View Full Version : [all variants] [SOLVED] Pentium Pro won't go OH NO!
Braytok
October 2nd, 2008, 11:51 PM
pardon my lame attempt at clever title.
So heres my problem.
I want to use an old Pentium Pro 200Mhz system to build a DNS server. Problem is, I can not install any version of linux that I have tried. among those tried are: Ubuntu 6.x-8.04, Xubuntu, Fluxbuntu, DSL, Slackware, SLAX, and a few others that I don't recall. This system does not have ACPI so naturally I get the:
no DMI BIOS year acpi=force is required to enable acpi BIOS
I tried acpi=off but the system just hangs with blinking cursor.
Have any of you successfully install any linux variant on a similar system?
I previously had this system running Win2k and after that I had it running pfSense both with no problems.
I am not above using a FreeBSD distro if any one knows of one that can run on this hardware.
-Bray
upchucky
October 2nd, 2008, 11:57 PM
try puppy linux, "usb/floppy sized version" if it works then you have a bit of homework to do to build a bigger customized linux version tailored for that machine, i'm thinking that geentoo will work.
snowpine
October 3rd, 2008, 12:02 AM
Hi Braytok, perhaps this tread will help you out:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=575456
I was going to suggest DSL, but it sounds like you've already tried that. :(
Braytok
October 3rd, 2008, 12:05 AM
Haven't tried either of those yet. I'll do that and post results.
Braytok
October 3rd, 2008, 02:27 AM
arggg! 2 hours of banging my head and still no go. I tried Gentoo and puppy, both to no avail. I get the same error and if I try acpi=off at boot the system hangs. Looks like I may have to try different hardware :cry:
This is indeed sad, I love this system with its integrated SCSI and all but I guess thats the way the cookie crumbles.
tgalati4
October 3rd, 2008, 04:58 AM
What errors do you get with DSL? Sounds like you may need a custom kernel for the scsi support, or at least load the modules at boot time.
Partyboi2
October 3rd, 2008, 07:13 AM
Is it possible to update your bios?
cariboo
October 3rd, 2008, 07:44 AM
I would give the Ubuntu mini.iso a try and just install to the cli. It is available here:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD
and then install the dns packages you need. It will probably not be a good idea to install a gui as I've found that older video cards are no longer supported by Ubuntu. One big problem might be the amount of ram you have installed. I have an old p75 with 128mb ram, running DSL, it runs quite well, except when I try to add any packages, I can go out for coffee and when I come back it is usually done. :)
Jim
Braytok
October 3rd, 2008, 08:50 PM
What errors do you get with DSL? Sounds like you may need a custom kernel for the scsi support, or at least load the modules at boot time.
I saw no errors with DSL, just a black screen and a frozen system.
Is it possible to update your bios?
this is a 1996 Amibios on a P6SNS motherboard. I've had no luck finding a BIOS update for it, but I haven't really looked at more then half a dozen places either. I figure with a unit this old I'll be hard pressed to find one.
I would give the Ubuntu mini.iso a try and just install to the cli
Same error :(
at any rate, I just switched to a K6 233 bare bone unit I had laying around that will work better any way. The PentiumPro system used old 72 pin SIMMS. I only had 196 MB available even though it will take up to 756 MB. The K6 system uses PC100 so I get a little boost there.
I would still love to get the the PentiumPro system running though and I like DSL. I'm not quite "proficient" with custom kernels though so any advise would be welcome.
Braytok
October 3rd, 2008, 11:12 PM
Ok, so I've made a little progress.
I went back and revisited cariboo907's suggestion of trying Ubuntu mini. I no longer have the acpi issue but now I have a new one.
The install hangs with "no SMP motherboard detected" Bare in mind that this is a single Pentium Pro processor. I tried passing:
boot: nosmp
But I get the same error. any ideas?
oni5115
October 3rd, 2008, 11:29 PM
Hmm, not sure if this helps at all, but when I was looking into a similar issue I discovered somewhere that some of the kernels were bugged. They would search for the first ACPI entry - even if it was an invallid entry - instead of actually finding the first vallid entry. So it would cause it to display that error.
Unfortunately, I never bookmarked the place explaining it with the code to potentially fix the kernel. I figured actually modifying the kernel and recompiling was beyond my level of experience.
Regardless, using a later kernel version perhaps it might find it - maybe try a debian distro with the latest kernel version and see if that helps.
Not sure what to do about the nosmp issue - haven't run into that one yet.
On a completely side note: ^5 for playing wow on Ubuntu - I do it too. :D
cariboo
October 4th, 2008, 12:26 AM
Did you download a 64bit version by mistake? If you download a 32bit version you shouldn't have a problem with no smp support.
Jim
Braytok
October 4th, 2008, 02:23 AM
I went back and checked just now. The link on the list claims that Hardy 32bit is 9.5 MB and Hardy 64 bit is 9.6 MB. I checked the ISO i grabbed and its 9.6 MB so its possible. But, when I downloaded the 32 bit version again just to be sure it was in fact 9.6 MB so I'm not 100% sure that I didn't get the wrong one the first time. However... I just burned my last coaster so I must needs make a quick run to get more. BRB...](*,)
Braytok
October 4th, 2008, 05:33 AM
I give up.
Conclusion: Linux won't run on a PentiumPro.
Sadly winNT,98, and 2K will.
Vivaldi Gloria
October 4th, 2008, 08:10 AM
I want to use an old Pentium Pro 200Mhz system
...
I tried acpi=off but the system just hangs with blinking cursor.
I remember seeing this problem but not sure where. Probably in a launchpad bug report. Search it.
Try also these:
http://www.linuxlinks.com/Distributions/Floppy/
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=575456
Braytok
October 5th, 2008, 05:53 AM
I've tried well over 20 different Linux distros and I always end up with one of two problems.
1: passing acpi=off or acpi=force causes the system to hang
or
2: "SMP motherboard not detected" and the system hangs.
trying
nosmp
does nothing
maxcpus=1
also does nothing.
In the hours I have spent submersed in google I have yet to come across any one that has successfully got any 2.x kernel to run on a single CPU pentium pro system. I have seen reports of success on multi CPU Pentium Pro systems though.
at any rate I just went with FreeBSD and it works like a charm. :P
Braytok
October 7th, 2008, 06:40 PM
Solved!:popcorn:
And I feel a little silly /sheepish grin
What I did to fix:
Using Ubuntu Mini .iso Found Here (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD)
At the boot: prompt enter:
install no apic nolapic acpi=off maxcpus=0
After that the install went flawlessly.
My two biggest problems were (a)not reading the tips from the install cd, and (b)I was using "maxcpus=1" instead of "maxcpus=0". I'm not entirely sure why using "0" worked and "1" didn't but it worked and I'm quite pleased.
Thanks to all for all the great suggestions, and I hope others can get some uses out of this thread.
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