Subj : FreeBSD
To   : David Drummond
From : Charles Angelich
Date : Tue Nov 27 2001 04:40 am

1233341fb057
unix



Hello David - 

DD>>> You haven't stated the specs for this mystery beast. 

CA>> I explained that there were limitations imposed by
CA>> retailers who sold these machines. When I tried to be more
CA>> specific we got into custom installs which really adds
CA>> nothing to the discussion. 

DD> If a machine has spare memory slots, then they're there to
DD> be used. 

I never saw a 386 with memory slots. They all had dozens of
smaller memory chips that populated the motherboard. No
`sticks'. 

When I asked a tech about this recently his assumption was that
memory was limited to 8 meg to help sell the server-class
machines which were much more expensive at the time. 

--8<--cut 

CA>> When I said LINUX wasn't going to find it's way to the
CA>> typical 80386 I was referring to the bulk of the machines
CA>> sold with only 4 meg of memory that would max out at 8 meg
CA>> with no way to add more memory after that. Very few had CD
CA>> readers and if they did it would probably have used the
CA>> sound card as the controller and be a 1x or 2x reader.
CA>> Probably wouldn't read the distribution CD. 

DD> Linux distribution CDs can be read slowly... 

If you say so. 

CA>> Most 80386s had under 200 meg hard drives in them which
CA>> could not store enough of the install to recompile the
CA>> kernel for the  unexpected hardware limitations. 

DD> Then one needs to put in a second hd out of that other
DD> junked 386. 

If we start adding hardware it won't end until we no longer
have a typical 386. Everyone doesn't have two of these and
everyone doesn't have spare hard drives lying around unused.
Two older 386 hard drives might be 150 meg each. Would 300 meg
help all that much? 

CA>> With no CD reader you have problem #1. Since most new
CA>> distributions require an 8 meg ram drive to initiate the
CA>> install you have problem #2. Being unable to modify the
CA>> kernel _if_ it ever found it's way onto the 80386's hard
CA>> drive would be problem #3. 

DD> One makes install diskettes from the CDROM in a machine
DD> that can read it. 

Here we find the 2nd machine method. Everyone does not have a
second machine. The advice to put LINUX on a 386 seldom
mentions the need for another newer machine to do it. I know
it's done that way but no one mentions it to anyone who asks. 

DD> The 8Mb RAM drive story I've never heard of. 

It's what I've read. 

CA>> Those who claim to have had LINUX operational on older
CA>> machines kept no detailed notes as to how. They don't
CA>> remember where they found the specs to modify what needed
CA>> to be modified and they are not even sure what version
CA>> they installed. They won't help you - problems #4, 5, and
CA>> 6. 

DD> They probably read the docs with the distribution. The docs
DD> often have helpful stuf like how much drive space one
DD> should expect the various connotations to consume. They
DD> (the docs) tell you how to get started with only 4Mb RAM
DD> too. 

I don't think all distributions tell you how to install with 4
meg. As you said, some are compiled for Pentium only and those
would assume 32 meg or more of memory (I would guess). 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>     <|                              |>  __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

___ * ATP/16bit 2.31 * 
.... DOS the Ghost in the Machine! http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/

--- Maximus/2 3.01
 * Origin: COMM Port OS/2 juge.com 204.89.247.1 (281) 980-9671 (1:106/2000)

.