[101980] in RedHat Linux List
Re: Minimum hardware
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lloyd Sumpter)
Mon Nov 30 17:27:39 1998
In-Reply-To: <199811302144.NAA17587@belvdere.vip.best.com>
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 1998 14:22:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Lloyd Sumpter <Lloyd.Sumpter@BCHydro.bc.ca>
To: "David E. Fox" <dfox@belvdere.vip.best.com>
Cc: redhat-list@redhat.com
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
Reply-To: redhat-list@redhat.com
I was about to reply to say that OF COURSE Linux still runs on a 386, but I
fogot about the compile option. You must run a kernel that has been configured
for a 386 (it can be compiled on a Pentium, but the CPU must be set in the
config stuff)
I'm running 2.0.33 on my laptop (486/50, 8MB RAM) just fine. Installed it
with a "base" Slackware floppies, then upgraded to a 2.0.33 kernel I compiled
(on a Pentium), then installed the rest over PPP from the (Slackware) CDROM.
(NFS-mounted CDROM over a serial link - bizarre, but it works!)
Runs great (have to use Netscape 3, though ;-) )
If I remember correctly, I was running 2.0.9 on my 386 laptop before it was
stolen and replaced with the 486.
On 30-Nov-98 David E. Fox wrote:
>> The books say that the version of Redhat Linux I bought can be installed
>> on a 386 with 8MB RAM and 80MB HD (without X Windows, of course).
>> However, my searches of the archives have not turned up information on
>
> Technically, you should be able to install Linux (possibly not Red Hat's
> version) on smaller hardware, although the minimum CPU is of course
> a 386. Personally, I've run older versions of Linux (up to kernel rev.
> 1.2.13) on 386/sx hardware (4/8 megs RAM) -- I only upgraded to
> a Pentium in 1996 :(.
>
> Older versions of RedHat (pre-4.0) required the 8 megs because of
> the extra RAM disks required, and the need for perl for the
> install software, etc. Other distributions, such as Slackware, could
> be installed on a machine with as little as perhaps 2 megs, provided
> you disabled the ramdisk (after all, that in itself sucks up 1.4 megs
> per disk of your RAM) and set swap up as soon as possible, often
> before actually doing the programmed install.
>
> But according to the more recent FAQs and Howto's, it is not certain
> that Linux will _boot_ on a 386. There's an entry in one of the FAQs
> I think that mentions recent kernels (i.e,, 1.3+) and says that if
> they are compiled for Pentium then they won't run on a 386.
>
> One of the reasons I mention this is I have a friend who lives
> nearby who happens to still use a 386sx with 4 megs running an
> ancient Slackware (probably 1994 vintage). He is looking to
> upgrade, but is dubious as to the possibility of success.
>
> I read on the product literature that Redhat will run on a
> 386 system -- but of course that seems to be dependent on
> whether the kernels Redhat supplies are compiled to run on
> a 386.
>
>> how to do that. I get stuck on the install because, apparently, I need
>> to disable the ramdisk option. Any help or suggestions would be much
>
> Some versions of Linux (especially Slackware) would let you type
> 'linux floppy' at the boot: prompt, which would negate the initial
> ramdisk. I am not certain that RedHat allows this -- in any event,
> you should have enough RAM for the install.
>
>> L.C. Nagy
>> LCNagy@juno.com
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> David E. Fox Tax Thanks for letting me
> dfox@belvdere.vip.best.com the change magnetic patterns
> root@belvedere.sbay.org churches on your hard disk.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> --
> PLEASE read the Red Hat FAQ, Tips, Errata and the MAILING LIST ARCHIVES!
> http://www.redhat.com http://archive.redhat.com
> To unsubscribe: mail redhat-list-request@redhat.com with
> "unsubscribe" as the Subject.
=======================================================================
Lloyd Sumpter E-MAIL: Lloyd.Sumpter@bchydro.bc.ca
Protection and Control Design or: lsumpter@portal.ca
BC Hydro, Vancouver, CANADA PHONE: (604) 528-3078
"organizing Pagans is like herding cats"
--
PLEASE read the Red Hat FAQ, Tips, Errata and the MAILING LIST ARCHIVES!
http://www.redhat.com http://archive.redhat.com
To unsubscribe: mail redhat-list-request@redhat.com with
"unsubscribe" as the Subject.
