Linux question

[Slahr Dzhe]

I have some excess hard drives at work that are very small. How much HD space does Linux require for a stripped down crack rack node type setup?

Thanks

SD

 

[Michael]

Russ and others are using a mini-distribution that fits on a floppy. Just about any size HD should do.

Michael

 

[Russ]

One floppy worth if using the right distro.

Freesco

Klinux

CCalvert's

Russ, NCNE

 

[Slahr Dzhe]

I guess I meant to say I have about 400 80-100MB drives that are going to be thrown away. So these would work, right?

SD

 

[Russ]

Last time I checked, 1.44MB would indeed fit on an 80MB hard drive.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Slahr Dzhe]

Russ

True.

However, I still need to know how large a basic Linux install is. I may be putting other apps on these boxes, so need to know how much space will be left over.

Thanks

SD

 

[Michael]

80 - 100 meg will support just about any distribution, especially if you're not loading any graphics software onto it. You can easily go over a gig if you want to, but it would be fairly trivial to keep the distribution down to 50 meg and still have a pretty complete set of tools.

If those drives are just going to be tossed out, I'd be interested in some to build crack rack computers as well. Where do you live?

Michael

edit - it would help to know what other apps you want to install on the box so I can give you a rough guess about how much space it'll take. I know that a workstation (graphics) install takes about 600 meg for RedHat and installing everything thakes about 1.5 gig.

Figure on 16 meg or so for swap space if you're planning on running more than just RC5 and physical memory is low. 40 meg of program space and 20 meg of data space should be plenty of room.

 

[Kilowatt]

FYI to install a D/Ld version of Linux Mandrake with all the extra apps on the Ext CD, you'll need 1500MB, or a gig in a half.

To do a bare install, I suppose you could do it in 200MB, but you'll be working at the command line, no X windows.

There are some smaller distros you can D/L and install.
One of them is Peanut Linux.
I've installed Peanut once, took about 150MB, came with KDE, it was pretty Plain Jane, but did have a ton of apps you can D/L.

You might check out This Page and scrool toward the bottom, where the mini distros are.

 

[Slahr Dzhe]

Michael

I live in Hawaii, so not sure how practical shipping them would be, but I might be able to do something about that still.

Thankyou for your help guys. Just trying to save some HD's from the scrap heap.

SD

 

[Russ]

You can try this Site. It has a butt load of mini distros of various sizes.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Poof]

I would agree with Kilowatt regarding Peanut Linux. I currently have it installed on an old P120 IBM Thinkpad. It's a 50Mb download and when installed, uses 148Mb. You get X, KDE window manager, Netscape, graphical IRC client, FTP client, etc., etc. It's basically a stripped down Red Hat/Mandrake.

If you can find drives in the 150-200Mb range, I'd highly recommend this. It's a no-brainer install.

 

[LeBlatt]

Kilowatt, any particular reason why KLinux doesnt support RTL8019 ??

 

[Kilowatt]

<< any particular reason why KLinux doesnt support RTL8019 ? >>


RTL8019 doesn't use the generic NE2000 drivers that the other Realtek nics do.
Linux only has drivers for Realtek 8029, RTL8129, RTL8139, also the a &amp; b versions of thoses chips too.

For a list of supported nics under Linus, Go here.

 

[LeBlatt]

Darn. Got a bunch of 8019 based I planned to use for a rack. Will switch back to my DOS + netware based idea then.