I use debian because of its customizability (is that a word?) not because it runs better on old hardware, although debian stable (the current release) actually does run good out of the box but only when you're talking about KDE and Gnome. If you don't mind using something other than KDE and Gnome as a window manager than any distribution will work fine on old hardware. What you have to remember is not to blame Mandrake or Red Hat for the KDE and Gnome, which are both, IMHO, far too bloated for their own good.
That is what I have found so far. I may try Debian as it looks like they include all packages...even Ham Radio stuff. Now to figure out which cd's to download from the listing on linuxiso.org!
You only need the generic (vanilla) boot cd. From there you can install the system (with the 2.4 kernel) and download the rest of the packages you need from the internet.
As a matter of fact you don't even need that. Just grab one of the net install cd images and use that instead (Lord Sutch's is the best). This saves a ton of download time and gives you a blank slate to work with.
inst SuSe for noobs also. Im the dumbest biggest linux noob out there and SuSe is good also i think plus i hate linux. KDE makes linux look good IMO. SuSe it an ok distro and mandrake is a good starter.
I will look at that when I get home. I do have cable modem so the full ISO is not bad from a fast site.
I assume the cd1 vanilla has some of the common packages.
I assume the cd1 vanilla has some of the common packages.
Regardless of the speed of your connection, why waste time downloading and extra 400mb when you could already be setting up your system.
OK...enough of the full message quoting..
>>> Regardless of the speed of your connection, why waste time downloading and extra 400mb when you could already be setting up your system.
Because I can get dinner while it is going on.
P.S. Does it come with server site locations built in to APT? I guess I should install Synaptic as well.
>>> Regardless of the speed of your connection, why waste time downloading and extra 400mb when you could already be setting up your system.
Because I can get dinner while it is going on.
P.S. Does it come with server site locations built in to APT? I guess I should install Synaptic as well.
One question re: Debian. My older system will not boot from cdrom. It is supposed to but it never has. To install all of the other distros I did a rawrite from the cd and wrote cdrom.img. Then I booted the floppy and it installed from cd's. Is that available on Debian as well?
TIA
TIA
Nope it doesn't, and since synaptic relies on the same config file then it doesn't either. That's O.K. though because after the initial install you'll get a chance to add a source.
Yep it sure is, but have you checked the BIOS on that pc to make sure that there isn't an option that allows it to boot from a CD.
Nothinman
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- Sep 14, 2001
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It should install and run apt-config during the installation which will ask you what Debian mirrors you want to use.
I personally found Synaptic to be no different than dselect with different keyboard shortcuts and since I already knew dselect it seemed pointless to use synaptic.
Personally, I use a lot of RedHat (Dell servers with support) at work.
I also use Mandrake and Debian quite a bit
Slack is pretty nifty, and Vector is just straight-up cool (it's slack-based)
I also use Mandrake and Debian quite a bit
Slack is pretty nifty, and Vector is just straight-up cool (it's slack-based)
So, I guess I can find the locations somewhere?
Yes, my BIOS does support booting from cd. However, this is an old system and it never did work on that system. FIC even gave me a BIOS to flash and try. Nothing ever worked on that system to let it boot from CD. I do not use it much anyway, so I was going to put the latest Linux on it.
Yes, my BIOS does support booting from cd. However, this is an old system and it never did work on that system. FIC even gave me a BIOS to flash and try. Nothing ever worked on that system to let it boot from CD. I do not use it much anyway, so I was going to put the latest Linux on it.
Quick question re: Debian...
My system has a Promise Ultra33 card with the Hard Drives on it. Which CD should I use (can I use 1 or vanilla or bf2.4). Will it ask for a driver or does Debian see it?
TIA,
Dave
My system has a Promise Ultra33 card with the Hard Drives on it. Which CD should I use (can I use 1 or vanilla or bf2.4). Will it ask for a driver or does Debian see it?
TIA,
Dave
/me puts flame suit on
/me puts another flame suit on for when the flames burn through the first one
/me types post underwater so you cant flame me
I wouldn't reccomend debian for a newbie. The install process it alot harder than say, redhat, mancake, or suse. If you do manage to get through it, you will be stuck with outdated packages until you upgrade to the unstable branch (are they still using X 4.1.0, KDE 2.2.2 and Gnome 1.4 in stable?!) XFree86 isnt configured for you through a pretty setup utility like Suse, RH and MDK.
Also, did debian release a kernel update for ix86 yet addressing the ptrace issue? My box was rooted by one of my users with this exploit, and the people in #debian on freenode were no help at all (all 600 of em)
/me puts another flame suit on for when the flames burn through the first one
/me types post underwater so you cant flame me
I wouldn't reccomend debian for a newbie. The install process it alot harder than say, redhat, mancake, or suse. If you do manage to get through it, you will be stuck with outdated packages until you upgrade to the unstable branch (are they still using X 4.1.0, KDE 2.2.2 and Gnome 1.4 in stable?!) XFree86 isnt configured for you through a pretty setup utility like Suse, RH and MDK.
Also, did debian release a kernel update for ix86 yet addressing the ptrace issue? My box was rooted by one of my users with this exploit, and the people in #debian on freenode were no help at all (all 600 of em)
Nothinman
Elite Member
- Sep 14, 2001
- 30,672
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- 0
Stable won't have new versions of packages added unless it's absolutely necessary, and I doubt missing newer version of those is gonna kill anybody. That's why Debian 'stable' is so stable, it stays consistent. If you want new, you run unstable or testing.
No, it's configured through debconf, like everything else.
No idea, I always use my own custom kernels. Each package has changelogs though so why not look through them?
/me puts flame suit on
/me puts another flame suit on for when the flames burn through the first one
/me types post underwater so you cant flame me
This is the OS forum, dude, you're seriously over-protected
First of all, X is configuring thru debconf, just like Nothin' said. Second of all, I think its best to use debian testing with supplementary sources to bring a few things up to date.
Its best to compile your own debian kernel. Compared to most dists debian makes it sorta easy.
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