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Linux on a floppy

Speedbird
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No, there isn't a small enough iso for a floppy, even Puppy Linux is too big.

Does it have any OS installed?

Yes, Windows 2000. And I actually found a GRUB boot disk.
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Hello.

 

So I have this old laptop and I have to install Damn Small Linux onto it. As it cannot boot from USB, I thought that I just make partition on the hard drive for the installer, then install it from there into the whole disk. But I would still need to install the bootloader somehow, and this laptop has a built-in 3.5" floppy slot and I still have an old floppy. So, is there a Linux distro that contains the GRUB bootloader that can fit on a 1.44MB floppy?

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whats a floppy :P

 

JK I know it

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This is a joke right?

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This is a joke right?

No.... Did you read the whole post? By the way, this laptop doesn't have an optical drive.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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Hello.

 

So I have this old laptop and I have to install Damn Small Linux onto it. As it cannot boot from USB, I thought that I just make partition on the hard drive for the installer, then install it from there into the whole disk. But I would still need to install the bootloader somehow, and this laptop has a built-in 3.5" floppy slot and I still have an old floppy. So, is there a Linux distro that contains the GRUB bootloader that can fit on a 1.44MB floppy?

puppy linux?

nvm, 1.44 MB, thought that was 144MB

it's been a long time since i used a floppy. and i only saved text files to them.

We can't Benchmark like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to shove more GPUs in your computer. Like the time I needed to NV-Link, because I needed a higher HeavenBench score, so I did an SLI, which is what they called NV-Link back in the day. So, I decided to put two GPUs in my computer, which was the style at the time. Now, to add another GPU to your computer, costs a new PSU. Now in those days PSUs said OCZ on them, "Gimme 750W OCZs for an SLI" you'd say. Now where were we? Oh yeah, the important thing was that I had two GPUs in my rig, which was the style at the time! They didn't have RGB PSUs at the time, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big green ones. 

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No, DSL is small but still occupies about 50mb. You'd need multiple floppies even assuming there is a floppy compatible image.

Don't ask to ask, just ask... please 🤨

sudo chmod -R 000 /*

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No, DSL is small but still occupies about 50mb. You'd need multiple floppies even assuming there is a floppy compatible image.

No, see the plan is to put DSL on a partition on the hard drive, but I need something that can fit on a floppy to install the bootloader.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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No, see the plan is to put DSL on a partition on the hard drive, but I need something that can fit on a floppy to install the bootloader.

 

How do you plan on installing the system itself after you installed the bootloader?

Don't ask to ask, just ask... please 🤨

sudo chmod -R 000 /*

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How do you plan on installing the system itself after you installed the bootloader?

I boot the installer from the partition the hard disk then follow the usual installation procedure.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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No, there isn't a small enough iso for a floppy, even Puppy Linux is too big.

Does it have any OS installed?

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No, there isn't a small enough iso for a floppy, even Puppy Linux is too big.

Does it have any OS installed?

Yes, Windows 2000. And I actually found a GRUB boot disk.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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I boot the installer from the partition the hard disk then follow the usual installation procedure.

 

But how will you get the installation files in there? As I said, it's about 50mb, even if you get an installer in there you'll need to have the data itself on some sort of media. And a floppy is not enough. I'm a bit confused as to what exactly you'll be doing.

 

I actually found a GRUB boot disk.

 

At this point I'd say try it, costs nothing.

Don't ask to ask, just ask... please 🤨

sudo chmod -R 000 /*

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This may be of some use: http://superuser.com/questions/130457/what-linux-fits-on-a-floppy-disk

export PS1='\[\033[1;30m\]┌╼ \[\033[1;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[1;30m\] ╾╼ \[\033[0;34m\]\w\[\033[0;36m\]\n\[\033[1;30m\]└╼ \[\033[1;37m\]'


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But how will you get the installation files in there? As I said, it's about 50mb, even if you get an installer in there you'll need to have the data itself on some sort of media. And a floppy is not enough. I'm a bit confused as to what exactly you'll be doing.

 

 

At this point I'd say try it, costs nothing.

I put the installer on a 2GB USB. The laptop has a port, it just can't boot from it.

 

That was the first thing I looked at. All images are bigger than 1.44MB.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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I put the installer on a 2GB USB. The laptop has a port, it just can't boot from it.

 

OH, that's a lot clearer ^^

Don't ask to ask, just ask... please 🤨

sudo chmod -R 000 /*

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Are you sure it really can't boot from the port? Might be down to the USB stick itself. I know from experience that the same installer will boot from some brands of USB sticks but not from others.

My laptops and PC don't see the stick or in the case of Emtec just freeze when I try to enter the boot selection menu. Sandisk and PNY aren't a problem for me though, so I only use those for installation purposes now.

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Are you sure it really can't boot from the port? Might be down to the USB stick itself. I know from experience that the same installer will boot from some brands of USB sticks but not from others.

My laptops and PC don't see the stick or in the case of Emtec just freeze when I try to enter the boot selection menu. Sandisk and PNY aren't a problem for me though, so I stick to those.

The BIOS has no option to boot. This laptop has Pentium II.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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Can it boot from a CD? that would make things a whole lot easier here. Even if you have to use an external. 

 

But I have my doubts that it can. 

 

 

I wasnt really around in the floppy disk age, ive used them with a couple of old PC's but for nothing advanced (more or less just looked at the files on them lol). So i might not be much help

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Can it boot from a CD? that would make things a whole lot easier here. Even if you have to use an external. 

 

But I have my doubts that it can. 

 

 

I wasnt really around in the floppy disk age, ive used them with a couple of old PC's but for nothing advanced (more or less just looked at the files on them lol). So i might not be much help

No optical drive, and 1 USB can't power an external.

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No optical drive, and 1 USB can't power an external.

well if you have an external, do you have a powered USB hub so you can power it? That is if it would even work..

"If a Lobster is a fish because it moves by jumping, then a kangaroo is a bird" - Admiral Paulo de Castro Moreira da Silva

"There is nothing more difficult than fixing something that isn't all the way broken yet." - Author Unknown

Spoiler

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Can it boot from a CD? that would make things a whole lot easier here. Even if you have to use an external.

But I have my doubts that it can.

I wasnt really around in the floppy disk age, ive used them with a couple of old PC's but for nothing advanced (more or less just looked at the files on them lol). So i might not be much help

OP said there is no optical drive in the laptop, only a 3.5" floppy drive

EDIT: Don't mind me. Phone wasn't showing there was another page, didn't see you were answered

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well if you have an external, do you have a powered USB hub so you can power it? That is if it would even work..

Nope. By the way, I already found a boot floppy.

LTT's unofficial Windows activation expert.
 

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