Re: New User setup - need advice

[jwt@example.com (Jim Tittsler)]

In article <199509280627.PAA21151@example.com>,
rory@example.com (Rory Lysaght) wrote:
> 
> Here's what I want to do:  I want to run mainly from the CD right now, until
> I get a larger hard drive.  I can spare about 75Megs on my *SECOND* hard
> drive (drive D).  I guess I need to create a partition this size on drive D.
> But then I would like to just boot from a floppy (Drive A) whenever I want
> to experiment with Linux.
> 
While this would work, there are other alternatives to consider as well:

The UMSDOS filesystem allows the creation of a unix-like file system
on a standard MSDOS FAT filesystem.  (It also works on the new '95
VFAT filesystem, but sees only the short/standard names).  This allows
you to try out Linux without *any* repartitioning.  There is a performance
hit, but it lets you explore.  If you have the Slackware "distribution",
you will find one of the diskette images is configured to take advantage
of this feature.

Secondly, while you certainly can continue to boot from floppy, a faster
alternative is to use the DOS program LOADLIN.  This program will load
and begin the execution of a Linux kernel from the DOS prompt.  One way
to use it is to take advantage of the config.sys menu options in DOS 6
and above.  This way you can continue to use the master boot sector
that makes you most comfortable.  (LOADLIN works fine with DOS 7 included
in Win95, but you need to be in the standard DOS prompt mode since Windows
doesn't support VCPI.  You either run it before the Win95 GUI starts
(using F8 or F4) or use the shutdown menu to exit to MSDOS mode, and
run LOADLIN from there.)

-- 
Jim Tittsler, Tokyo  7j1ajh@example.com  <URL:http://shrine.cyber.ad.jp/~jwt/>