Comments on: Debian floppy install fails

By: Simo

Simo — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:31:51 +0000

Debian Etch can certainly be installed using floppies. That’s how I installed my current system, and I didn’t have any problems. (This was with kernel 2.6.18; I don’t know if the situation has changed with “Etch-and-a-half” with kernel 2.6.24.) However, when my brother tried to use the same floppies, he said there were some problems with his HomePNA connection. In the end he used a CD after all.

I’ve understood that currently there are no floppy images available for the beta of Lenny Installer, but that should change by the final version.

By: miksuh

miksuh — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:36:26 +0000

How old debian release did you try to install? Sarge? I ask this because newer Debian Etch and Debian Lenny can’t be installed using floppies.

By: johnraff

johnraff — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:20:34 +0000

Hmm looks as if “woody” is the most recent Debian version that will work on 16MB of RAM:
http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/i386/ch-hardware-req.en.html#s2.3
(sarge>32, etch>48)

I have a vested interest here as I’ve got this 16MB Toshiba laptop waiting for the kiss of life…

By: johnraff

johnraff — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:07:05 +0000

Looked as if that person didn’t have enough memory for his “alpha” machine (whatever that is), though they fixed it eventually. Maybe your 16MB is too small. Maybe try an older Debian version, or posting in the same Debian bug reports or forums?

By: devnet

devnet — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:39:30 +0000

SLACK!!!! SLACK!!! Go Slackware!

Ok, maybe slackware holds a dear place in my heart being the first distribution I tried in the mid nineties…