Can't get DSL (Damn Small Linux) to boot from CD with or without boot floppy!!!

[dude_56013]

Well...pretty self evident title here guys, I just can't seem to get DSL to boot from my old machine....here's the specs if i remember right

64mb pc100 ram
48x cd-rw drive
celeron 433mhz
probably an intel mobo but I'm not positive (it's out of an old gateway that had win98 on it)
and there's no hdd...that's why i need to get dsl to boot live!!! ahhh!!!

Here's what I have tried, but I'm a linux noob...but I've used it before..just don't know the workings of it....:

Regular DSL (ver 4.2.4) on a bootable CD-RW disc..no go..
Regular DSL (ver 2.2) on a bootable CD-RW disc..no go..
DSL (ver 2.2) on a bootable CD-RW disc with helper boot floppy..no go..

NOW HERE'S THE FUNNY THING..which may or may not help in this problem, but I popped in my Kubuntu live distro..and after about 5 minutes, it started booting!!!! but dues to system specs, I know it wouldn't run and it did eventually freeze at the loading screen...but I'm guessing that this tells me the machine does support booting from cd, which is also evident in the BIOS as that option is available.

It's just an old obsolete machine that i was trying to get working but if I can't, it's not a big deal...just experimenting....Thanks for any help!

Zac

 

[wmorri]

Two questions for you. The first is the Kubuntu live distro that you have is that on a cd-rw or is it a cd from like ubuntu.com? Becuase it is possible that the cd drive doesn't like the cd-rw's that dsl is burned to.

Second question is why don't you put a small hdd in the computer. put like a 10 or 20 Gb in and you can run dsl, or xubuntu off it with out any problem.

Cheers!

 

[dude_56013]

First off, the CD's are exactly the same..both CD-RW's
Secondly, I don't have a spare HDD...I'm trying to use what I've got..like I said, if it don't work, it don't work...not a big deal...just trying to get me a little internet machine for the garage

Oh and just to verify...I've tried DSL burning the ISO onto the cd with CDBurner XP Pro3 as just the ISO (bootable of course) and also with the ISO extracted but I believe the first is the currect way..but neither worked so it doesn't really matter a whole lot I guess....in any case though, when I tried the Kubuntu boot...it hung for A LONG TIME at the splash screen (bios screen where you have the option to enter setup) but I'm thinking that's cuz it's pretty old hardware trying to run pretty new software...

 

[wmorri]

I recommend that you check out Xubuntu. http://www.xubuntu.org. This is the distro that is specifically made for older systems like yours.

 

[avgjoe22]

I've also used Xubuntu, and highly recommend it as well.

You can also check out these:
http://www.mepis.org/
http://fluxbuntu.org/
http://www.puppylinux.com/
http://featherlinux.berlios.de/

Also, your disk may be scratched, or for that matter - the disk you burned may not work whatsoever. I know that I tried burning the same Ubuntu LiveCD for an old PC I was restoring 2 times before it worked. Might also be your burner - if you have another you could try that.

I'm a linux n00b, though, so I'm just being creative in terms of solutions...

Good luck, man.

 

[dbzkid]

ok, try burning your disks at a slow speed with a cd-r, like maby 4x-10x speed, because sometimes that happens (maby its burning soo fast that is misses some pitches or sumthing) but anyhow try burning it to a cd-r at 4x-10x, maby even try burning it with a tool called alcohol, ive tried it and it works great