Linux is more graceful than Windows is about dealing with hardware changes. You may have some drivers that aren't auto-detected in the install process, but that can easily be fixed by configuring it later. I think the process of doing that should be quicker than dealing with the headache of floppy disks though. Unless he can do a network install of his distro, and has a PCMCIA NIC. I've bought the converters for about $4 before, different places. They're good things to have around if you're a laptop owner or ever work on one.
On Wed, 2003-11-26 at 10:45, John Hebert wrote: > Would the fact that Linux is installed with another CPU cause any > problems? What about the driver install stage that Debian does? For > instance, I would think that sound wouldn't work on the laptop. That > means that the sound card drivers would have to be reinstalled and > configured. > > I found such a converter at CompUSA. Formosa Computers probably has em too. > > John Hebert > > Tim Fournet wrote: > > > Want the easy way? Get a laptop IDE -> regular IDE converter, install > > the OS on a desktop, then move the drive back. The usefulness of Linux > > isn't about installing it, it's about using it. > > > > On Wed, 2003-11-26 at 09:45, Chopin Cusachs wrote: > > > >>Does have PCMIA slot on side, and I downloaded some drivers. > >>Most of the download stuff requires either Win3.1 or OS/2 to work. > >> > >>Something simple for text mode word processing would be fine. > >>Plan on only simple files with notes. A spreadsheet would be > >>very handy. First application would be to go to an office and root > >>through a fat file and record sales tax paid in building house for > >>2003 tax return. Contractor has all the documents. > >> > >>Battery looks to be sealed unit. Anyone know how to open same > >>with hope of closing again if fixed? > >> > >>Don't need networking since I don't have a network. Could probably > >>set up one with the Linux box running RH 9. > >> > >>Put the DOS files on to check function, which seems to be good. > >>Don't plan to run much DOS stuff if I can get Linux going. > >> > >>Like the form factor, though a larger screen would be nice -- may > >>need a magnifying glass if I go to GUI. > >> > >>Choppy > >> > >>At 09:07 AM 11/26/03 -0600, you wrote: > >> > >> > >>>Cool. I've got something like that running Debian. My think pad is a > >>>little newer, a P90 with 24MB of RAM and I put in a 5 gig hard disk. > >>>People like the thinkpad's small form factor. > >>> > >>>Your machine will be slow but usable and those thinkpads are hard to > >>>kill. 32MB of RAM is not bad, you might be able to run X. Does it have > >>>PCMCIA slots on the side? If it does, you can have dial up, ethernet and > >>>wireless networking on it. Compact flash cards are another useful thing > >>>to do with those slots. A little research and surgury on the battery > >>>could replace the functioning bits, IBM's caddies have standard hardware > >>>inside them. There might also be a CD available, Getting the thing to > >>>boot off a CD can be a chore, but they are good storage when you can't get > >>>to your network with reasonable bandwith. > >>> > >>>Debian has a floppy set that works. They and use instructions are on > >>>their first CD of the install set. It might be easier to install a base > >>>system on another machine that can take a CD and then do a network install > >>>to configure the rest. > >> > >> > >>_______________________________________________ > >>General mailing list > >>[email protected] > >>http://brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > General mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net
