Problems with installing

Hi,

First and foremost: I've had experience with Windows machines and feel fairly competent with them but I'm an absolute *nix noob. I checked the FAQs and couldn't find an answer to my problem, so here goes...

I've been trying to get Knoppix to work on an old machine: Pentium II 333 with 128Mb RAM, 2 hard disks - one for Windows (works fine) and one for the Knoppix install (no partitions). I had problems booting it from the CD, as it didn't seem to like my partitions (would freeze on trying to create /etc/fstab) - using the nodma command got it booting into the WIMP environment though.

However, I tried installing it to the slave hard disk and it wasn't having any of it. I loaded the installer, used the tool to try and configure the hard disks, but it claims the drives are loaded as read only, before crashing out with "FATAL ERROR: can not get disk size" or something similar.

Hope someone can help! :)

Linux has three partitiioning tools, fdisk, cfdisk and QTparted. Run the CD, open a console & try cfdisk first. If it can partition/format the 2nd HD, go for it. If not, try Linux fdisk.
You should create 3 partitions: one for the Knoppix O/S (3-4 Gig), one about 300-500 Megs for swap & the rest format vfat (fat32) so Linux and windows can share whatever data is put on it.
What Windows? If it's XP or win2K, you will have a ntfs system on that drive. Linux support for ntfs systems is not good, do not write to ntfs systems from linux unless you use 'captive ntfs'. Put any shared data on a vfat partition instead.

What size are your hard drives? I have had similar exp in the past with an old dell and compaq P2 systems that had two small older drives attached. I got them to behave in two ways

1. Only have the drive you wish to particion connected in the master position. When you have particioned it re connect the other drive in whichever order you wish. It should no work

2. Due to older bios restricitions I found it necassary to update the bios.

It may work it may not but its a place to start.
Only my Own Knowledge and Exp for what its worth

Jim