~Toughbooktalk~

DSL is what I researched again for my CF-25, when I get back on that project. All the parts are there now, just got to get them together.

Saw that DSL provides several floppy boot options. These M33 have a floppy, no CD, and a 1.1 USB port. Booting from a floppy may be the best/only option. Any guess if DSL is compatible with Plop boot manager?

I'm looking up Springfield's last question regarding Plop boot manager and DSL (which I do not have experience with), and came across this link that compares 4 very small distros (VectorLinux, Puppy Linux, Lubuntu, and Damn Small Linux) for older hardware:
http://mobile.osnews.com/story.php/2608 ... -Compared/
Documentation on Plop boot manager:
http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanagers.html
Springfield, I think Plop boot manager should work well with DSL:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16822/bo ... t-let-you/

UNCNDL1 wrote:I'm looking up Springfield's last question regarding Plop boot manager and DSL (which I do not have experience with), and came across this link that compares 4 very small distros (VectorLinux, Puppy Linux, Lubuntu, and Damn Small Linux) for older hardware:
http://mobile.osnews.com/story.php/2608 ... -Compared/
Documentation on Plop boot manager:
http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanagers.html
Springfield, I think Plop boot manager should work well with DSL:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16822/bo ... t-let-you/

Great info Cleve, Thanks! After scanning the review maybe I should try Puppy first if it fits/runs ok.

ETA: Looks like Wary Puppy is made for older HW.

Wary Puppy information and download found here:
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=77303

Puppy use to add the word "retro" for older hardware build. I haven't kept current with the changes on it like I use to.

Decided to start with an M32, very similar to M33 except no touchscreen. First efforts not too promising. It has a USB 1.1 that is disabled by default in the BIOS, but even enabled it cannot see a CD or USB stick to boot from. Loaded Plop onto the HD using a floppy. Plop has a USB option, but it hung when booting even when I tried forcing 1.1 modes. But then I found an "experimental" Plop version with pcmcia card support, put in a usb-pcmcia converter card, and it sees the USB stick. Connected external +5V to the pcmcia adapter so it has enough power for an external CD drive and won't burn up the PC card slot. Still won't boot from an external CD either from BIOS or Plop, either from native USB 1.1 port or from pcmcia adapter -- goes there but just hangs. Tried several different utilities to make a bootable Wary Puppy USB stick, formatting FAT16 < 2 GB partition hoping the old BIOS could read it. Several started booting then got various errors. Then I saw Wary has its own Live USB creator, so used the Live CD to boot Wary on my S10 and make a Live USB on pre-formatted FAT16 stick. (Note to self: Wary cannot see the USB-3 port on the S-10, D'oh)

Used the external floppy with experimental Plop+pcmcia + USB-pcmcia card + Live USB Wary and let it boot, after ~20 minute I finally got a Wary desktop. Built-in trackball does not work. So I connected a USB wireless keyboard with trackpad, which works but very jerky/slow and the USB drive is constantly blinking -- not sure if it's reading or writing or still loading or ??? Let it run overnight, this morning after > 8 hours (still loading?) I tried disconnecting the USB keyboard transmitter and accidentally dislodged the pcmcia adapter card, which caused everything to freeze up.

I read that using an SD card in a USB adapter as a Live CD let's you lock the SD card after it's setup, which acts like a WORM and prevents the Live USB from writing during OS operation. May try that next. Suggestions?

It looks like when I get home I need to break out the cf-17 when I get home. When I was using plop on it I was going through the special floppy on the dock to make it work. Does this unit have a dock connector?

Yes it has a dock with serial and parallel ports, VGA, mouse, and small connector for external floppy drive.

Loaded Wary Puppy several times from USB stick, but it runs dog-slow LOL. Main menu takes 2-5 seconds to open after clicking on Menu. Guess it's time to try DSL.

Did you look at Crunchbang Linux? The old version I have installs and runs from ram. I never installed it to a drive.

Of course it is more modern? now and the forum I just looked at was discussing and cussing SPAM. I didn't stay there long enough to sort it out as to what version. Another forum was unhappy with the "new" rolling release edition.

I ran #! on CF-M34 and others.

Worth a look....or not? (shrug)