Another Install Question

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tlcmd

Another Install Question

Post by tlcmd »

I seem to have an unusual install problem which doesn't seem to be adequately addressed here or elsewhere.
PC = wireless, 1.4 GHz Athlon, 512 RAM, 320 HDD partitioned for Windows XP and hopefully LMDE.
My cd-rom will not read dvd's (it is at least 10 years old). My BIOS won't option USB as a boot.

Most of these install problems and answers assume that my computer knowledge is much greater than it is.

I've read many posts on the USB install. One suggested that I use a Linux OS which will recognize the USB and install it from a stick. Can I install it from a Linux OS such as Puppy Linux or Dam Small Linux or Linux Mint only running in the cd-rom??

Better yet, is there a really Mickey Mouse set of install instructions (to create a dual boot; Windows XP and LMDE) for ignoramuses with a limited resources computer?

I have been running Linux Mint 9 and 10. Also several other Linux distros including a couple or rolling ones.

Thanks for any assistance and suggestions.
Dick
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nunol
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Re: Another Install Question

Post by nunol »

lmintnewb

Re: Another Install Question

Post by lmintnewb »

Just an opinion and random babbling. Also linux newbish myself ... so not trying to be smug.

Anyway, getting to opinion. Why not stick with one of the main stream Mint releases ? The Minty magic developers are good at what they do. You could lighten it up by using a lighter weight desktop ... fluxbox ( one of my personal favorites ) openbox ( not so much but have seen people do amazing stuff with it regardless) xfce ... etc.

I mean if resource usage is the concern you're having. Could also disable startup apps that you won't be needing in the control center>startup apps section. And/or download an app called bum, in the software manager ... and disable some more unnecessary startup services.

Those 2 things bog a system down and add to system overhead. Common sense o course will tell you, don't just disable anything & everything in startup apps or bum. Some of that stuff your OS does need to automatically run to work right. Bunch of it you don't need though. Do some research and googling etc if you are not sure which to turn off, ... so forth.

Just saying if you're having real issues figuring out how to do an install from usb. Then guessing Mint's Debian stuff ( like lmde ) might not be the best fit for ya atm. Which I'm sure it's great stuff. But also note all the warnings about requiring a lil bit more familiarity with linux before using them.

Just an opinion, but think the Mint debian stuff at this point is better suited to people who know a lil bit about what they're doing. Besides Mint's main editions are good stuff too. Think they even have versions specifically tailored for lighter weight desktop environ's and looks like your comp has enough RAM to deal with plenty of the Mint releases.

Streamlining one of the main's or using one of those releases w a lighter-weight DE would definitely pep up your system though.
tlcmd

Re: Another Install Question

Post by tlcmd »

Thanks for the replies. For me, exploring the world of Linux is a learning experience. Of the distros I've tried, Mint is currently my favourite. I like the concept of a rolling distro and have tried PCLinuxOS. Have also tried Arch Linux, but you apparently have to be a real computer wizard to install and use that one. Plus, some of the folks on that support site are a tad "snooty." Arch Bang is also not my cup of tea. All of the above are cd-rom install. LDME requires DVD or stick install.
Also, I'm trying to escape the Windows problem of support cessation after a certain point requiring a new OS, something the rolling distros don't have. And with this extra cpu, I have a new "toy" on which my computing needs do not depend. If I can get a dual boot with Windows XP and LMDE up and running on this one, then I can set up my main computer the same way and limit my Windows XP to running my Media Jukebox and Movieorganizer programs which, as of now, will not run on a Linux distro. And there are no "adequate" substitutes in the Linux repositories.

Dick
lmintnewb

Re: Another Install Question

Post by lmintnewb »

Reread your OP ... plus latest o course.

Unless ya changed it since. Then I missed some stuff. That is a nifty lil challenge you have going on there. Would stick by what I said above too and advise someone to stick with a more newb friendly Mint release. Who knows though you might love lmde and have zero problems.

Was just basing that on your having problems getting it installed via usb and saying ya needed a simplified "mickey mouse", how to ... etc.

This comps a dinosaur too and doesn't give me the option of installing via usb either. Came to the conclusion, would just have to be satisfied with what's available within it's capabilities. Or could perhaps go through the trouble of flashing/updating bios and hoping the mobo manufacturer for it had released bios updates that would support booting from usb in the time since this hardware came out.

Decided against it and went with option A instead. Just too much aggravation to go through and comp has a DVD-RW drive on it. Just ran out of discs for it atm. :D
lmintnewb

Re: Another Install Question

Post by lmintnewb »

Hey found this while stumbling around researching summin linux related. Looked like it may apply to your situation or be a poss solution.
my BIOS was old and didn't support USB booting, so I had to use PLoP bootloader; sometimes a USB installer (such as Unetbootin) wouldn't work with the distro, and I'd have to get another USB installer (such as Universal).
Was taken from a person who was trying to get into linux. But seems he was having similar issues. Installing from usb with bios that don't support boot from usb port. It was recent too ... From Feb 2011. Just food for thought and summin to look into. Never heard of such a thing ... PLop bootloader ? Though that doesn't mean anything. As there's no end to stuff I've never heard about, lol. Unetbootin could be another option for ya too I guess. At least another option to check out.
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