[ltp] 760XL with a BIG HD Problem

[Adam Southerland]

>From: James Knott <james.knott@rogers.com>
>Reply-To: linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
>To: linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org
>Subject: Re: [ltp] 760XL with a BIG HD Problem
>Date: Mon, 24 May 2004 20:19:48 -0400
>
>Adam Southerland wrote:
>>Good Day...
>>
>>I am attempting to Install Slackware 9.1 on my 760XL but I have a 
>>problem...
>>
>>First the Floppy and CDRom are swappable. I'm not able to pause the 
>>booting process for the kernel to detect it.
>>
>>Second, the only NIC I have with me is an RTL8139 and with my Laptop, the 
>>8139too driver fails so installation over NFS doesn't work...
>>
>>third, I have a single HD system so I can't slave the big drive to install 
>>Linux on..
>>
>>forth, Windows DOS and MS DOS and PC DOS *ALL* fail  to boot with a 
>>partition on the hard disk (the 6Gb limit thing) -- IBM DOS seems to work 
>>though (comes with PowerQuest image center) - I don't have enough DOS 
>>files to boot Linux from it.
>>
>>fifth, I could cry... Anyone have any ideas for me? (I have NOT tried 
>>freedos)
>>
>>If I can get a DOS installed I can use LOADLIN to start the Linux INSTALL 
>>with my CDROM drive detected... -- Note my Big Drive is a 10Gb Hard drive 
>>- I tried making it say it was a 4Gb with the Hitachi util, but DOS still 
>>didn't like it.
>
>I have installed Linux on a 760E a few times.  However, I used an external 
>floppy drive, with the CD drive installed in the case.  Can you borrow an 
>external floppy from somewhere?
>
>Another trick I tried with OS/2, was to set up the parallel port as a "NIC" 
>and install that way.  It was slow, but worked.  I wonder if something 
>similar could be done using PLIP?
>
>Also, how big is the partition that fails to boot.  Those computers had a 
>fairly small maximum bootable partition size, IIRC.

And everyone I know has new and builtin hardware =(

Use the Parallel port as a NIC... Interesting Concept... Can Slackware do 
that with the supplied boot/root disks?

How big is the partition? Doesn't matter - The smallest I tried was 25Mb... 
As long as the 10Gb Drive has a partition on it, MS products can't boot - 
Even from a Boot Disk! (I haven't ever seen this before)

Adam

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