Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

On Sat, 11 Sep 2010, baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> "BL3 is actually more recent but is based on older Slackware.
> How do you boot it without graphics?  Loop version?"
>
> I have run bl3 from floppy, from loop, and from hd. All of them booted to 
> command line.
You are right, you need to startx first.  I got confused with other 
linuxes.
> "People keep giving us pentium I or sometimes II laptops, many of which are
> fixable or even work.  Do you have a local freecycle group?"


> Yes, I have a local freecycle group. No, they never offer anything worth 
> the bus fare to collect.

Have you tried asking for a 'very old laptop'?  Or a laptop that needs 
work?  Half the time only the hard drive is dead.  If you live some place 
large enough for a busy system, there must be lots of old laptops there. 
We have a reputation for giving away computers (164 plus laptops) and 
people keep bringing us more, sometimes even working ones.  I try to help 
people put BL on their old laptops, and then they give them to us when 
they find out how slow they run (120-166MHz).

> I am happy to share with anyone, but I have nowhere to post it to. I 
> used the official bl3 kernel config, but to compile with 2.4 I was asked 
> many questions. I said no to most. You must remember I don't know what 
> the **** I am doing. You speak of modules, but I belevive I have used no 
> modules.

Try copying the config from one of my 2.4.31 kernels and applying your 
patch.  I read about what the different questions meant and made many 
wrong guesses along the way.  Did you make modules?  Read the kernel 
compilation howto.  The modules must be compiled with the same gcc as the 
kernel.  You need modules for things like network cards, sound... unless
you compile everything you need into the kernel (different for each
computer).  Once in a while modules won't work but built-in works, due to 
buggy kernel source code (such as for a serial PDA, or some laptop sound).

Sindi Keesan