Eee pc 4gb was Linux, now Win XP. I want to reinstall Linux but no option to boot fro

[Markup 001]

Greetings to all on the forum!
My name is Mark, I have joined with you hoping to get some help or advice with a problem I have with an
Asus eee pc 4gb
Original OS was Linux
Current OS Windows XP

My problem is this.
As I say the machine came with Linux installed from new and I have the original restore disc that came with it (The disc is entitled Linux Recovery DVD Rev.1.5 English version) at some stage a previous owner of the computer has installed Windows XP and there is no sign of the original Linux.

I downloaded the Blackberry desktop manager application so that my daughter could use her blackberry mobile as a modem for connecting to the internet. Unfortunately the BBerry manager would not install as it only works with the service pack 3 of windows XP, when I tried to update to this, I found that the eee pc did not have enough memory to accommodate the XP sp3 update. I went through the computer removing programs & deleting everything that I felt I safely could in order to free up some memory but it’s still not enough. I have tried hitting f9 at startup to see if I could access the recovery or restore but nothing happens – it feels as though I am running a stripped out version of Windows XP if such a thing exists.

I really can’t see how the eee pc 4gb machine could accommodate Windows XP as there is virtually nothing installed on the machine, no documents, images or music etc and there is still only something like 100MB of space on the hard drive.

So now I want to take the machine back to its factory state of having Linux as its OS. This is something I have been meaning to look at as an option on my own current machine for some time now so the timing at least is right.

I have purchased an external DVD drive that is working fine but when I try to run the Linux recovery disc the computer will not boot from it. I have used the option of f2 to access the BIOS to set the optical drive as my preferred one to boot from but there is no option to set it. I looked out for the Boot Booster in the BIOS too, but it is not there.

I am at a loss now as to how to proceed and wonder if anyone here can guide me in getting the machine to accept the DVD as bootable. I am not great with computers but I can easily understand any instructions I am given.
If you could take the time, and need me to take a picture of any stage of any process I have tried or anything like that, I will get onto it immediately.
Any guidance will be greatly appreciated...
Thanks,
Mark

[coldraven]

I have the eee pc 900 which has a 4GB system drive and 16GB user drive.
I put Xubuntu on it and it almost fills the 4GB. I needed to remove all the archived packages, there is an option in Synaptic that does this..
Settings>Preferences>Files

As for the BIOS ASFAIR there are two windows that change the boot order and you need to look again.
You probably need to to switch off the Boot Boost while installing.
I updated the BIOS and the fan runs much quieter.

Edit: If you only have 4GB then maybe Puppy Linux would be better

[Impavidus]

Just found the specs of that machine:
CPU: Intel Celeron M 353 / 630.0 MHz
RAM: 512MB
Storage: 4GB SSD

Unless is has been modified somehow you'll have a hard time installing Ubuntu on that machine, which was already low-spec when introduced in 2007. Win XP, being old by now, is a quite light system for today's standards. That memory is insufficient to run the full ubuntu (latest version at least, six years ago it would have worked), but Lubuntu may be OK. Also, that SSD memory is too small for Ubuntu. A bare-bone version of Linux (edit: indeed, Puppy may work) should just fit. You can also try installing on a USB drive.

The recovery cd you have may be just a recovery cd, not a complete installation cd. You'd have to download a new installation cd and burn it to a usb drive, then figure out how to boot from it. Besides, I've got no idea for what Linux version that recovery cd was, but it's probably outdated.

[Markup 001]

Hi there coldraven

Thanks for the tip re Puppy Linux, I am not familiar with it but its name suggests a smaller system which is just what I am looking for as I only have 4gb. So I will go now to read up on it and see if there is a download I can access somewhere - Thank You!

With regards to my BIOS though, I do not have Boot Boost as an option and can see no way of switching it on or off. (on the boot tab of the BIOS there is only one option and it relates to the operating system being either "enabled" or "finished" Also I have no option, no matter where I look in the BIOS of changing the boot order so that my machine will boot directly from my dvd to wipe Windows XP from the machine and install Linux.

Can you tell me whether you know of a command prompt that I could use to have the machine boot from disc at startup or something like that that.
I copied the files from the disc to a usb stick and tried booting from that but same thing again, it would not boot.

When you say you have the eee pc 900 which has a 4GB system drive and 16GB user drive, do you mean you have upgraded a standard 4gb machine to get the extra capacity? I have no knowledge of either the eee pc or of Linux so please excuse me if my questions appear simplistic or not very intelligent to you but would be very interested to learn that this is possible?

Thanks for getting back friend.

[Markup 001]

Just found the specs of that machine:

Yes, thats the one. Thanks for taking the time to help me out Impavidus . Your comment regarding Puppy Linux is something that another member suggested as a possibility so I am going to read up on it and get it downloaded onto my USB. What would be a fair price, Is it expensive and are there places I should avoid when going for the download? Please excuse what may appear to be simplistic questions but today will be my first toe in the water regarding Linux and I am totally green - but very keen.

The recovery cd you have may be just a recovery cd, not a complete installation cd. You'd have to download a new installation cd and burn it to a usb drive, then figure out how to boot from it. Besides, I've got no idea for what Linux version that recovery cd was, but it's probably outdated.

Yes good point, I had no idea it could be as old as 2007 so it (the disc I have) is, in all likelihood, outdated. there are .glz, .bld, .dat, .gz, .bin .cfg, .c32 files contained on the disc inside a couple of folders (boot & isolinux) but there is no .exe file for me to start the process manually. I really need to gain the knowledge to be able to force the machine (possibly through a command prompt) to boot from the disc (or a usb stick as I have copied the disc files to one) at startup so that I can determine what disc it is and then if it is an installation disc, whether it can be brought up to date with updates before I consider the expense of Puppy Linux or something similar.

Thanks a lot again for taking the time friend.

[Impavidus]

For puppy try here: http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview%...%20Started.htm

Most linuces are free, so you won't have to spend a lot of money (just on the usb drive). And don't expect a lot of .exe files. They don't work on linux.

Creating a bootable usb drive is a bit more complicated than just copying a .iso file onto it.

[Markup 001]

Again, your helpful input is really appreciated Impavidus!

My .exe boob shows that my knowledge of IT is strictly limited to Windows, but I am quite good with taking instruction, written or otherwise so am looking forward to getting my head around this. In fact I'm looking forward to getting to know Linux a great deal now as the little bit of reading I have done tonight leads me to believe it is a much more attractive proposition to Windows for many uses.

I have just cleaned off a fresh USB drive that I can use, so here goes with my visit to puppylinux.org.

Much appreciated friend!

[Markup 001]

Hmmm, that was very helpful of the 3 mobile network. I use my iphone as a modem and pay for unlimited internet. However, some 80 MB and 8 minutes into a 108 MB download they decided it was taking too long and stopped it - how frustrating after I had put the night aside to try to get my head around a new set up.

So what unlimited is supposed to mean I am not sure. I will find a wired connection somewhere tomorrow, download again and let you know how I got on with my first steps into Linux.

I feel really confident now that I have found your forum!

[mlloyd]

Just found the specs of that machine:
CPU: Intel Celeron M 353 / 630.0 MHz
RAM: 512MB
Storage: 4GB SSD

Unless is has been modified somehow you'll have a hard time installing Ubuntu on that machine, which was already low-spec when introduced in 2007. Win XP, being old by now, is a quite light system for today's standards. That memory is insufficient to run the full ubuntu (latest version at least, six years ago it would have worked), but Lubuntu may be OK. Also, that SSD memory is too small for Ubuntu. A bare-bone version of Linux (edit: indeed, Puppy may work) should just fit. You can also try installing on a USB drive.

The recovery cd you have may be just a recovery cd, not a complete installation cd. You'd have to download a new installation cd and burn it to a usb drive, then figure out how to boot from it. Besides, I've got no idea for what Linux version that recovery cd was, but it's probably outdated.

I have a PC like that, and I unstalled Lubuntu (no Unity). The 4GB SSD was still too small so I put it on the larger SSD (which is upgraded to 32GB). It was installed from a USB flash drive.

BTW, the 4GB SSD currently has no partitions on it. I'm not sure what would happen if I tried to create any.

[coldraven]

You cannot just copy an install disc to a USB stick and make it bootable.
To do that you can use Unetbootin which will work on Mac, Linux or Windows.
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Installing Puppy Linux might be a little daunting so for the moment just try to create a bootable USB drive and get it to boot up.
Then you will see how Puppy looks and we can assist you if you want to make it a permanent install.