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W3WN
10-08-2013, 01:02 PM
So, I have an old Compaq laptop that was given to me a few months back... how old? It's running Windows 98SE. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with it.

My thought was to put Linux on it, and then try to sell it at an upcoming hamfest... all part of the fund raising towards a Rebel. (Specifically, a Ten Tec Model 506 "Rebel" Arduino QRP transceiver, not a motorcycle!)

Anyone know where out in the vastness of the web there's a flavor of Linux that will work on this little toy? (I will post the model & number when I get home, I thought I had it here, but I don't). My copies of Ubuntu (as old as ver 6) don't load on it.

I just hate to trash a working computer. OTOH. the thought of putting a Win98SE machine back out into the world... scary.
KC2UGV
10-08-2013, 01:34 PM
So, I have an old Compaq laptop that was given to me a few months back... how old? It's running Windows 98SE. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with it.

My thought was to put Linux on it, and then try to sell it at an upcoming hamfest... all part of the fund raising towards a Rebel. (Specifically, a Ten Tec Model 506 "Rebel" Arduino QRP transceiver, not a motorcycle!)

Anyone know where out in the vastness of the web there's a flavor of Linux that will work on this little toy? (I will post the model & number when I get home, I thought I had it here, but I don't). My copies of Ubuntu (as old as ver 6) don't load on it.

I just hate to trash a working computer. OTOH. the thought of putting a Win98SE machine back out into the world... scary.

DamnSmallLinux (Although, it's quite old at this point, and appears to be unsupported), and PuppyLinux (I don't like it as much as DSL, but them's the breaks I guess). Both ran fantastically on an old PII I had.

Caveat: It needs to be at least a Pentium processor. PI is fine, but no 486's.
W3WN
10-09-2013, 01:43 PM
It's an Armada 1500 series; didn't really have time to look at it last night, between one headache & another, plus trying to push out the newsletter. So it is a Pentium.

I'll do a search for PuppyLinux. That will probably do.
mw0uzo
10-10-2013, 04:39 PM
Slitaz!
K7SGJ
10-10-2013, 04:55 PM
It's an Armada 1500 series; didn't really have time to look at it last night, between one headache & another, plus trying to push out the newsletter. So it is a Pentium.

I'll do a search for PuppyLinux. That will probably do.

I looked for puppy Linux links, and these are the only links I could find. Sorry.

10814
KJ4FEL
10-12-2013, 07:00 PM
Puppy Linux Community....

http://puppylinux.org/main/Overview%20and%20Getting%20Started.htm
w6tmi
10-15-2013, 06:04 PM
I threw a similar one to that away.. Several months later I was scrambling around looking for a computer with a REAL serial port on it for some old motorola software.. le sigh..
W3WN
10-16-2013, 07:42 AM
I threw a similar one to that away.. Several months later I was scrambling around looking for a computer with a REAL serial port on it for some old motorola software.. le sigh..Still need one? :shifty:

Actually, you can still find machines with real serial ports on them, and not just laptops. The Dell Optiplex 7010 that we're evaulating at work (as a possible replacement for our 5 year old Optiplex 760's) came with one. Don't have anything to use it with, but nonetheless, there it is.replacement for our 5 year old Optiplex 760's) came with one. Don't have anything to use it with, but nonetheless, there it is.