[NTLUG:Discuss] installing issues with lrp on Compaqs

[Minh Duong]

Hi all,

Has anybody know of any setup issues with installing
linux routers on Compaqs?

Here is my system:
Compaq Desktop 4000
P 200 mmx
48MB RAM
Floppy
Netintelligent On-board NIC
Matrox Video Card
Linksys LNE100TX NIC

I've been trying to install lrp (linux router project)
on an old Compaq Desktop 4000.  After a long, tedious
setup process which I won't go into, I finally got to
enter the setup screen.  Man, Compaqs suck.  It seemed
that the BIOS recognized the second NIC card.  There
is a built-in NIC card.

But when I try to boot the lrp, it doesn't recognize
the second card.  It is a Linksys card so tulip should
be the correct driver.  I had to get the tlan driver
for the onboard card.  I have tried the de4x5 driver. 
I have tried other NIC cards.  It still will not
recognize them.  My best guess is this:

My Compaq seems to intall part of the setup and BIOS
on the hard drive instead of keeping it all on the
ROM.  It might need to access this data to setup the
computer correctly.   Linux relies completely on the
BIOS for information.  Since linux does not know about
the hard drive info, it won't access them.  Hence no
sound card.

The setup on Compaq is, shall we say, an idiot-user
interface.  It doesn't give you access to anything
powerful.  You can't configure the disk partition,
configure IRQs, or disable Plug-n-Pray.  Like I said
before, Compaqs suck.

Anybody setup a router with Compaq?  There must be
something I'm missing right?  Thanks for your help in
advance.



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