There’s been a lot of push recently (especially on some youtube channels) for “The Year Of Linux On The Desktop”. Partly because of the crap Microsoft has been pulling. Partly because Windows is turning into a bigger pile of shit than it’s always been. And maybe there’s some contrarianism involved.
And it seems Linux is slowly moving up the Steam charts.
I find this amusing; I’ve been a Linux user since the boot+root 0.11 disks, and it’s been my primary desktop since around 1993.
But this did bring to mind a memory.
In the year 2000 through a work benefits program I bought a Dell Dimension 4100. It came with Windows 98. Obviously I installed Linux on it, but I made it dual boot just in case there was a need for Windows.
Side note: I might have booted into Windows when I installed an ISDN card into this machine, just to verify it worked.
Since I thought I might need to re-do this I documented my steps and sent it to my co-workers just in case they also wanted to do this. And since I’m a data hoarder I still have that document. Of course it’s in plain ASCII!
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To install RedHat on the new Dell Dimension 4100 (or just re-install Win98)
Setup BIOS to boot from CD first, HD second.
[ Optional step for RedHat ]
Reboot 0:
Boot off RedHat CD, "linux rescue", run fdisk, delete existing partition
and create a new partition starting at cylinder 1 for approx 30Mb in
size (this will be /boot).
Now we need to install Win98. Read pages 39,40,41,38 (yes in that order)
in the "Solutions Guide". This requires 14 reboots and takes approx 2->3
hours.
Insert DOS7 floppy that came with Dell
Reboot 1:
Boot off floppy, (no CD option needed at menu), run FDISK, create
DOS partition (eg 10Gb)
Insert Receovery CD
Reboot 2:
Select "format and install" option
Reboot 3:
(in reboot, go back to BIOS and turn off CD book option)
Win98 boots into "first time" and does some regionalisation then
Reboot 4:
Win98 setup runs, performs initial settings
Reboot 5:
Detects monitor, requires monitor CD to install driver
Insert resource CD1, install program as requested
Reboot 6:
(takes a long time in the "Updating Systems Settings" part)
Re-insert Resource CD, select machine Dimension 4100, OS Windows98
then find the "Intel Chip Set Update Utility". Install that (follow
onscreen instructions).
Reboot 7:
Lots of new hardware found
Reboot 8:
(note: page 38 talks about ATA66, but this isn't listed for 4100, and
when I picked it from another system it would not install saying
motherboard was wrong type)
Install Intel Security
Reboot 9:
Install Microsoft Intellipoint (don't reboot)
Install NVidia 32Mb GeForce
Reboot 10:
Install DirectX 7.0
Reboot 11:
Reset screen resolution to your requirements
Insert SoundBlaster Live! CD, and install it
Reboot 12:
[ sound card should now be working ]
Install Adaptec EasyCD (say "no" to Adobe install)
Install DirectCD
Browse the CD, find the Adobe software and install it if you wish
Reboot 13:
Insert Resource2 CD. Ignore error message. Browse the CD, go into
files\apps\nav\win9x and install Norton AntiVirus
Reboot 14:
Install Microsoft Works if desired ( I haven't yet)
NOW... if you wish to install RedHat 6.2. Takes about 20 minutes
Reboot
go into BIOS and turn CD boot on
save and exit
RedHat startup screen appears. Enter "text". The GUI installer isn't
totally reliable, and can hang (also the GUI X configuration tool doesn't
work properly).
Install RedHat as normal (I chose KDE workstation). For X configuration,
the autoprobe can work and it will select 32bit mode, 1280x1024
resolution. I used manual configuration and selected 24bit 1152x894. This
ends up with 70Hz refresh. For monitor I chose Dell M770 as being closest
to the E770p that we have.
Conclusion:
Windows install: 14 reboots, lots of CDs, 2->3 hours
Linux: 1 reboot, 1 CD, 20 minutes
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Yeah, there’s always been a lot of “Linux is hard, Windows is easy”. But even 26 years ago it was easier to install Linux from scratch than Windows. Windows only seemed easier to people because it came out of the box that way.