selecting kernel to install

[redpark]

i'm attempting to do a harddrive install of fc8 to "computer A", which is incapable of booting from cd. so far, i have successfully moved the harddrive to "computer B" and installed to that harddrive from the fc8 live cd.

problem is, when i move the harddrive back to computer A and attempt to boot, i'm told that the kernel requires features (0:15) that are not supported by my cpu (which is an amd k6-2 or thereabouts). i partially solved that problem by searching and finding that the fedora unity respin includes a kernel that supports the k6-2. so i downloaded disc 1 of the respin and burned it to cd.

now my problem is, how do i get the live cd to install the appropriate kernel? i still need to move the harddrive to computer B, which has a modern cpu, to install fc8 to it. i expect that the install will detect the modern cpu and install the appropriate kernel for it. what i really want (i'm pretty sure) is to install kernel-2.6.14-102.fc8.i586.rpm -- *586* not 686.

i've looked at the sticky post on installation options, and don't see there any way to force the choice of a particular kernel.

any ideas how i might get the kernel i want, when installing on computer B for use on computer A?

thanks, ed

[Dies]

Why not just place the drive back into the machine that boots from it, then download the required kernel and install it there, then plug it back in to the older machine. You probably want to remove the i686 kernel, though only once you're absolutely sure the other kernel is actually installed and listed in your grub.conf.


Though I have to say, I didn't respond to your other post because I think in the end you'll probably be disappointed with the performance. There are some much better distros out there for low-spec hardware.

[redpark]

thank you, that sounds good.

about your "other distribution" suggestion: i looked around and quickly got bewildered by the number of choices and recommendations, and would happily narrow it down to one or two of yours. this box will probably end up as a headless server on a home network. i was planning to do a light install of fedora, without X, open office, and such. i have fedora running on other computers on the network, including a 4-computer flight simulator, and there's probably some advantage in sticking with one (or similar) distribution(s).

under those circumstances, what should i be looking at?

thanks for your help (once again -- you've helped me out here before).

ed

[Dies]

Originally Posted by redpark

i was planning to do a light install of fedora, without X, open office, and such. i have fedora running on other computers on the network, including a 4-computer flight simulator, and there's probably some advantage in sticking with one (or similar) distribution(s).

under those circumstances, what should i be looking at?

thanks for your help (once again -- you've helped me out here before).

ed

Ah, well in that case Fedora would definitely be my choice also.

Sorry, I just assumed you would want to run Gnome with Compiz-Fusion on that then wonder why it's so slow...

For low-spec hardware I usually lean towards Slackware-based like maybe Zenwalk, but if you're not planning on running X and you already have Fedora computers on the network that wouldn't make much sense. Plus Fedora is easier to maintain.

[redpark]

Originally Posted by Dies

Why not just place the drive back into the machine that boots from it, then download the required kernel and install it there, then plug it back in to the older machine.

not as easy as we thought. first i had to uninstall the .i686 kernel before it would let me install the .i586 kernel. then i had to manually edit grub.conf so it would find the .i586 kernel. not so bad, and it then booted just fine in the modern computer B.

but when i moved the disk back to the low-spec computer A, boot hangs part way though. last message on-screen is an innocuous one about the logitec mouse. maybe dmesg would tell me why it hung, but i don't see any way to get to it.

i'm going to let this sit for awhile -- a couple of weeks while i'm away. but if in the meantime anyone has any thoughts about how i can get fedora 8 to boot on my low-spec computer A with amd k6-2/333 cpu, please send them in.

thanks, ed