Linux-believer in need of help

achillspirit

Hello All,

Here are the facts:

1. I have an IBM Thinkpad 600x laptop. Technical specs are Intel chip 500 MHz and 137 MB RAM.

2. Windows 2000 was recently erased from the computer. The computer has no operating system now.

3. I can not boot from CD-ROM ( unless it is a Windows Install CD ). Although, I can boot from diskette drive.

Question

I am looking to install a Linux-based OS on this IBM Thinkpad 600x. Currently, the computer has no operating system. Also, the CD-ROM will only boot Windows Install CDs. I have tried to boot other CDs which had ISO images of Ubuntu and Open Solaris but neither would boot up. Right now I know that the computer will turn on and I can access MS-DOS thru an old Windows boot disk.

Which Linux-based OS would you recommend for this computer?

Which OS systems can still boot from boot diskettes?

If so, where would I obtain copies of these boot diskettes?

Thanks

mfillpot

It should be able to boot from and ISO that you properly write to disk.

Did you write the ISO to the disk as a data file or did you use and ISO writing application to burn the disk?

woboyle

As mfillpot said, if it will boot a Windows install CD, it will boot a properly burned Linux install or live CD. You do need to burn it with decent ISO burner software and a good cd recorder. One program that does quite well is magicISO, found at www.magiciso.com. You can use it free on a trial basis, though it costs about $30USD to purchase and enable all its features, which you don't need to do in order to burn a linux CD.

That said, there are some linux distributions that will install from floppies. If you can boot from a USB drive, you can also create a bootable install/live linux usb image on a thumb drive.