[!!] Install the GRUB boot loader on a hard disk

[Liam Proven]

On 23 May 2011 15:43, JARA MELAGRANI, Mariano <marianojara at afip.gob.ar> wrote:
> On Mon, 2011-05-23 at 13:57 +0100, Liam Proven wrote:
>> On 23 May 2011 13:38, JARA MELAGRANI, Mariano <marianojara at afip.gob.ar> wrote:
> <snip>
>> > I did try Xubuntu, though the alternate installation media because the
>> > live-cd wouldn't load completely (Celeron, 256 Mb RAM); but the
>> > installation process halted near the end with the same message.
> <snip>
>>
>> To be honest, it sounds like your machine has some problem with Ubuntu
>> and I expect that if one edition does not work, none of them will. I
>> am happy to hear you've got it working with Slitaz, though. If that
>> does what you need, then by all means, stick with it!
>>
>> Xubuntu is not really much lighter-weight than Ubuntu itself, and I
>> think your machine is too low-specification for either of them.
>> Lubuntu is the lightest *buntu variant at the moment, and in my
>> experience, it runs well on a machines with 256MB and 320MB of RAM.
>> You can only really look at 2 or 3 web pages at once, though.
>>
> I'd like to give Lubuntu a go. If that PC allows it, I'll switch to it;
> I'd rather stay under *buntu's roof-umbrella.

Fair enough! I can certainly understand that. One of the great
strengths of Ubuntu is apt-get - it means that it's easy to update
(unlike, say, PC-LinuxOS) and it's got a huge range of 3rd-party
software which is easy to install (unlike, say, Mepis).

Given the difficulties with GRUB, I would suggest 2 things:
[1] check your BIOS settings - e.g. see if it has any options enabled
concerning virus protection, which can prevent some programs writing
to the boot-sector of the hard disk (which is where the important part
of GRUB lives);
[2] Update the BIOS to the latest version, if at all possible.

>> If you get more confident and proficient with Linux, then either
>> Slackware or Debian may be useful on a low-end machine such as this -
>> but both require a lot more manual configuration than *buntu or
>> Slitaz. Not for beginners!
>>
> This is also an interesting option, plus it'll give me the chance to get
> confidence and proficiency with GNU/Linux.

Yes indeed.

Debian has been getting easier to install in recent years, but Debian
6, the current version, has deliberately removed all drivers that
include proprietary firmware. This means that it no longer works on my
elderly IBM Thinkpad, for instance. I might be able to /install/ the
drivers, in theory, but since I have no network connection - none of
my 2 available Ethernet cards or 2 available Wifi cards work any more
- I can't download anything to install!

Slackware's install program is a nasty flashback to the bad old days
of the mid-1990s, but if you can get past that, it works well on
low-end hardware. As such it has a number of derived distros aimed at
lower-end machines:
* VectorLinux (but your machine is /too/ low-spec, I thikn)
* Zenwalk (might be worth a look)
* Zipslack (aimed at removable drives, so possibly not ideal)

>> Other options are fairly few. Sadly, Damn Small Linux (DSL) is no
>> longer being updated. Puppy Linux is easy and friendly, but it is
>> insecure by design, so I do not recommend it. It is also not trivial
>> to install it to hard disk, update it and add new software.
>>
> Liam, many thanks for your insightful analysis! Cheers,

You're welcome. Low-end Linux distros have been an interest of mine
for some years now. There are not many left, sadly.

-- 
Liam Proven • Info & profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/lproven
Email: lproven at cix.co.uk • GMail/GoogleTalk/Orkut: lproven at gmail.com
Tel: +44 20-8685-0498 • Cell: +44 7939-087884 • Fax: + 44 870-9151419
AIM/Yahoo/Skype: liamproven • MSN: lproven at hotmail.com • ICQ: 73187508