seeking opinions on debian install

[Alex Snow]

Hi Ed.
That's a similar setup as I got.  Except for the faster chip and larger hd.
I would listen to this MP3 I found that walks you threw the installation of
Debian.  It's at ftp://linux-speakup.org/pub/linux/goodies/audio-files and
the file names are "debinstall_1.mp3" and "debinstall_2.mp3".
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Barnes" <ed.barnes at janus.northatlantic.nf.ca>
To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 10:54 AM
Subject: seeking opinions on debian install


> Hi folks.
>
> A couple of weeks ago, shortly after I joined the list, I queried you
folks
> who are more knowledgeable regarding a partitioning strategy and some
other
> installation options as it pertained to setting up Red Hat 7.2 (modified
> speakup distro taken from speakup ftp site) on a pentium ii 233 mhz w 64
mb
> of ram.
>
> This machine was to be composed of a bunch of old parts that I have here
at
> home along with some other contributions acquired from a friend who has
> just recently upgraded.
> Anyway, most of the more important parts were coming from my friend Jen,
> I.E., cpu, case w 250 or 300 w ps, board, heat sink for chip, one of the
> two Hds, and I think that is about it.
>
> Nevertheless, my collection of working comp parts here at home doesn't
> include a socket 7 board and I haven't had any success finding one locally
> so if I want to setup a temporary Linux box to play with til I am working
> and can afford to buy another machine which is more powerful in all
> respects, it probably won't happen til once I am done school and am
working
> at least close too permanently. Timeline gives that to being some time in
> mid-Summer.
>    So, despite the fact I have a few Pentium class chips around along with
> loads of 72 pin sims, my temporary Linux box will end up being a 486 dx 66
> mhz w 16 mb of ram 16x BTC IDE cd-rom, and a 1.6 gb Fujitsu HD.
>
> I have done more reading including looking at the hardware requirements to
> setup Red Hat 7.2 and Debian 2.2 r 2, the one with speakup built into it.
>  From what I have read and given my marginal hardware at the moment I have
> decided that Debian 2.2 r 2 "potato" would probably be my best bet.
> I also read the Debian installation manual because I am a computer geek of
> sorts and I don't know any Debian users round here and I don't want to
> totally screw things up.  <lol>
>
> Any thoughts, recommendations for or against what I've concluded so far.
>
> Due to the minimal hd size of /dev/hda I figured I would use one of these
> partitioning schemes.
>
> /dev/hda 1.6 gb fujitsu hd
> /dev/hda1
> / 100 mb
> /dev/hda2
> /usr 700 mb
> /dev/hda3
> /var 400 mb
> /dev/hda5 (this partition will be one of the ones created in as a logical
> drive in the extended partition during Linux install, same goes for hda6
> and hda7 respectively.
> /tmp 100 mb
> /dev/hda6
>   swap 100 mb
> /dev/hda7
> /home 200 mb
>
>  From what I've learned from reading the Debian installation manual, would
> work_std be the best setup kernel type for me to choose given my crappy
> hardware? See the exerp I've copied from the manual below.
>
> <snip>
>
> Work_std
> A more stripped-down user machine, without the X window system or X
> applications. Possibly suitable for a laptop or mobile computer. The size
> is around
> 140 MB. (Note that the author has a pretty simple laptop setup including
> X11 in even less, around 100 MB).
>
> <end snip>
>
> Also, the most comprehensive kernel choice given the low budget hardware I
> have would probably be vanila wouldn't it?
> See snip from manual.
>
> begin snip
>
> `vanilla'
> The standard kernel package available in Debian. This includes almost all
> drivers supported by Linux built as modules, which includes drivers for
network
> devices, SCSI devices, sound cards, Video4Linux devices, etc. The
`vanilla'
> flavor includes one Rescue Floppy, one root and three Driver Floppies.
>
> end snip
>
> The other option if you would think it more practical is simply create /,
> /usr, swap partition, and /home, ditch /tmp and /var, increase size of
/usr
> to include  enough space for tmp and var dirs to be housed within /usr.
> I would also not be boxing myself in as much with 7 tiny partitions using
> this second scheme.
> So, it would look something like this.
> /dev/hda is a 1.6 gb hd
> /dev/hda1
> / 100 mb
> /dev/hda2
> swap partition 100 mb
>      /dev/hda3
> /home 100 mb
> /dev/hda4
>   /usr remaining space on 1.6 gb hard drive
>
> For hardware the 486 has as mentioned before the 1.6 gb hd, a 16x BTC
> cd-rom which is jumperable, 16 mb 30 pin sim ram 4x4, isa or vesa ATI
video
> card don't remember which, and a 16 bit isa sound blaster card of some
> sort. No nics in the box at the moment but I was going to add two 3com
> 3c509 nics too.
> Synth is an accent pc.
>
> Anyone have any thoughts on whether partitioning scheme 1 or 2 would be
> vbetter and or anything else I've mentioned. Personally, the more I think
> it over in my head, as a first-time installer of Linux with limitted
> resources, I like scheme 2 better.
>
> I'd appreciate any and all advice anyone has to offer.
> You can write to me directly at ed.barnes at janus.northatlantic.nf.ca or
> edbarnes at superweb.ca, or reply on the list.
> I've installed the Windows ver of Speak Freely as well til I get a Linux
> box up and on the go so I could join you folks on the reflector to discuss
> this if anyone would find this more convenient.
> Is it still at: lwl.braille.uwo.ca:4074
>
> Thanks all and do have a wonderful Sunday.
>
> Ed Barnes
>
>
>
>
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