuy __________________ \| Time for a Sig Update - old one was very old! \|Still folding on, now a 9,000ppw member!\| Currently on ADSL 2+, 5mbit/900kbit speed. Thanks TPG ADSL @+ \| There's no replacement for displacement, but you can always compliment it with BOOST! \|

13th September 2002, 6:50 PM	#8
leperMessiah Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 1,242	Easy way of getting into BIOS on compaqs is to remove some RAM, then it will come up with a config error from which you can enter setup. OR Hold down one key on boot, till it comes up with a keyboard error, then enter BIOS.