On Fri, 21 Feb 2003, Anuerin G. Diaz wrote: > I am curious if somebody here have already installed linux on a > keyboardless machine. I have a P166 CPU at home that doesn't have a > serial keyboard and monitor that Im planning to install slackware to. My > idea is to to boot it with a floppy-based distro then connect thru ssh > and perform a network install.
You won't have any issues with Linux. You will with some BIOS implementation where it halts the boot sequence when it can't find a keyboard. My 50 bucks Compaq Deskpro 6000(166Mhz) does that. In some Bios, it's pretty funny when it says "Press F1 to continue..." when you don't have a keyboard! Things you can do, option: a. In some Bios, you can configure to Halt on all errors except the keyboard. b. Remove the IC and LED stuff of an old keyboard, put it in a small box and stuff it inside your PeeCee. c. Buy a loopback keyboard. IMHO, Not worth it. pricey. d. Have heard that you can put a resistor to one of the keyboard pins in your motherboard to simulate a keyboard. But searching it on the net shows nothing. > I have already asked this on a message board and somebody said I could > pull this off if I also use NFS but he said Ill have to find a > floppy-based linux distro that has sshd, or else I build one. Anybody > have an idea of a distro that might fill the requirements? I already > have googled and most hits that I browsed points to building one through > linux from scratch. > > This just crossed my mind and will have to wait until I get home. Any > other comments to refine/refute my idea would also be greatly > appreciated. :) Hmmm... you don't need NFS. You don't need a floppy based distro. IMHO, the easiest way to install it is Either Option: a. remove the HDD from your keyboardless machine and install slackware temporarily on another box. when done, move it back to your previous machine and boot from it. b. Install base distro (Debian) and install the others from the internet. regards, --- Andre M. Varon, SCSA http://andre.lasaltech.com _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fully Searchable Archives With Friendly Web Interface at http://marc.free.net.ph To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
