Rory Williams
May 15th, 2009, 09:40 PM
I am trying to install ubuntu 9.04 on an old laptop with no cd-rom and no ability to boot from USB. The computer is a Compaq Presario 1700 with the following:
Around 1Ghz Pentium 3 Processor
192MB DDR RAM
5GB Hard Drive
NO Optical Drive
Windows 98 SE
Since I couldn't use the Live CD version of Ubuntu Linux 9.04, I have tried the following:
Downloaded the Ubuntu Linux 9.04.iso and put it on the root drive c:
Tried the Linux installer UNetbootin, but it failed.
Attempted a manual install by creating the folder c:/boot and following these instructions (http://www.instantfundas.com/2007/08/install-any-linux-distro-directly-from.html) This failed, as well.
Frustrated, I opened windows explorer and moved all the system files (including hidden) from the root to a folder on the root, leaving only boot.ini and grldr.
Rebooted and got this, "Invalid System Disk, replace the disk then press any key." Windows now does not boot. (yay?)
Next I downloaded a Grub boot floppy and booted from that. This worked, and I reviewed the Linux install options. Opening the menu.lst file from my c/boot folder, I selected the Install Linux command I had created earlier. It found and loaded the Kernel file vmlinuz, but failed to find the initrd.
I opened up a grub command line and after playing around with some commands, figured out how to load the kernel with "grub> kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz"and initrd with "grub> initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.gz after loading these, I typed "boot", hit enter, and success! Well, sort of. Linux loads, a bunch of code flys accross the screen, and I'm thinking that I should see a graphical interface pretty soon.
I was wrong. The flying code hangs at "waiting for root device" and after about thirty seconds, gives me the error, "gave up waiting for root device" and falls into a BusyBox console with an "(initrdfs)_" prompt. I typed in "exit" but this just gives me the same error again.
A freind explained that this is because the HD is in the wrong format, but if I format it, I will lose the data on the disk, right? I have an external HD and CD drive, but since they are USB, I don't think I can boot from them unless there are drivers.
Should I just give up?
Around 1Ghz Pentium 3 Processor
192MB DDR RAM
5GB Hard Drive
NO Optical Drive
Windows 98 SE
Since I couldn't use the Live CD version of Ubuntu Linux 9.04, I have tried the following:
Downloaded the Ubuntu Linux 9.04.iso and put it on the root drive c:
Tried the Linux installer UNetbootin, but it failed.
Attempted a manual install by creating the folder c:/boot and following these instructions (http://www.instantfundas.com/2007/08/install-any-linux-distro-directly-from.html) This failed, as well.
Frustrated, I opened windows explorer and moved all the system files (including hidden) from the root to a folder on the root, leaving only boot.ini and grldr.
Rebooted and got this, "Invalid System Disk, replace the disk then press any key." Windows now does not boot. (yay?)
Next I downloaded a Grub boot floppy and booted from that. This worked, and I reviewed the Linux install options. Opening the menu.lst file from my c/boot folder, I selected the Install Linux command I had created earlier. It found and loaded the Kernel file vmlinuz, but failed to find the initrd.
I opened up a grub command line and after playing around with some commands, figured out how to load the kernel with "grub> kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz"and initrd with "grub> initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.gz after loading these, I typed "boot", hit enter, and success! Well, sort of. Linux loads, a bunch of code flys accross the screen, and I'm thinking that I should see a graphical interface pretty soon.
I was wrong. The flying code hangs at "waiting for root device" and after about thirty seconds, gives me the error, "gave up waiting for root device" and falls into a BusyBox console with an "(initrdfs)_" prompt. I typed in "exit" but this just gives me the same error again.
A freind explained that this is because the HD is in the wrong format, but if I format it, I will lose the data on the disk, right? I have an external HD and CD drive, but since they are USB, I don't think I can boot from them unless there are drivers.
Should I just give up?