[ltp] New...

[Steven Crane]

New to Linux.
New to Thinkpad.
New to the Linux-Thinkpad mailing list.

Less than a week ago, I finally got my grubby techno-paws on an old Thinkpad 600e.

One reason is that I need to maintain access to some important files in case of a 
disaster while doing some upgrades to my main computer. Another reason is that I feel 
its about time I started moving towards Linux... preferably without risking the important 
files on the main computer from reason one.

The Thinkpad is a 600e, pII 366MHz, 128Mb, 6.4GB, DVD (swappable with otherwise 
external Floppy), version 5645-AL3, 1024x768 13+" display.

The harddrive is currently partitioned 2, 2, 2+ GB. At the moment the 2+ partition is 
intended for Linux. The most Linux can have is likely to be 3+ GB.

I have some very minimal experience of installing Red Hat 6.1 on an old p150 machine, 
and was very please with finally gettting the 14" Shinho monitor to display at 800x600 
as this required manually locating and adjusting the frequency range in the relevant file. 
Not exactly complex stuff, but tracking it down and identifying felt like a big step.


Questions...

1 - BIOS upgrade?

Existing BIOS is v24, currently available is v36. Limited research shows that v26-29 
would be likely to give me problems with some Linux installations, so I'm probably safe 
with what I have. Leave well alone or run the upgrade?

2 - Linux version?

I have an off the shelf copy of RedHat 6.1 with all the manuals and minimal experience 
of using it and the Xwin (?) interface. On-line pages suggest that it is reasonably 
supported by a 600e. Okay place to start? Any suggestions welcome, although I'll feel 
safer with something relatively mainstream as an introduction. SuSE lists the 600e as 
certified hardware under their v6.3


3 - Windows 98?

Any way to get a processor ID through Win98? All I can tell is that it is a Pentium II, 
doesn't seem to be any indication of MHz?

Anyone care to recommend an Anti-Virus package for this age and speed of machine? 
Norton is ABSOLUTELY out of the question and to be honest I'm not particularly fond of 
McAfee as an e-mail scanner either.

---Steven



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