Very Computer

I have posted this before, and am giving it another go.
Some people have been helpful with suggestions of where to get
half way decent install disks (the basic standard FT ones don't
work for anything even mildly unusual)
Anyway, I want to install Linux FT 2.0 from the CD
onto a laptop which does not have an integral CDROM drive.

I have an Adaptec 1460A PCMCIA SCSI adaptor and external SCSI CD.
I have a 3COM 3C589 PCMCIA ethernet adaptor.

Neither are known to the install disks.

I can't copy the CD onto the HDD using DOS since it has long
or odd filenames (e.g. lost+found) so can you tell me how to do it?

I am prepared to do it the long laborious way via floppy (done
if for Slackware before) if you can tell me how.

I have a Desktop with Linux on it but since I am new to this S/W
stuff (particularly UNIX being a H/W engineer) I don't know how
to install via PLIP.

I would try dismantling the Laptop (Compal) and installing to the
HDD with the Desktop but the case seems to have clipped together.
I imagine tooling is required to open it.

Help!! From other postings that I have seen there are other people
in the same boat as me. It can't be that difficult, but I haven't
found anything tremendously specific in the HOW-TOs or FAQs.
Perhaps someone could tweak an install disk? Grovel grovel.

The other way of cheering me up would be to offer me a job in US
as a H/W engineer (esp. analogue)

I've been trying this install in various ways, sometimes borrowing kit,
for months. Please help.

Regards,

                        sorry, can't pick up post again for 2 weeks.

: I have posted this before, and am giving it another go.
: Some people have been helpful with suggestions of where to get
: half way decent install disks (the basic standard FT ones don't
: work for anything even mildly unusual)
: Anyway, I want to install Linux FT 2.0 from the CD
: onto a laptop which does not have an integral CDROM drive.

: I have an Adaptec 1460A PCMCIA SCSI adaptor and external SCSI CD.
: I have a 3COM 3C589 PCMCIA ethernet adaptor.

: Neither are known to the install disks.

FT 2.0 may be the logical thing to change.  It probably just doesn't
include a new enough kernel.  (Disclaimer:  I'm not familiar with FT.)

Please see one user's successful Red Hat 4.1 install on a similar machine:
<http://sunflower.singnet.com.sg/~anupmc/Linux_on_6200MMX.html>

Another one (also RH 4.1), with _exactly_ your PCMCIA cards:
<http://www.arctic.org/~dgaudet/tp560/>

You'll see from the following that both are in all recent kernels:
<http://hyper.stanford.edu/~dhinds/pcmcia/SUPPORTED.CARDS>
<http://www.spade.com/linux/howto/Hardware-HOWTO-24.html>

However, I don't need to talk you out of Linux FT 2.0, if you want
to use it:

: I have a Desktop with Linux on it but since I am new to this S/W
: stuff (particularly UNIX being a H/W engineer) I don't know how
: to install via PLIP.

So, if you're feeling adventuresome, you may wish to study
<http://sunsite.unc.edu/LDP/HOWTO/mini/PLIP>, which appears to be
a quite good tutorial on setting up and running PLIP.  I've observed
one PLIP installation -- at one of the Silicon Valley Linux User Group's
InstallFests.  It didn't look very intimidating, on balance.  You
may want to give it a try.

--
Cheers,                    Facta tua Restitueri ad Status Pristinus Eius.
Rick Moen                       (May your data be restored to
rick (at) hugin.imat.com       its original pristine condition.)