lubuntu-qa team mailing list archive

[Yorvyk <yorvik.ubunto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 5 March 2012 02:13, Leroy Whyte <whytelm@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > Hi, Ive got an old Dell Optiplex ?100 Desk top box, with a P3 700 mhz
> > processor. I'd love to use this to help with testing. However, I do not
> > know how to load Lubuntu because the BIOS will only allow booting via
> > either the Hard drive or the floppy drive - even though an (early / slow)
> > CD rom drive is fitted. Would this machine be of any use to you? I also
> > cannot ascertain  grep pae /proc/cpuinfo beacause I cannot atm run a 'live'
> > CD.
> > Thanks in advance
> > Leroy
> >
There are various boot managers that will allow CDs and flash drives to be booted on old machines with out those options.  Currently I'm using http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanagers.html
If you are messing about with old machines these are very useful.  Just remember to burn the CD at the lowest speed you can X2 or x4.  But it will boot flash drives and I find them more reliable than CDs in old drives and a lot less wasteful.  I got a few 1 gig flash drives form the local super market cheap.  They are not the quickest available (they do have a flashing activity LED though :) but, as old machine generally only have USB 1, it doesn't matter.   Just remember to be patient as installs can take up to 4 or more hours which means the screen saver can and scren blanking can occur.


-- 
Yorvyk