# Installing ELKS

Original Author: Matt Balaun
Editor/Contributor: Al Riddoch
Sub-editor: 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. Introduction
2. Creating the installation floppies
3. Installing and booting ELKS
4. Credits/Thanks

If you have any questions relating to this document, please post your question to the 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 MS-DOS or PC-DOS system
2. Using a Microsoft Windows system
3. Using a Linux system
4. Using a Psion 3 SIBO system (Under Construction)

When you have created your floppies, 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 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 Boot & Root floppies.
- A 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 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 Boot & Root floppies.
- A 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

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 combined floppy or from separate 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.