RULE and Slinky
The information on this site is outdated and no longer maintained.
RULE
RULE is an acronym for: Run Up2date
Linux Everywhere. It is dedicated to install
FEDORA on low memory PCs. Read more about it at: The RULE-Project.
The new SLINKY Builder Guide comming soon.
System overview of SLINKY:
Slinky-0.5.05c for Fedora Core 5 FC5
07.08.2006
These are the minor changes compared to slinky-0.5.05b:
- Switched back to kernel 2.6.15.
- Size of ramdisk is now 16384K (former 2048K). Now all modules can be copied to the ramdisk.
- Kernel command line parameter vga=ask added in grub_install.sh
- slinky-iso also includes the modules to be copied in to the ramdisk.
If you want to try it, download here:
Slinky-0.5.05b for Fedora Core 5 FC5
13.07.2006, 24.07.2006
These are the news:
- There is also an ISO-image in case it's easier to boot from CD than from floppy.
- The modules are also compiled with kernel 2.6.17.1
The ISO-image was build with the script makeiso.sh from the devel-tarball.
If you want to try it, download here:
Slinky-0.5.05a for Fedora Core 5 FC5
30.03.2006, 07.04.2006
These are the news:
- Slinky installs FC5 now
- Nearly all dialogs are presented thru the dialog dialog-program
- Slinky can use FC5 rpms provided via http now
- The mkfs.ext3-applet of busybox is used to make ext3 filesystems
- The rpm-and rpm2cpio-applet of busybox are used to install rpm of FC5
- Slinkies functionality is reduced in the following way:
- Older versions of Fedora are not supported any more
- Slinky now only uses ext3 to format partitions
- Slinky now only has a single set of base-packages to install
- Slinky now only installs packages from FC5 disc1
You can get the boot-floppy
and copy it to a floppy with: dd if=slinky-0.5.05a-disk1.img
of=/dev/fd0.
You can create the boot-floppy yourself using the develop tarball.
If you want to install via network you first need to load the
right modules for your hardware. You find many modules in
the slinky-0.5.05-modules.img.bz2
but it is too big to fit on a single floppy. You can try this
slinky-0.5.05-modules1.img
that fits on one floppy. It contains some popular net-modules
and those needed to use nfs.
Here are install.logs from different SLINKY-installation-methods
These are the config files used to build the components
To discuss about the RULE-Project or report experiences with
the Slinky-Installer please use the RULE-Mailing-List.
Older versions of Slinky
Slinky-0.5.04 for Fedora Core 4 FC4
13.01.2006
Due to an installation report at the RULE-Mailing
List I changed the package-lists for the installation to
be consistent - but they aren't. The only working package
selection as far as I have tested is the
base-selection. It seems to me that package
xinitrc-4.0.18-1.noarch.rpm from disc1 is depending on
xorg-x11-6.8.2-31.i386.rpm from disc2 by depending on
/usr/X11R6/bin/sessreg and /usr/X11R6/bin/xsetroot and vice
versa. Don't know how to resolve this situation. There is
one other report concerning problems when installing from
ftp-source waiting to be resolved.
You can get the boot-floppy
and copy it to a floppy with: dd if=slinky-0.5.04-disk1.img
of=/dev/fd0.
This is the corresponding develop
tarball.
Slinky-0.5.03 for Fedora Core 4 FC4
13.09.2005
If you want to install FC4 on a low memory PC where
anaconda doesn't work, try this procedure.
- I asume you already have the FC4 installation ISO's (at a
minimum only the first disc is needed)
- get the boot-floppy
and copy it to a floppy with: dd if=slinky-0.5.03-disk1.img
of=/dev/fd0, or
- get the develop
tarball, unpack it and create the boot-floppy yourself
with the script: makedisk.sh, then
- boot a PC with this floppy and install FC4 from CDROM,
local ISOs/RPMs, nfs ISOs/RPMs or ftp RPMs.
- In order to fit on the boot-floppy, the kernel-2.6.13
is configured to a minimal size. You can inspect its
configuration at /proc/config.gz. If you install at an IDE-PC
from CDROM or local, the boot-floppy and FC4-CD1 is all you need.
Installations via network need modules not provided in the
installation kernel itself. By now there is no automatic to
load these modules.slinky-0.5.03-modules.img.bz2
is provided for those who can manage to bring this ext2-image
to the target machine and mount it at /lib/modules. Then you
can load lots of modules (if you know there name) with
modprobe _module-name_.
The news are:
- This version contains - hopefully - some bugfixes that were
mostly inspired by the test reports on v0.5.02 from
C.David Rigby and Richard Kweskin - Thank you.
- The GRUB-installation seems to work now.
- Due to the RULE motto "up to date" I upgraded the installation-kernel
to 2.6.13 and busybox to 1.01
- In order to give you an idea of how SLINKY works take a
look at the Slinky
Systemstructure (pdf) (ps)
(png) (dot).
Slinky-0.5.02 for Fedora Core 4 FC4
01.07.2005
If you want to install FC4 on a low memory PC where
anaconda doesn't work, try this procedure.
- I asume you already have the FC4 installation ISO's (at a
minimum only the first disc is needed)
- get the boot-floppy
and copy it to a floppy with: dd if=slinky-0.5.02-disk1.img
of=/dev/fd0, or
- get the develop
tarball, unpack it and create the boot-floppy yourself
with the script: makedisk.sh, then
- boot a PC with this floppy and install FC4 from CDROM,
local ISOs/RPMs, nfs ISOs/RPMs or ftp RPMs.
- In order to fit on the boot-floppy, the kernel-2.6.11.12
is configured to a minimal size. You can inspect its
configuration at /proc/config.gz. If you install at an IDE-PC
from CDROM or local, the boot-floppy and FC4-CD1 is all you need.
Installations via network need modules not provided in the
installation kernel itself. By now there is no automatic to
load these modules. slinky-0.5.02-modules.img.bz2
is provided for those who can manage to bring this ext2-image
to the target machine and mount it at /lib/modules. Then you
can load lots of modules (if you know there name) with
modprobe _module-name_. slinky-0.5.02-modules1.img.bz2
is likely but much smaller.
The news are:
- This version can install FC4. The GRUB-installation is
not working clean - expect that you have to edit names of
kernel/initrd when booting the new installation.
Slinky-0.5.01 for Fedora Core 3 aka FC3
13.06.2005
If you want to install FC3 on a low memory PC where
anaconda doesn't work, try this procedure:
- I asume you already have the FC3 installation ISO's (at a
minimum only the first disc is needed)
- get the boot-floppy
and copy it to a floppy with: dd if=slinky-0.5.01-disk1.img
of=/dev/fd0, or
- get the develop
tarball, unpack it and create the boot-floppy yourself
with the script: makedisk.sh, then
- boot a PC with this floppy and install FC3 from cdrom,
local ISOs/rpms or nfs ISOs/rpms.
- If you need modules for net-connection or scsi you can use
slinky-0.5.01-modules.img.bz2.
The news are:
- This version merges v0.5.0 and v0.4.08. You get the nice dialog interface and also different package-lists.
Old images and tar-files from below are not available online due to limited quota.
Slinky-0.4.08 for Fedora Core 3 aka FC3
04.06.2005
If you want to install FC3 on a low memory PC where
anaconda doesn't work, try this procedure:
- I asume you already have the FC3 installation ISO's (at a minimum only the first disc is needed)
- get the boot-floppy and copy it to a floppy with: dd if=slinky-0.4.08-disk1.img of=/dev/fd0, or
- get the develop tarball, unpack it and create the boot-floppy yourself with the script: makedisk.sh, then
- boot a PC with this floppy and install FC3 from cdrom, local ISOs/rpms or nfs ISOs/rpms.
The news are:
- the installation uses a nice dialog-interface now
- all installation tasks are called within a main loop now,
not consecutive as earlier. This allows to repeat or skip
single tasks as needed.
- you can get shells to the SLINKY-installation-context or the /newroot-context.
- GRUB is used as the boot-loader to be installed.
- added a new keymap for Italian keyboards: it.map.
If I get positive feedback I will try to merge this version with the
meanwhile published version SLINKY-v0.5.0 to provide
alternative package-listes.
Slinky-0.4.07 for Fedora FC3
28.11.2004
If you want to install Fedora FC3 on a low memory PC where
anaconda doesn't work, try this procedure:
- get the FC3 installation ISO's (at a minimum only the first disc is needed)
- get the boot-floppy directly or
- get the develop tarball and create the boot-floppy yourself, then
- install FC3 with this boot-floppy from cdrom, local ISOs/rpms or nfs ISOs/rpms.
The news are:
- Packages kbd and userspace added to the minimal-packages.
- fixed nameing-difference for minimal-package-lists (mini - minimal)
Localized Keymaps
In older versions Slinky only provided the builtin US
keybord mapping of the LINUX-Kernel. If you don't have an US
keybord it can be very frustrating to find the right keys to
enter "yes" or "/" or "-" or whatever is
needed while installing. Here you find a description to add
the mapping you are used to: english deutsch.
Slinky-0.4.06 for Fedora FC3
13.11.2004
If you want to install Fedora FC3 on a low memory PC where
anaconda doesn't work, try this procedure:
- get the FC3 installation ISO's (at a minimum only the first disc is needed)
- get the boot-floppy directly or
- get the develop tarball and create the boot-floppy yourself, then
- install FC3 with this boot-floppy from cdrom, local ISOs/rpms or nfs ISOs/rpms.
Slinky-0.4.05 for Fedora FC3-test3 - work in progress
03.11.2004
You should only use these files if you like to experiment. There
are many new things, that are untested and need testing.
The news are:
- kernel for installation is 2.6.9
- Support for pcmcia-devices included in floppy1, run /scripts/pcmcia.sh
- /sbin/cardmgr compiled with uclibc
- minimal package-list for FC3-test3 as posted by Rodolfo J. Paiz at the RULE mailinglist
To create the boot-floppy download the devel-tree, unpack it and execute
./makedisk.sh in the toplevel-directory. To use the boot-floppy
copy the Floppy-Boot-Image
to a floppy: dd if=slinky-0.4.05-disk1.img
of=/dev/fd0.
The following package-lists are used by slinky-0.4.05 to
install the Fedora FC3-test3 rpms:
If you are interested in the components, here are the .config files I used:
Take a look at Making
Linux Installation Disks for Fun and Profit for a fine
collection of informatin to create a boot-floppy for
LINUX-installation on small systems.
Slinky-0.4.04 for Fedora FC3-test3 - old
19.10.2004
You sould only use these files if you like to experiment. There
are many new things, that need testing.
The news are:
- only one floppy needed to install
- call rpm only once for every one of the 4 FC3-discs
- don't use --nodeps option with rpm
- busybox-1.00 (not -rc3)
- Installation methods are not available
To create the boot-floppy download the devel-tree. See recent
comments on the RULE-Mailinglist.
If you are interested in the components, here are the .config files I used:
Slinky-0.4.03 for Fedora FC3-test3 - old
16.10.2004
You sould only use these files if you like to experiment. The
resulting installation does boot, but has errors.
To create the boot-floppies download the devel-tree. See recent
comments on the RULE-Mailinglist. you cannot create a
bootable cdrom from it.
If you are interested in the components, here are the .config files I used:
More installation methods for Fedora FC2 with Slinky-0.4.02 - old
24.09.2004
If you want to install Fedora FC2 on a low memory pc you can use
the slinky-0.4.02 boot floppies.
Slinky offers different ways of installation. You need the two
floppies to start the installation and you need at least the
first CD of FC2: FC2-i386-disc1.iso.
You can use one of the following installation methods:
- cdrom: if you have a local cdrom, burn the FC2 isos to cd.
- image: if you have a big local harddisk, copy the FC2 isos to a partition.
- rpms: like image, but you extract the rpms from the FC2 isos in advance.
- ftp: setup an ftp-server, put the rpms on this server, connect your installation pc to the ftp-server.
- nfs: setup an nfs-server, put the rpms on this server, connect your installation pc to the nfs-server.
The default method is cdrom.
The installation methods via LAN are limited to few
network-devices and you have to setup the network manually from
the second virtual console with:
- modprobe _driver_
- ifconfig eth0 _ip-address_
You can download the floppies here
If you are interested in the components, here are the .config files I used:
If you want to modify the floppies take a look at the devel-tree.
But you cannot create a bootable cdrom from it.
Install Fedora FC2 with Slinky-0.4.01, a first try - old
16.09.2004
There were some questions at the rule-mailinglist, when it
would be possible to install Fedora FC2 with slinky.
With the following floppy-images you can do this.
RedHat 9 was dropped and replaced by Fedora FC2.
The main changes in order to install Fedora FC2 are the new
package-lists. I tried to find the corresponding FC2-package
to every RedHat 9 one and grouped them according to the 4 CDs
of FC2. I think you need at least FC2 CD1-3 to get a working
system because lilo is on FC2 CD3. Take a look at the
packages file. You can use '--' to comment lines.
Busybox rpm is used to bootstrap rpm-4.3.1 from FC2
Please keep in mind that I only tested booting with first floppy,
second-stage-script on second floppy and Fedora FC2 rpms on cdrom.
Any other installation type might be simply unusable.
If you want to create the floppies yourself or change them,
use the file slinky-devel-0.4.01.tar.bz2. It contains all the
necessary files exept the directory rule_iso which I didn't
use. If you need it, take it from the slinky-v0.3.96 archive.
Slinky-Disks with busybox-1.00-rc3, kernel-2.6.8.1 and dialog - old
These are the two slinky boot-disks with new components.
© 1999-2005 Franz Zahaurek
Gymnasiumstrasse 26/7
A-1180 Wien
Last modified: Mon Feb 18 23:25:57 CET 2008