Very Computer

AMD K6-300, 96MB RAM, 20GB disk (brand new), NO floppy, CDROM working (it
can read anything OK) but NOT bootable from *any* Mandrake CD I tried (does
boot fine from CDs of some other distros, darn!), RealTek rtl8139 -- other
boxes on the LAN have fully-working CDROM drives, ample disk space, working
LAN too (currently I have Mandrake 8.0 on one, RH 7.1 on another, but I want
to go all-Mandrake pretty soon).

Is there *any* way I can get Mandrake 8.0 installed on this box...? E.g.,
deconstruct/reconstruct some of the .IMG files to build a bootable
ersatz-floppy somewhere on the HD (file or partition or...?), boot from
that, and proceed with Mandrake 8.0 install from the CDROM? Or maybe set
things up for an install from the LAN, or, ...? I do have a
reasonably-working Linux distro on the box right now, from one of the CDs
that did boot, but *I want my Mandrake*...!!!

AdvThanksAnce for any advice...
Alex

you could put the intended hd into another computer  that can boot
the CD, install a base system and then move it over to the
problematic computer.  There, you can run the <something>drake that
configures the graphical things, and you should be fine.

Or you could put the working cdrom into the problematic computer and
boot it.

Another idea is to copy all the contents of the cd into some fat32
partition, and boot off a win98 boot disk. There's some program that
you can run from dos to get it going.

Oh, and lastly,
In redhat they had a dosutils directory that contained a
"autoboot.bat" file. Executing it ( after appropriate changes to
point it to the correct boot image ) got the redhat install going.All
I needed was win98 boot disk with dos cdrom drivers.

hth

^^^^^^^^^^^^
In the end I managed to temporarily remedy that "little" defect and hook up
a working floppy for the short time needed for one reboot.  Phew.  Now I've
got Mandrake 8.0 working...!  *Thanks* for the ideas though.  [Now I'd
better
unhook the flying floppy drive, put it back in the machine it belongs to,
close
up all boxes and tidy up the living room before my girlfriend comes home
and notices what I've been up to... better hurry!-)].

Alex