Old computer, installing linux, roadbump

981 Views 15 Replies 8 Participants Last post by error10, Dec 7, 2009

Bluescreen_Of_Death

Discussion Starter · Dec 6, 2009

I was at work yesterday when a customer approached me and handed me an old Dell laptop [Inspiron 3000] and told me I could probably find a use for it.

Well, after looking around and finding enough hardware, I was planning on making it a server for something, so I popped in an arch i386 net CD and got ready to set up my system.

But apparently, the CPU doesn't fully support the kernel. it says

Code:

Code:

This kernel requires the following features to be present on the CPU:
cmov
Unable to boot - please use a kernel appropriate for your CPU

Time to compile a custom kernel, or what? Unable to be used?

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

murderbymodem

· #2 · Dec 6, 2009

Arch as in Arch Linux? I don't think Arch Linux has an i386 version - I only recall i686 and x86_64.

LiNERROR

· #3 · Dec 6, 2009

Arch provides a minimal environment upon installation, (no GUI), compiled for i686/x86-64 architectures.

Bluescreen_Of_Death

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 6, 2009

2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redmist

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Arch as in Arch Linux? I don't think Arch Linux has an i386 version - I only recall i686 and x86_64.

yeah, your right. its i686.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiNERROR

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Arch provides a minimal environment upon installation, (no GUI), compiled for i686/x86-64 architectures.

I understand that its not the right kernel, and I've dealt with Arch before. So I'll have to compile my own kernel to boot from? Does that mean its time to give Gentoo a shot?

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murderbymodem

· #5 · Dec 6, 2009

No, you don't have to, it just means you need to use a distro with lower system requirements.

Damn Small Linux is your best bet here.

Bluescreen_Of_Death

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 6, 2009

Okay, thanks. Downloading now.

Pooping^fish

· #7 · Dec 6, 2009

From what Wiki shows, that should be a P6/I686 architecture processor. So it _should_ support the CMOV instruction, but apparently not.

murderbymodem

· #8 · Dec 6, 2009

Yeah, DSL will be great if you just want something simple. If you decide you want something a bit more complicated, Debian has i386 images

LiNERROR

· #9 · Dec 6, 2009

yes, gentoo is always an option if you want to bother with it.

Bluescreen_Of_Death

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 6, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiNERROR

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yes, gentoo is always an option if you want to bother with it.

Well I've been meaning to give it a shot for a while now, so looks like this is a good time, though compiling is going to take ages.

I'll play with it in a VM before I do anything rash

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Mr Pink57

· #11 · Dec 7, 2009

Options for i386:
CentOS
Crunchbang
Debian
DeLi (I think it still uses pacman)
FreeBSD
Linux Mint
Puppy Linux

So there are a few options and many more past this list, I would more time into getting a BSD system working then compiling a Gentoo system.

pink

TFB

· #12 · Dec 7, 2009

Check out masonux. It's a custom minimal build of Ubuntu using LXE wm. I had it on my netbook for a while but it wasn't compatible with the gma500 video card.

Jimi

· #13 · Dec 7, 2009

I'd use this opportunity to take a dive into gentoo, but that's just me personally.

error10

· #14 · Dec 7, 2009

The Inspiron 3000 contained a Pentium MMX, NOT a Pentium II. That's why it doesn't work. Pentium Pro and Pentium II were the first P6 architecture chip, and thus the earliest chips that the latest Linux kernel binaries will support. Most distributions have moved to "i686" builds and thus support is dropped in those distros.

Gentoo would work, but it would take for freaking ever to build.

Bluescreen_Of_Death

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 7, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by error10

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The Inspiron 3000 contained a Pentium MMX, NOT a Pentium II. That's why it doesn't work. Pentium Pro and Pentium II were the first P6 architecture chip, and thus the earliest chips that the latest Linux kernel binaries will support. Most distributions have moved to "i686" builds and thus support is dropped in those distros.

Gentoo would work, but it would take for freaking ever to build.

I figured as much.

And I'll dive into Gentoo. I just hope I don't mess up and waste days waiting for things to compile out my mistakes.

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error10

· #16 · Dec 7, 2009

To get you up and running faster, there's some way to offload the actual compiling onto other computers. I forget what it is, though. Has something to do with distcc, I think.

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