loading linux on old hardware

[Warren Togami]

I just asked two places within Red Hat about forcing an install with low
RAM.  I hope there is a way.  If not, then you could always do an
installation on a bigger number, and transfer the hard drive.

I'll let you know if they give me an answer...

You could use one of those tiny Linux distributions, but then you lose your
ability of using Red Hat as the development platform from which you develop
software for your tiny computer.  Red Hat's new strategy (read their new
home page) says this

"Introducing one code base for the full spectrum of computing platforms -
handheld device, thin appliance, router/gateway, workstation, server,
advanced server, mainframe."

They have embedded development tools... so I'm assuming that their products
should still support even the weakest compatible hardware.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Linux Robot" <linuxrobot at hotmail.com>
To: "Linux & Unix Advocates & Users" <luau at list.luau.hi.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 6:35 PM
Subject: [luau] loading linux on old hardware


> I have some old 486's that I wanted to load linux onto, but I ran into a
few
> problems.  When I tried installing RedHat7.1, the installer told me that I
> didn't have enough system memory, and wouldn't let me continue.  RedHat6.2
> told me to put in some driver disk which I didn't really know what they
were
> talking about.  My assumption was that I could run 7.1 on the 486 (I
wasn't
> planning on running X or any graphical stuffs), but I couldn't get through
> the install.  Am I going about this the wrong way?  Should I be looking
into
> a different linux distro or maybe a BSD or something since my hardware is
so
> old?  Or is there a way to get through the RedHat installer?
>
> Thanks,
> LR