Installing gentoo on Pentium 90Mhz Laptop?

norman_timo · n00b Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 3

Hello everybody!

I´m looking for a possibility to install a Linux-system on my Toshiba Laptop 90Mhz and 48 Mb Ram.

Currently it´s running with Win98 and Office 2000, and it´s working nice.

But I am looking for an Linux system which can start a graphical desktop and having open office installed.

Other distributions don´t work with such an old system and above all it is not posible to install from CD´s because my laptop don´t have a CD-Rom (yes there are Pc´s without a CD-Rom! ).

Maybe a solution could be gentoo, but before I start installing it (I calculate with a duration of one week) I want to know if it´s generally possible to install gentoo on my system. (network is available over pcmcia (at least this is present on my system ;-)

).

I could not believe that there´s no possibility under Linux to start a graphical desktop on such a weak system. Windows also works, then Linux must work too (I believe).

Is someone knowing something about my problem, or is there someone who installed gentoo on a similar system? Please answer me...

Sincerely
Norman-Timo

adaptr

Archangel1 · Veteran Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 1212 Location: Work

Well fair call adaptr, but this is the Gentoo forum - shouldn't we be encouraging him to use that? :-D

A P90 might be a bit keen though, I've tried on a P200 and it kept breaking after a day's compiling - might try again with a stage3 sometime. Was probably optimising something too aggressively anyway ;-)

There are instructions floating around on how to use some floppy-based distro to kick off a Gentoo install or some such.

I would guess some lightweight WM (Fluxbox say) would be fine. The X server could be a bit lethal though - you might have to look into KDrive or XDirectFB.

OpenOffice might well be too much for the old beast. It's not all that spritely really - but I can't think of an alternative. No harm in trying though.

adaptr · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:40 pm Post subject:

Syntaxis · Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2002 Posts: 511 Location: London, UK

norman_timo · n00b Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 3

Hey thanks a lot!

Equal what I finally install on my old Laptop, I indepandently install Gentoo on my P3 450 Mhz with ~400 MB Ram, and this should work nice :-)

Thanx adptr, with your hints it´s possible to help me with my decision what for a Linux system I should take.

And rigth, for me it´s not relevant which WindowMaker is installed, but it should run in a acceptable speed.

And I try OpenOffice (is there no equal Application which is much more ressource-friendly :?:

)

So, thanx all, if I have some more qestions I would ask here in this forum...

Bye
Norman-Timo

adaptr · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 2:06 pm Post subject:

Syntaxis · Guru Joined: 28 Apr 2002 Posts: 511 Location: London, UK

No, X isn't included in the minimum install. :-P

I was expanding upon your

aahavelock · n00b Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 3 Location: Helter Skelter

I installed gentoo via slack (with a 2.6 kernel) on what seems to be a 486-100 (were these actually made, or is cpuinfo just tripping balls?) with 16MB RAM. I also installed X and fluxbox. Office apps? You might try Siag Office, though I have no experience with it.

adaptr · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 11:48 am Post subject:

Ben2040 · Guru Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 445 Location: UK

carpman · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 10:33 am Post subject:

for installing you could always take drive out of system and put it another faster system either running gentoo or booted with knoppix and do install that way, then just pop drive back into p90 and boot it up

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electrofreak · l33t Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 713 Location: Ohio, USA