minimum "/" partition size

[Rashkae]

Default User wrote:

> 
> PS - I am not going to try to upgrade the bios. One mistake or hardware
> error during the process, and the computer is just a big expensive
> paperweight. It's just too risky. And I'm too poor to set it on the
> curb.  
> 
> Any advice? 
> 

The partitioning portion of your question has already been well 
addressed, and that will get you far and away past the grub booting issues.

As for the cryptic messages and BIOS updating, may I suggest you simply 
live without acpi?  The only significant difference to leaving acpi off 
on an older, not well supported bios is that when you shut your system 
down, you'll be left to a "System Halted" state, which is the Linux 
equivalent of "It's now safe to turn off your computer"