
   WARNING from Jody Bruchon: This document is significantly out of date.

                              Installing ELKS
                                      
                      Original Author: [1]Matt Balaun
                     Editor/Contributor: [2]Al Riddoch
                       Sub-editor: [3]Riley Williams

   Here are basic instructions on installing ELKS, the Embeddable Linux
   Kernel Subset, onto one or more floppy disks for use on your PC.
   
   If you are looking for information on ELKS development or on compiling
   the kernel, please refer to the README file or the ELKS FAQ.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
                               Table of Contents
                                       
    1. [4]Introduction
    2. [5]Creating the installation floppies
    3. [6]Installing and booting ELKS
    4. [7]Credits/Thanks
       
   If you have any questions relating to this document, please post your
   question to the [8]Linux 8086 discussion list on the Internet.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Introduction

   ELKS, the Embeddable Linux Kernel Subset, is an open-source project
   designed to bring linux-like functionality to old x86 hardware (8088,
   8086, 80186, and 80286 processors). Currently, ELKS runs off floppy
   disks only; there is no officially supported means of booting ELKS
   directly from a hard drive as of yet. This document will tell you
   step-by-step how to create your own set of ELKS floppy disks.
   
   These are the disk images for ELKS as contained in the file IMAGES.ZIP
   and as of ELKS version 0.0.82:
   
        boot    Disk image used in creating the boot disk
        root    Disk image used in creating the root disk

        comb    Disk image used in creating a combination boot and
                root disk

   According to Al Riddoch, the maintainer of the ELKS project, using the
   combined image is always better, but it requires a disk size larger
   than 360K, so cannot be used on machines that only have 360K drives.
   Thus, if you have only 360k floppies, make separate boot and root
   disks.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Creating your installation floppies

   The first step in installing ELKS is to create the installation
   floppies. As a preliminary step, you will need...
   
     * To download the IMAGES.ZIP archive from the ELKS website.
     * One 720k or larger floppy, if you wish to create a single floppy
       installation and boot system.
     * Two floppies of any size, if you wish to create a "boot & root"
       installation and boot system.
       
   Depending on the system you intend to use to create the installation
   floppies, you may need additional tools as well.
   
   The method for creating the installation floppies differs wildly
   depending on the system you are using to create them, so has been
   separated into the following sections:
   
    1. Using an [9]MS-DOS or PC-DOS system
    2. Using a [10]Microsoft Windows system
    3. Using a [11]Linux system
    4. Using a [12]Psion 3 SIBO system (Under Construction)
       
   When you have created your floppies, [13]click here for instructions
   relating to installing and booting ELKS.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Using an MS-DOS or PC-DOS system

   For those of you using a DOS-based system, or a system where you have
   access to a DOS prompt, you will additionally need...
   
     * The [14]RAWRITE package.
       
   First, unzip IMAGES.ZIP into a directory on your hard drive. If you
   don't know how to do this, or if you haven't the tools to do this,
   download PKZ204G.EXE from ftp.pkware.com, install it, and read the
   documentation included with it.
   
   Here is an example session:
   

        C:\> md elks
        C:\> copy images.zip c:\elks\
        C:\> cd elks
        C:\ELKS> pkunzip images.zip

   Second, put a copy of RAWRITE.EXE in the same directory:
   
        C:\> copy c:\rawrite.exe c:\elks\

   Finally, decide which set of images you wish to make:
   
     * Separate [15]Boot & Root floppies.
     * A [16]combined floppy.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
  Separate Boot & Root floppies
  
   First, label a blank floppy "ELKS Boot", put it in drive A: and create
   the boot floppy:
   
        C:\ELKS> rawrite boot a:

   Take it out and put it on one side, then label a second blank floppy
   "ELKS Root", put it in the drive, and create the root floppy:
   
        C:\ELKS> rawrite root a:

   Take it out and put it with the "ELKS Boot" floppy, then take both
   floppies over to the system you wish to install ELKS on.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
  A combined floppy
  
   Label a blank floppy "ELKS Combined", put it in drive A: and create
   the floppy:
   
        C:\ELKS> rawrite comb a:

   Take it out and take it over to the system you wish to install ELKS
   on.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Using a Microsoft Windows system

   For those of you running a Microsoft Windows system where you can
   access a DOS Prompt, you are advised to do so, and to follow the
   [17]MS-DOS or PC-DOS instructions.
   
   For other Microsoft Windows users, details will be posted here when
   available.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Using a Linux system

   Linux systems supply all the tools you need as part of a standard
   installation. You will therefore only need to verify that the relevant
   tools were installed on your system, and add them if not. To verify
   this, type the following commands:
   
        $ type -path unzip
        $ type -path dd

   If either of those commands fails to produce any output, the relevant
   command is not installed on your system and you will need to install
   it.
   
   First, unzip the IMAGES.ZIP archive somewhere:
   
        $ mkdir ~/ELKS
        $ mv IMAGES.ZIP ~/ELKS
        $ cd ~/ELKS
        $ unzip IMAGES.ZIP

   Next, decide which type of installation you wish to make:
   
     * Separate [18]Boot & Root floppies.
     * A [19]combined floppy.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
  Separate Boot & Root floppies
  
   First, label a blank floppy "ELKS Boot", put it in drive A: and create
   the boot floppy:
   
        $ dd if=boot of=/dev/fd0

   Take it out and put it on one side, then label a second blank floppy
   "ELKS Root", put it in the drive, and create the root floppy:
   
        $ dd if=root of=/dev/fd0

   Take it out and put it with the "ELKS Boot" floppy, then take both
   floppies over to the system you wish to install ELKS on.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
  A combined floppy
  
   Label a blank floppy "ELKS Combined", put it in drive A: and create
   the floppy:
   
        $ dd if=comb of=/dev/fd0

   Take it out and take it over to the system you wish to install ELKS
   on.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Psion3 SIBO

   The SIBO port is not currently mature enough to be worth installing.
   If you are interested in testing and developing the SIBO kernel,
   please refer to the section on the ELKS website at
   
               [20]http://www.elks.ecs.soton.ac.uk/sibo.php3
   
   WARNING - the SIBO port will wipe the SSD disk in slot B and the
   ramdisk of your Psion 3c. Backup your data/applications and to be safe
   remove the SSD from slot A
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Installing and booting ELKS

   The procedure for installing and booting ELKS is quite simple, but
   differs slightly depending on whether the installation is from a
   [21]combined floppy or from separate [22]boot & root floppies.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
  Installing and booting from a combined floppy
  
   This is the simplest procedure: Just put the floppy in the floppy
   drive of the system you wish to run ELKS on, and boot the machine from
   that floppy drive.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
  Installing and booting from separate boot & root floppies
  
   The procedure here is to insert the ELKS BOOT floppy in the floppy
   drive of the target machine and boot the machine from that floppy
   drive. At the relevant point in the boot procedure, it will ask you to
   insert the ELKS ROOT floppy in the drive, at which point you should
   remove the boot floppy and insert the root floppy in its place, then
   press the key indicated on the screen.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
Credits/Thanks

   In updating v0.0.2 of this document, Al Riddoch contributed technical
   corrections throughout the whole text.
   
   In helping to distribute this document to all who are interested in
   ELKS, Phillip Rhoades has set up the ELKS Documentation Project
   homepage (http://www.crosswinds.net/~edp/) where the latest version of
   this and other documents relating to the ELKS project should always be
   available.
   
   Thanks to Al, Phillip, and all the other fine people working on the
   ELKS project.
     __________________________________________________________________
   
   PS: Bug reports are welcome. Requests for help will be answered when
   time permits.

References

   1. mailto:gs25mrb@panther.gsu.edu
   2. mailto:ajr@ecs.soton.ac.uk
   3. mailto:rhw@MemAlpha.cx
   4. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#1
   5. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2
   6. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#3
   7. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#4
   8. http://www.elks.ecs.soton.ac.uk/maillist.php3
   9. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.1
  10. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.2
  11. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.3
  12. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.4
  13. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#3
  14. ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/linux/slackware-7.0/bootdsks.144/
  15. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.1.1
  16. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.1.2
  17. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.1
  18. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.3.1
  19. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#2.3.2
  20. http://www.elks.ecs.soton.ac.uk/sibo.php3
  21. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#3.1
  22. file://localhost/home/pauln/src/elks/INSTALLATION.html#3.2
