[Solved] - Older church machine can't load - Gateway GP6-400, 128 mem, 10 gig hd

[OldGuy]

My church second computer is a P2 400 processor with 128 of memory.  I download the Phoenix CD after reading an article entitled "Top Seven Reasons to Choose PCLinuxOS over Windows 7".  "PCLinuxOS requires 128MB for the Phoenix" mentioned in the article sounded like just the ticket for this old system.

It was running XP and was always thrashing the hard disk, which I believe was due to the small amount of memory, and it's need to keep dumping one program out to cache while loading something else to work upon.

After burning the CD, I gave it a shot on my home machine, worked great in Live CD mode.  T

hen tried to load it on the church machine (the P2 gent), and the loading bar only came a little down the line then stopped.  No error, just looked like a freeze up to me.  

Since I could run it on my home machine with 384 meg, I started to think perhaps the 128 on the church machine was too wy little.  Before going on eBay to look for some old memory chips, has anyone got a p2, slow speed 400, with 128 running?

My other thought is that the CD while readable on my home machine, might be just off a bit to be read on the church machine (being an old CD and such).

If you have any guesses where I should look. Or, how to properly attach this computer to a anchor line (for summer fishing), please let me know.  With it's age it might be better as landfill.  But, if we could use it for surfing the net and doing a few wordprocessing tasks, it would be a blessing for our small congregation.

Thank you for your time in reading this rambling piece from an OldGuy.

[Tuxfriend]

I'd suggest putting in at least a further 128 MBytes RAM or better: go to ebay and get a faster one for a few bucks.

A 3rd solutions might be checking out one of the lower-footprint distros like Puppy Linux or Slitaz.

[Joble]

I know PCLOS LXDE will run on 128.  But it really wouldn't hurt to boost the ram.

[OldGuy]

Tuxfriend and Joble, yea, I think some more ram might be helpful, too.  I have two friends who repair computers and will ask them first before hitting eBay.  They will give it to me gratis or cheap, and I can save shipping.  Thank you for your replies.  I just hate to throw anything away that might be useful.  We have a small congregation, not much money, and I have 52 kids to get Christmas gifts of clothing and toys this year.  I rather spend funds on them than ram.  Guess I'm cheap in a good way.

I replaced the church machine with one given to me for work I did for my repair friend.  This other church machine I hoped to use for folks looking for work, or to do resume creation.  Like many places, here in Michigan looking for a job has become Job 1, and we are trying to help our folks find work.

[Hootiegibbon]

OldGuy,

Did you try hitting the <esc> key to see at which stage it froze?

and what size of swap partition did you set up?

Jase

[OldGuy]

Didn't get to setting up a swap, this was at the second screen as it loads the choices for Live CD, mem test, media check, etc.

The first screen is an infomational saying remember that password for root is root, guest is guest.

I wasn't aware that you could hit <esc> and will give it a try.  I have to close my system and move monitor, keyboard and mouse, before I can report back.  Thank you Hootiegibbon for the suggestion!

[OldGuy]

Testing this <esc> on the church machine.

When trying to load LiveCD I get:
starting USB support:                [OK]
Probing USB devices:                [LOADED]
                                            [OK]
Searching for the loop image:       /dev/hdc

Mounting Loop Image
 -      note the system hangs here, but if I hit <esc> it continues on and gets me
to the logon screen, and then to the desktop.  When I move the mouse to the left
to hit install icon, the left side goes black (all icons are gone) and after moving the
mouse around, not able to click on anything, I must have fill a buffer as the mouse
will finally freeze.

So I ran a media check, during the check the last two lines were:
Probing SCSI Devices: Floating Point error

----------------------------------------------------------
Doing a media check on my home computer - the results are OK for user.

I didn't on the church computer, at first, as the md5sum checked out as the same as the site md5sum.

I'm starting to suspect that the church computer can read the CD perfectly.

But, I don't have any extra parts (like a newer cd) to connect to the church machine to test.

Thanks gentlemen for the advice.  I might try another distro, for fun, but hate to leave the PCLinuxOS
family for anyone else.  I may be old, but I'm loyal.

[Hootiegibbon]

OldGuy,

Try the bootcode 'noscsi' without the quotes (and possibly ide=nodma)

another tip would be to use a distro like puppy to set up the partitions with a swap partition as this will aid the RAM in the install stage

Jase

[GuypronouncedGuynotGuy]

Depending on the type of memory you need, I'd be more than happy to mail it to you. I have a variety of 128mb that nobody really wants for some reason! 

Post the type of memory you need.

[Old-Polack]

Depending on the type of memory you need, I'd be more than happy to mail it to you. I have a variety of 128mb that nobody really wants for some reason! 

Post the type of memory you need.

Should be pc100 or pc133. Most likely pc100, but if you have pc133s around, the worst that can happen is they run at the pc100 speed.

[Was_Just19]

OldGuy,

Try the bootcode 'noscsi' without the quotes (and possibly ide=nodma)

another tip would be to use a distro like puppy to set up the partitions with a swap partition as this will aid the RAM in the install stage

Jase

+1
I have had to do this to allow a liveCD of PCLOS minime to boot up.
Yes it works ...... use the light distro like Puppy to create the partitions and format them ready for install.
It will make the installation so much easier ..... untick where it is about to format the root partition.

The Swap partition, even a small one, will help greatly with the booting.

[OldGuy]

Hi Hootiegibbon, GuynotGuy_please, OP,and JohnBoy!

I tried (no quotes, mind ya) "ide-nodma, noscsi" and got through to the desktop, at the desktop I wasn't able to open the install icon to install phoenix.  Couldn't open anything an after a few tries the mouse stopped moving, so, again, I thought I had filled a buffer.

Open the cabinet and found (1) stick of pc133, 128 meg chip.

Since the suggestion of the boot cheat codes seem to work, this gateway might need a little extra space (memory) to work.  I not sure if one of my two friends who repair as a sideline has pc133, but I'll ask them first, before having you, gentle people go out of your way and time to send some that may be in town and available.  But, I do really thank you for your generous offer.  What a user group we have here on PCLinuxOS-Forums.

I was really happy to see it go to the desktop, ran it twice one without the comma to separate the ide-nodma from noscsi, and with the comma the LiveCD got all the way to the desktop.  Smooth as silk.

I would create the partitions but I lack another blank CD.  That may sound silly, not to have a few on hand, but I've been unemployed for a year, and with my medicines, my extra funds are pretty well all gone.  I think I have a gparted, tho, and will try the partitioning via that, if the CD will run with only 128 for memory.

I like the phoenix look, and running it on my home machine as a LiveCD it should meet our needs at the church for an extra computer for folks to do internet and resumes.  What a job the unique teams do with these distros, as an old M$ guy, I enjoy the KDE version,
but phoenix, from my short play with it, looks not only wonderful but useful.

Eveyone been great with this problem.  My thanks to all involved.

[Joble]

I've got a 256 SDRAM PC/100/133 168 Pin Dimm.  If that sounds right, and looks right, I can send it to ya, if you send me an address.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=168+pin+dimm&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

I bought it for a PIV, might be to new for your setup.  Keep in mind that some of those older computers required the memory to be installed in identical pairs, so one might not help.

[OldGuy]

My friend David said he has some memory I can use.  I'll drop by tomorrow and give it a test.

Thanks to everyone again.  Have a good night!

[katie]

Too bad we are all so spread out- as I'm sure there are lots of folks around here who have old PIIIs lying around (or know where to find them).  The shipping doesn't make it practical, unfortunately.  But I'm sure that many would like to help a small church.

As for me, I like playing with older machines- and often find them as businesses upgrade.  Often free or in the $10 range on Craig's List.  I have a couple I'm playing with right now- the idea being that as people hose their Window$ systems, I can lend them a machine while theirs is getting straightened out.  Hopefully they will discover how easy it is to use (word processing, spreadsheets, "PowerPoint"/Impress and Internet with no worries) and perhaps a few converts along the way.

The folks on this forum are great (the several offers for free RAM attest to that)- and everyone so generous in sharing their knowledge & experience.

katie