On Tue, Sep 30, 2003 at 06:31:29AM -0700, matt wilkie wrote: > Hi, > > Can anyone direct me to a faq or howto on installing and configuring > debian for end users on quite old hardware? Old means 486 and early > pentiums (<200mhz). >
I am using a Pentium w/ AMD K5, 128 MB RAM and a Tseng ET4000 (1 MB) graphic card, plus an AMD 486-100, 64 MB RAM, w/ a lately bought SiS graphic card that I didn't configure yet for X, because it needs non-standard drivers. Installing from Debian CDs: select the 'vanilla' kernel containing options for older hardware. For X-Window, I selected 'icewm' as a fast and effective window manager, extended X to 12 screens (switchable w/ 'Ctrl-Alt 1' .. 'Ctrl-Alt c'). This configuration is done through an enty in /etc/X11/icewm/preferences: WorkspaceNames=" 1 "," 2 "," 3 "," 4 "," 5 "," 6 "," 7 "," 8 "," 9 "," a "," b "," c " My text mode is extended to 23 screens (switchable w/ 'Alt-F1' .. 'Alt-F12', 'AltGr-F1' .. 'AltGr-F12'). This configuration is done in /etc/inittab: 1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1 ... 6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6 # (No. 7 reserved for X) 8:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty8 ... 24:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty24 As my Tseng ET4000 is compatible with SVGA mode, I enjoy crisp text mode screens w/ 100x37 characters, due to 'svgatextmode' (depending on /etc/Textconfig). Texts to read: Installation Manual (on CD or download from "www.debian.org") HOWTOs: /mini/Small-Memory.gz Config-HOWTO.gz Hardware-HOWTO.gz Installation-HOWTO.gz Module-HOWTO.gz XFree86-Video-Timings-HOWTO.gz "google" internet -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]