Browser Linux on 2003 Acer laptop with failed hard drive.

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MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

Browser Linux on 2003 Acer laptop with failed hard drive.

#1 Post by MrReality »

Once I first install it on the USB, it will find wireless networks and CAN connect to the internet, but after it is rebooted a few times, it loses the connection and it can't find any networks at all. There are at least 7 or 8 near me so I have plenty of options, on this laptop I can view them all, but not on the Browser linux USB boot. It is my little brothers computer and I want him to be able to use the internet. Why does it keep disappearing, he is just visiting for a little under a month so I can't reinstall browser linux every couple of days for him.

Is there any other lightweight Linux distros that can just be used live off of a flash drive? (Puppy linux I couldn't connect to the network at all. It found the network, but it wouldn't connect)

Ubuntu wouldn't boot up from the USB (not sure why??)

What can I do?

The PC has no operating system and it has a failed hard drive. Everything from windows that was on it was erased

Volhout
Posts: 547
Joined: Sun 28 Dec 2008, 08:41

2003 laptop

#2 Post by Volhout »

Can you provide a little more information about the laptop.

In general Puppy linux works very well from USB stick (My preferred way of working). There have been some improvements in WIFI handling since browser linux. Depending on the chipset used (on the 10 year old laptop) you may be able to use a different build of puppy linux.

I assume you created a save file, and made it large enough (the default 512Mbytes) to be usable... ? Remember that puppy stores web browser temporary data in the save file until the history of the browser is flushed. So a very small save file may flood quick.

MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#3 Post by MrReality »

I don't know much about it. It was given to my brother and it was messed up pretty bad, no markings so I don't know what kind of wireless chip it has. It does work though because Browser Linux will work for a little while before I can't find a network to connect to.

The problem I had with puppy linux was not saving it to the USB flash drive. I could NOT connect to the internet via wifi on puppy linux...

gcmartin

Little more information

#4 Post by gcmartin »

3 question I have so that a method might be recommended:
  • Does it have a CD/DVD writer built-in
  • Can you see, when the machine is powered on, how much RAM it has?
  • Are you trying to limit everything your bro can do to ONLY the internet?
Reason:You may be able to help your brother without the need to INSTALL anything and for him to have the same experience every day with little or no interaction from you.

Here to help

MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#5 Post by MrReality »

It has a cd / dvd player built in.

It has like 600 MB of ram.

It has a failed hard drive so I am just trying to find an OS that I can run off of a flash drive without installing to a hard drive. Browser linux works fine if I could get the internet to work 100% of the time instead of 50%. Puppy Linux would be nice if i could get the internet to work.

infromthepound
Posts: 220
Joined: Sat 13 Jun 2009, 01:29

#6 Post by infromthepound »

You might try several versions of Puppy.
If it's quite old, then Legacy might be a first try.
JB

MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#7 Post by MrReality »

It was made in 2003. Not sure how old that is classified as. It only has 600 something MB of ram. Can you give me a link to a Linux OS that I can always boot off of a flash drive instead of having a hard disk and the network is easy to set up?

Legacy I cannot get the internet to work. It won't find any wireless networks.

gcmartin

#8 Post by gcmartin »

OK, given what you share, this may be very easy for you assuming you know how to write an ISO to a blank CD/DVD.
  1. Download the Slacko ISO ===> Slacko Direct Download
  2. Burn it to a blank CD/DVD
  3. Boot that CD on your PC that your bro will be using.
You are done. Your Bro's PC will boot reasonably fast. That PC should run at a highly acceptable speed to keep your brother engaged.

And, assuming this is a PC wired to your LAN, the network sets up automatically to your ISP supplied router-modem.

You'll never need an HDD as long as you have your CD disc handy. In fact, just remove that broken HDD because with the CD disc used to run the PC, the HDD in never needed for any system operations.

Here to help

MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#9 Post by MrReality »

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I will use Unetbootin to boot it to a USB drive. I don't have any blank CD's

MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#10 Post by MrReality »

Thank you! So far the internet seems to be working. It was similar to browser linux in setting the wlan up. Hopefully I don't have the problems that I had with browser linux.

Thanks again.

EDIT: The only problem is that it keeps flashing that the personal memory is almost full. That is very annoying, but I am not sure how to delete anything.

MrReality
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#11 Post by MrReality »

Well now it says "Failed to active interface wlan0. Any beginner friendly help please? Slacko Puppy

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RetroTechGuy
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#12 Post by RetroTechGuy »

MrReality wrote:It was made in 2003. Not sure how old that is classified as. It only has 600 something MB of ram.
For Puppy, relatively "modern"... ;-)
Can you give me a link to a Linux OS that I can always boot off of a flash drive instead of having a hard disk and the network is easy to set up?
Most (perhaps all?) versions of Puppy can be installed on a bootable flash drive.

Do you have a working CD or another machine which could be used to boot Puppy and install onto the flash drive?
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MrReality
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Joined: Mon 08 Jul 2013, 02:34

#13 Post by MrReality »

I'm just having problems with the WLAN. It is booting fine.

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RetroTechGuy
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#14 Post by RetroTechGuy »

MrReality wrote:I'm just having problems with the WLAN. It is booting fine.
I recall that Playdayz did a lot of work on the wireless support in Lupu5.28.

If you haven't tried that one, that would be a good start (see if it is automatically detected).

http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/puppy-5.2.8/

http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/pu ... 28.005.iso
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[url=http://puppylinux.us/psearch.html]PuppyLinux.US Search[/url]

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