A UMSDOS install?

[rechapit]

hello there:

I'm a linux newbie and I'm trying to make a umsdos install.
I'd been reading various umsdos-howto's and i can't even get straight were to begin... I mean: I don't even know how to mount the drive as umsdos.

help please.

[garyng]

hello there:

I'm a linux newbie and I'm trying to make a umsdos install.
I'd been reading various umsdos-howto's and i can't even get straight were to begin... I mean: I don't even know how to mount the drive as umsdos.

help please.

why umsdos ? I don't see any need for umsdos in modern linux.

[rechapit]

I wish I could make a ext2 or ext3 partition... I just can't right now (the computer I'm trying to intall linux into isn't exactly mine)
I can't take windows anymore so I'll take linux any way I can have (even if it is as umsdos)

[garyng]

In that case, the simplest would be ext2 on a file(or in other words, loop back driver). This is much more elegant than UMSDOS. You only 'polluted' the existing FAT with one large file rather than hundreds of files.

Or just copy KNOPPIX on to the HD(which is FAT I believe) and both it from there, then use loopback file for persistent stuff.

[rechapit]

you can write in the file?
i mean: install new programs and stuff or it is read only?

[rechapit]

ask a stupid question... of course i can!
still... I can't get enough info on how to do it.

I mean: how do I setup the image file? and how do I get linux to boot from there?
please help me... I know i'm asking too much

[garyng]

ask a stupid question... of course i can!
still... I can't get enough info on how to do it.

I mean: how do I setup the image file? and how do I get linux to boot from there?
please help me... I know i'm asking too much

Try this http://topologi-linux.sourceforge.net/index.php

It is not debian based but should be the answer you are asking for. They have the installation program under windows too, doing the stuff I mentioned for you.

[rechapit]

tanks for the tip

[eco2geek]

I wish I could make a ext2 or ext3 partition... I just can't right now (the computer I'm trying to intall linux into isn't exactly mine)
I can't take windows anymore so I'll take linux any way I can have (even if it is as umsdos)

Trust me - you don't want to use UMSDOS. I've done it with Phat Linux and with Slack. There were problems.

• 1. Many (large) applications wouldn't run.

• 2. Those that did often ran very slowly.

• 3. When it crashed (and it will crash), it caused major problems with the hard disk. I had to run Scandisk 3 times after one crash to get it all sorted out. The FAT and FAT32 filesystems just weren't made for symlinks.

• 4. You won't be able to see LFN's on the FAT partition you're running it from, only 8.3 ones (if that's important to you).

If the computer you're using isn't yours, you could take out the hard drive, buy another one, and put Linux on it. Before you give the computer back, replace the hdd you bought with the original.