[plug] Linux on an IBM PS/2

[Michael Hunt]

> I was wondering if anyone has any experience installing linux (of
> any flavor) on a 486 IBM PS/2 box?

Not personally but it can be done. For a first time install it is probably
not the best option considering he is "evaluating" linux.

> A guy I work with is wanting to do that.  His little homework
> project is a precursor to our company distributing a lot of our
> stuff on more modern hardware, with linux! :), he's just trying
> to use what he's got.

It is not just modern it is also "common" hardware. MCA is good in theory
but practise showed that IBM got greedy and cut of the market it was tying
to win over.

> His other problem is connecting his home PS/2 box to his windows
> box which has the only available cdrom for the install.  I've
> heard that 'PLIP', a parallel port connection sw might do it.
> (he does not have the two boxes networked right now)
>
> He's only got 8M ram on the PS/2, so an older version of linux
> might be needed.

No any new version would do (and probably have better support in some areas.
Depending on disk space he may have to cut down on the number of packages
and get rid of X.

> I've searched the web.  But I've heard that the PS/2 might be an
> MCA architecture instead of ISA, which complicates. (admitting:
> I'd never heard of 'MCA' before this...)

Complicates it only if your equipment is not supported. Getting a 10 meg
network card for an old ps2 machine we had lying around here was a strain.
Plenty of Token Ring stuff but this can be considered pretty much useless in
a home networking environment (unless you can get your hands on all the
right gear). I think the card set us back $250 and was the last one they had
in stock. From memory that was about 2 and half to 3 years ago ....

> Appreciate any advice on recycling this old hardware and proving
> that linux can be forgiving of old systems.

On http://lwn.net there is a page that lists distros. Have a dig around
there and you might be able to find a MCA specific distro. I think there was
some info about one there somewhere.

Michael Hunt