Question 1 We I got my dads old Dell Server from work, because he upgraded to new system. It’s Intel Pentium I with 133 mhurtz. With about 4 G hard drive. It had some kind of medical software, so I just reformatted the hard drive. I was going to install some of my old games, like Police Quest (Anyone Remeber that game). I also thought about trying to install Linux. Do you think linux would be able to run on this system? I have a link to the exact operating system. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/dta/_trmntor/00000005.htm But it has been a while since I have messed with DOS. I was installing DOS 6.2 it took 3 disks to get it on the computer. I cannot find a site that can help me install DOS from Scratch. It does not have a cd-rom drive, but I want to install one. I have an old Yamaha CRW8824E, which I cannot find a driver for. The only drive I can find for it was a windows windows 95 to present. Can someone find me that driver for DOS? I also had a problem with the command prompts, since I have not used them since I was like 10 years old. I have an old book Dos 6.2 Command prompts. But I cannot still not find out how to open the files. I copies on C drive. I copies the install find in C:\Dos. But I cannot remember what to type to get into the sub folder. Anyone know? I have typed many thing like dir witch tells me there is one file on C drive. I tried (CD\) (C:\DOS). But I cannot remember what else to do. I also typed C:\DOS\SETUP.BAT, C:\DOS\SETUP.EXE, but nothing happened. Also I made a boot disk. And it says I coped the files into C:DOS right, but when I type dir you just give me the file, but how do you see what is in the sub folder? I 2nd Question What type of Linux should I run on this computer? There are so many versions and I don’t know which one would be the best for my Old System. Could someone list some Please? I am new to Linux, but I helped one of my friends install it on his computer. I don’t remember the version it was, because it was like 1 year ago. 3rd and Last Question. I am trying to fix my friends laptop. He does not have a A: Drive, which sucks. I have reformatted the computer but want to do a boot up with a Cdr. I searched around and was hard to find a really good answer. I know you can reformat from windows, but it wont get ride of all his old data. Can someone give me a link to a CD Bootable for do? Please I spent all night on this damn thing and cannot figure it out. I tried using Nero and putting it in a BOOT (ROM) CD-R, But I keep getting errors. Do you need to CD-R (Rom) disk to burn it? Anyone know of a good software were I can just copy a boot disk to a CD-R and be able to boot up in DOS. I know this was a lot of questions, and I hope you can help me out. Thanks for all who are trying to help me with my problems. Oh yeah sorry if my spelling and sentence structure are bad, its because I have Dyslexia. I know a lot about computers, but don’t know what job I want to DO. Any Suggestions? I think I like to trouble shoot computers. Is there any money involved anymore with Trouble Shooting? I know a lot about computers, but don’t know what job I want to DO. Any Suggestions? I think I like to trouble shoot computers. Is there any money involved anymore with Trouble Shooting?

Wow! You have many more than three questions. For starters, read your DOS book. To get you started: to move to a sub-folder type "CD subfoldername" without the quotes. To move up one level type exactly "CD.." again without the quotes. This will let you move around to see what you have on your disk. Good luck! You have a lot ahead of you, including some basic research on this forum and Googling the 'net. Don't worry about your spelling and sentences; people on this forum are very understanding.

I have taken the liberty of editing your post so that I can understand it a little better """Question 1 I also thought about trying to install Linux. Do you think linux would be able to run on this system?""" Depends on what version/ distribution, but yes """ I have a link to the exact operating system. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/dta/_trmntor/00000005.htm""" """. I cannot find a site that can help me install DOS from Scratch.""" This depends on what you have for disks. IF you have legit Microsoft installation disks, and not some hacked up thing, you should be able to boot right up from the first disk """ . I have an old Yamaha CRW8824E, which I cannot find a driver for. Can someone find me that driver for DOS?""" Putting that model number into Google tells me: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/computer/products/8824/spec8824.html that this drive isn't that old, is IDE and should work with "common" ATAPI drivers, IE you should be able to read it with a common Winblows98 boot disk. Actually, it appears to be a CD writer drive The short answer is, you need to learn a little about editing your config.sys and autoexec.bat files """ I also had a problem with the command prompts, I have an old book Dos 6.2 Command prompts. But I cannot still not find out how to open the files.""" If you have a book, go read it. Most of your answers are in that book. Also, type "dos tutorial" into Google. http://www.glue.umd.edu/~nsw/ench250/dostutor.htm http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jchap/tvdt.htm http://www.tnd.com/camosun/elex130/dostutor1.html """ But I cannot remember what to type to get into the sub folder. Anyone know?""" You type "CD" which means "change directory" plus the name of the directory, like "DOS" """I have typed many thing like dir witch tells me there is one file on C drive.""" If you only show "one file" then you have not truely installed DOS. """I tried (CD\) (C:\DOS). But I cannot remember what else to do. I also typed C:\DOS\SETUP.BAT, C:\DOS\SETUP.EXE, but nothing happened.""" When you type something in DOS, the command that you want to envoke must be there on the drive. If there is no file listed by "dir" that shows "setup.exe" then when you type "setup" and the ENTER key, nothing will happen, because there IS NO setup.exe. You should get an error that says something like "bad command or filename." There are a few commands that are internal to the basic boot files, but other things must be run by separate files. format, for example, is one that must be there. It is not "internal" to the basic boot files ""2nd Question What type of Linux should I run on this computer? There are so many versions and I don’t know which one would be the best for my Old System. Could someone list some Please? I am new to Linux, but I helped one of my friends install it on his computer. I don’t remember the version it was, because it was like 1 year ago.""" You are going to have to search around on Google for this answer, because it changes all the time. Red hat, for example, is not what it used to be. Go over to the Linux form and ask there. I would guess that Unbuntu or Slackware would be a good place to start. Suse seems to be getting popular, but I would think that trying to configure it on an old, slow machine would be difficult There are many places to download Linux, and if you can find an "iso image" you can burn it right to a CD Start here: http://www.linux.org/ """3rd and Last Question. I am trying to fix my friends laptop. He does not have a A: Drive, which sucks. I have reformatted the computer but want to do a boot up with a Cdr. I know you can reformat from windows, but it wont get ride of all his old data. Can someone give me a link to a CD Bootable for do?""" I don't understand how you could have formatted the machine if there is no floppy and you haven't yet been able to boot from the CD You CANNOT format a machine from within windows, and I don't understand why you would want to. If you cannot boot a machine with either a floppy or the CD, that means that you cannot reinstall anything--so WHY would you want to try and format the hard drive? """ I tried using Nero and putting it in a BOOT (ROM) CD-R, But I keep getting errors. Do you need to CD-R (Rom) disk to burn it?""" You put "it" what "it" did you use? In my Nero, you have to select "data disk" and then select "bootable cd" and make a bootable cd, either from a boot image or a floppy, such as a Windows98 boot floppy Also, many older CDROMS (the drive in your laptop) will not boot from a "burned" CD. What you really need is something like a so called "OEM" copy of Windows 98, an original copy, not a "burn." """Anyone know of a good software were I can just copy a boot disk to a CD-R and be able to boot up in DOS.""" As I said above you don't "just copy" the files, you have to select "make a bootable CD" (or whatever the software says) """Oh yeah sorry if my spelling and sentence structure are bad, its because I have Dyslexia.""" You might try typing into Notepad, first, and edit and read your questions before you copy and paste them into the forum I do have to give you credit for trying to learn something, but I think the best advice I can give you is to go read your DOS book, and the links I've given under "dos tutorial"

I wouldn't reccomend trying to run Linux on this computer; it will really struggle to run modern distributions, especially if you use a complete desktop environment like KDE or Gnome (which you will probably want to if you are a beginner). Programs like Firefox and OpenOffice will have a 'frame rate', if they work at all. 4GB is unlikely to be enough disk space if you want to install DOS as well. Sadly, Linux is no different from Windows in suffering from software bloat.

Sadly, Linux is no different from Windows in suffering from software bloat. That depends on the distro. At least some aim to be efficient: http://DamnSmallLinux.org http://goosee.com/puppy

If you are not familiar with dos ,try a copy of DR-DOS 7.03.The setup optimizes the config.sys and autoexec.bat for you with simple steps.Most diskette images can be transferred to diskettes using Winimage on a Windows computer.It is easier to use compared to dos.Your Linux would have to be quite old to setup on a Pentium I computer.The most recent need a lot more RAM than the 16 or 32 Mb found on a Pentium I.It is just like Windows XP requirements for RAM.When you start a dos setup ,put disk one in diskette drive and power on the computer.The diskette is bootable and takes you to the first screen.Windows 3.1 disk 1(if you ever install it)is not bootable and you need to start setup with the setup or install command depending on version. http://www.drdos.net/download.htm Good luck.

"""Windows 3.1 disk 1(if you ever install it)is not bootable and you need to start setup with the setup or install command depending on version""" How the heck did THAT pop in there? Of COURSE Waynehozed3x.xx.x.xx.xxxx.x.x.x is not bootable. It is ADD ON SOFTWARE. It is NOT an operating system.