Anyone using linux?

[fmctm1sw]

I bought an old version of linux (Mandrake 7.0) at a thrift store the other week. I planned to make a homemade firewall with an old PC with two NICs. I can't get linux to load (maybe that's why it was $5 at the thrift store). It gets to the same point and crashes every time. I am using an old 4X CD Rom. I'd also like to know if anyone knows how/where to download from the internet and install I can run from floppies. Thanks....

[gmatov]

Go to www.mandrakesoft.com . There you can DL version 9.2, the latest, for free, although it would be nice to join their club and make any donation you can afford.

You will DL just a little over 2 gigs, 3 .iso images you will have to burn to disk with the "Burn from Image" option in your burning SW.

As you have a definite purpose in mind, you may not want to go to SuSe site to DL an image that, when burned to disk (one disk ), will be bootable, and not install on your machine, except the files needed, not many. That way, you can play and learn without partitioning.

The other distributions also are available on line for free download, although some go as high as 8 disks, I think. You gotta have big pipes.

Cheers,

George

BTW, you can make a boot floppy from the CD. Open the manual, or readme to learn how.

[energy80s]

I'm just starting to try out Linux. I have downloaded the Mandrake 9.2 discs (only the first one is actually needed - the other two are just applications) but haven't got to install it yet. Have been playing about with Knoppix which is a great bootable CD Linux distro and gives you a good taste of what Linux is all about. There is also DSL Linux (Damn Small Linux) which is only 47Mb in case you have only a dialup connection.

[stiltman]

I bought an old version of linux (Mandrake 7.0) at a thrift store the other week. I planned to make a homemade firewall with an old PC with two NICs. I can't get linux to load (maybe that's why it was $5 at the thrift store). It gets to the same point and crashes every time. I am using an old 4X CD Rom. I'd also like to know if anyone knows how/where to download from the internet and install I can run from floppies. Thanks....

I've been running Mandrake off and on for about 4 years (When I get bored I just through in my Mandrake HDD and mess around with it for a month or so. (Removable HDDs so it's easy)

If all you want is a router firewall, I wouldn't install a full blown Linux distro. I would install FreeSCO. I had that installed for a couple of years as my gateway and it's great. It does exactly what you want without all the risks of other hole from other apps running. You can read more about FreeSCO here

[fmctm1sw]

Gentelmen, thanks again for superb help. I decided to try to put win 98 on it. that WON'T install either. It locks up every time at "setup is now checking for plug and play devices." I took out all the PCI/ISA cards and got the same thing . I'll try to get the computer to work first and I may try freesco. If only I could fit it on one floppy.

[fmctm1sw]

Awwwww $hit.....

Note to self, "Don't overclock motherboard unless you're sure the computer will be stable."

Back to Linux install.....