Re: Where to get a cheap distro

Well to be honest (groan...oh-boy he type-eth again)

I have used Mandrake, Mandrake FREQ, SuSE, Not Debian (well not for a LONG time), Redhat(4-7.2), Slackware when it used the 1.2.x kernel (not sure what version) till recent, SLS while it lasted...

All I got to say, is I recently started using the GUI installer for Redhat starting with 7.2(current). All the nice feature you could ALMOST want for ONLY 2.7GB for a "install everything" install. Only thing I got to say about Redhat is lay off the 'spresso and slow down a bit make sure you "fixes" actually fix it and don't break other things. INstall all the updates applicable t oyour system. Then break it by D/L'ing 2.4.16 and compiling it... patch in iSCSI support, (MUCH) improved intel NIC patches, LM_Sensors, latest ip_tables if neded, blah blah blah... modify the makefile for "your extra version" do a make xconfig, load one of the "configs" from an older "redhat" kernel source tree, make changes as needed (btw disale all the CRAP modules you won't ever need) save it out. make dep && make bzImage && make modules && make modules_install, copy needed thing to needed areas (following redhat's naming convention for kernels, System.map, modules.info, initrd's and so on is a good thing as thier script help keep that stuf straight a boot up), edit /boot/grub/grub.conf put in all the needed info (kind self explanatory), including a failback kernel, grub doesn't need to be re-ran nearly at all to get new kernels to boot... shutdown all yer crud and restart the box... if all goes well (usually it does work) access it (how ever you do it: telnet, shh, RIB board... blah blah)start yer crud should it need to be "manually started" (oracle, tuxedo, jolt, coldfusion, weblogic, are good examples of that). Notice significantly better performance from the same kernel assuming you benchmarked it before... :)

So, my reccomendation is get yur latest dist you want, and move it to a 2.4.16 kernel, update all you need to, to do it (some things like usermode, make, autoconf, glibc, etc...) Update yur X to 4.1.x (yur X replacement if you don't know how to un-RPMize(package mgr) it is a bit harry) and needed other things. Over all you'll enjoy the fruits of your labor and in the meantime learn a hell of a lot... and it really can happen all while you are using the dang thing too...

Me, I use Slack and RedHat at home, neat thing IP-TABLES has grown to be, great tool at [link|http://www.fwbuilder.org/|www.fwbuilder.org] AWESOME. 11 rules defined in XML built my entire iptables script, including spoofing (inbound and outbound), only certain services allowed to certain hosts, fully stateful connection track and ICMP trickery. Just make sure iptables 1.2.4 and linux kernel 2.4.10+ is used. If ya need help... I am yur man

Post #21,261 by folkert 12/12/01 10:26:27 PM Reply	Re: Where to get a cheap distro Well to be honest (groan...oh-boy he type-eth again) I have used Mandrake, Mandrake FREQ, SuSE, Not Debian (well not for a LONG time), Redhat(4-7.2), Slackware when it used the 1.2.x kernel (not sure what version) till recent, SLS while it lasted... All I got to say, is I recently started using the GUI installer for Redhat starting with 7.2(current). All the nice feature you could ALMOST want for ONLY 2.7GB for a "install everything" install. Only thing I got to say about Redhat is lay off the 'spresso and slow down a bit make sure you "fixes" actually fix it and don't break other things. INstall all the updates applicable t oyour system. Then break it by D/L'ing 2.4.16 and compiling it... patch in iSCSI support, (MUCH) improved intel NIC patches, LM_Sensors, latest ip_tables if neded, blah blah blah... modify the makefile for "your extra version" do a make xconfig, load one of the "configs" from an older "redhat" kernel source tree, make changes as needed (btw disale all the CRAP modules you won't ever need) save it out. make dep && make bzImage && make modules && make modules_install, copy needed thing to needed areas (following redhat's naming convention for kernels, System.map, modules.info, initrd's and so on is a good thing as thier script help keep that stuf straight a boot up), edit /boot/grub/grub.conf put in all the needed info (kind self explanatory), including a failback kernel, grub doesn't need to be re-ran nearly at all to get new kernels to boot... shutdown all yer crud and restart the box... if all goes well (usually it does work) access it (how ever you do it: telnet, shh, RIB board... blah blah)start yer crud should it need to be "manually started" (oracle, tuxedo, jolt, coldfusion, weblogic, are good examples of that). Notice significantly better performance from the same kernel assuming you benchmarked it before... :) So, my reccomendation is get yur latest dist you want, and move it to a 2.4.16 kernel, update all you need to, to do it (some things like usermode, make, autoconf, glibc, etc...) Update yur X to 4.1.x (yur X replacement if you don't know how to un-RPMize(package mgr) it is a bit harry) and needed other things. Over all you'll enjoy the fruits of your labor and in the meantime learn a hell of a lot... and it really can happen all while you are using the dang thing too... Me, I use Slack and RedHat at home, neat thing IP-TABLES has grown to be, great tool at [link\|http://www.fwbuilder.org/\|www.fwbuilder.org] AWESOME. 11 rules defined in XML built my entire iptables script, including spoofing (inbound and outbound), only certain services allowed to certain hosts, fully stateful connection track and ICMP trickery. Just make sure iptables 1.2.4 and linux kernel 2.4.10+ is used. If ya need help... I am yur man `greg, curley95@attbi.com -- REMEMBER ED CURRY!!!` In 2002, everyone will discover that everyone else is using linux. Linux: Good, fast AND cheap. Failure is not an option: It comes bundled with Windows. ** "Two rules to success in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know." - Sassan Tat
Post #21,356 by drewk 12/13/01 1:18:32 PM Reply	Sounds like fun, but ... Did you notice the part where I said this is a PII laptop with 32M (48? maybe) of ram and less than 2G HD space available? Have you ever tried to compile a kernel on one of these? But, once I get it running, maybe ... We have to fight the terrorists as if there were no rules and preserve our open society as if there were no terrorists. -- [link\|http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/05/opinion/BIO-FRIEDMAN.html\|Thomas Friedman]
Post #21,387 by Steven A S 12/13/01 5:44:37 PM Reply	Aww, come on! I've compiled a kernel on a 486 with 32M and a 800M HD. I'm sure others here have done it with less. Oh, sure, the kernels were a bit smaller then. Just start it up before going to bed. :) ~~~)-Steven---- "I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country..." General George S. Patton
Post #21,411 by folkert 12/13/01 9:26:28 PM Reply	Re: Sounds like awww [censored] to me if I ever got ... Sidetracked... Well try Slackware, with or without X, it can miniscule or gigantic. Yes, I know it "ain't being maintained" anymore (yeah right) Do put the newest kernel on it, though... makes ALOT of difference, especially on a "slower" machines. `greg, curley95@attbi.com -- REMEMBER ED CURRY!!!` In 2002, everyone will discover that everyone else is using linux. Linux: Good, fast AND cheap. Failure is not an option: It comes bundled with Windows. ** "Two rules to success in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know." - Sassan Tat
Post #21,449 by kmself 12/14/01 12:25:45 AM Reply	386SX-33 12 MB 253 MB Built me a kernel. 2.2.x series. Took a while (90 minutes IIRC), and I needed to clear off some packages to do it (emacs). But it worked. My first Debian box. The ability to add/remove packages with ease sold me. I don't see what you're bitching about with your PII 2GB 32 MB monster box ;-) `-- Karsten M. Self [link\|mailto:kmself@ix.netcom.com\|kmself@ix.netcom.com] What part of "gestalt" don't you understand?`

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