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Re: Debian Linux on Toshiba Libretto 70CT



> I would like to run a dual boot of Windows 95 and Debian Linux on my Toshiba Libretto 70CT sub-notebook. I have chosen to dual boot so I can still use Windows while I learn Debian Linux.
> 
> The specifications of my Toshiba Libretto 70CT are as follows:
> 
> Intel Pentium 120MHz MMX (0.35u, 32KB 2.2/3.3V) CPU Clock Multiplier 2, 32MB EDO, ROM 256, BUS SPEED 60, CT-65550 1mb graphics, Screensize 6.1" TFT, Yamaha OPL3 SA2 Soundblaster Compatible, Single PCMCIA Port (16bit slot 2), 6gb hdd.
> 
> Has anyone installed Debian on this model notebook? From my previous Redhat 6.0 Linux installations on this notebook I have found there is no floppy support, it does not support the Toshiba PCMCIA floppy drive. Is there support with Debian?

I've installed Debian on two Librettos.  I'm not sure they were 70's but they
both had the same characteristic things to deal with so I'll mention them.

1. since you can't have the floppy and the cdrom in the pcmcia at the same 
   time and it doesn't like to boot off a pcmcia cd-rom*, I removed the drive
   and mounted it at another laptop to fill 'er up.

   * YMMV.  That particular friend has strange luck getting things to boot
   from anything but a hard disk.

2. we still needed a boot floppy because LILO wasn't happy until /sbin/lilo
   was run whilst installed correctly in the Libretto.

In your case you have it lucky, because you can simply copy LOADLIN.EXE into
your MSwin partition with a kernel, and boot that way - so you don't need to
install LILO *at all*.

Generic to dual booters: you need to resize C: so you have the rest of the
space.  Rarely is MSwin happy with less than 1.5 GB, 2 GB is safer, if you
plan to use productivity stuff which is a disk pig.  And why else would you
stay in MSwin, anyway?

I recommend creating a small D: (vfat partition first among the extend area)
that MSwin and Linux can share, then under Linux you can mount it as /boot 
and kernels will always arrive at the right place to be loadlin'd.

> I would like to buy the latest version of Debian however I am not sure if it would install and if it did how well it would perform on a low spec notebook computer such as the Libretto 70CT. Which version will work the best?
 
If you want a commercial distro of Debian you can buy a copy of Libranet.  
It does a bulk-install of a lot of nice things; sets you for reboot without
the CD mounted; then presents a menu for you to pick a few more kits if you
want, e.g. KDE env, GNOME env, Apache stuff, etc.  which it also bulk installs
(like tasks).  The kernel you get is a little out of date, common for all
commercial variants, but since apt is normal after that you can pull down 
kernel-image-n.n.nn of choice and you have a standard Potato kit. 

Good thing you have a 6 GB hard disk.  I wouldn't think of dual booting a 
modern copy of MSwin with a smaller than a 4 GB.  But one friend wanted me
to get it into 256 MB (a flashram disk drive) so his libretto would last 
during international flights.

Otherwise there are a lot of sources for official disks but make sure they 
say they're Potato ... you don't want "slink" as that's ancient!

The smallest Potato install I have made, which had room for the compiler tool
chain, barely enough roon for sources to actually build in too, and no X, was
about 150 MB. (120 MB really;  meant for sneaking into the swap partition of
some other flavor you're replacing - but it has only 5-10 MB left that way,
just enough for /tmp not to cause tantrums)  If you're doing your compiling 
elsewhere it can definitely be much smaller.

> I would be grateful for installation instructions or tips from other Libretto 70CT users who have installed Debian on their Libretto.
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Nick Messenger

There's a perfect ittybitty screwdriver for your size screws that comes with
those "tiny bike and skateboard toys add on kits" you can find down at 
Kay-Bee, Toys 'R' Us, or the grab-me aisle at Fry's.  

* Heather Stern * star@ many places...



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