[Tfug] Debian on laptop

[klsmith]

In an earlier email I stated that Debian did not configure pcmcia on my 
laptop.  That was correct, however it was do to not installing the right 
drivers.

Let me explain.

I used a desktop machine running Mandrake to download the floppy images 
from the Debian site.  I first tried to install from the standard set 
and it hung.  I then foundout I needed to install the idepci version. 
There is a difference of only 3 images.  Rescue, Root, and the driver 
disk. The idepci version uses only one driver disk while the default is 
4.  The driver image is named the same.  So I downloaded these three 
images into the same directory as the default directory.  Much to my 
supprise I later foundout that for some reason when trying to download a 
file with an existing file by the same name, Mandrake would just abort 
without any message or anything.  I determined this later when I created 
another direcory for onlu the idepci images.  

Once the idepci images where copied to my floppies,  Debian configured 
pcmcia and found my link sys card and I was able to configure my LANs 
connection.

I'm sharing this story so that anyone who may have read my prior email, 
list will know that Debian does infact do a good job of installing and 
configuring on a laptop.

It was an error on my part, not Debian.  I now have Debian installed and 
it only takes up 270M of space with, exim, gcc, X, blackbox, Mozilla 
browser, and Mozilla mail.  I plan to add a word processor and 
spreadsheet soon.

Keith :-)