Via 800Mhz, 512M pc133, 512M CF

[ThinIsGreat]

I have Linux NFS server and TFTP server up here.

I want to boot the VIA 800 thin client from USB and load the Puppy Linux.

Also I took out CF and hooked to XP pro.
Where I can just download the whole image and do a simple Copy under the XP pro to this CF. And reinstall the CF back to thin client.

The Thin Client is Maxterm 8300.

[disciple]

1. Choose a version of puppy
2. Follow the instructions at http://puppylinux.com/hard-puppy.htm to do a manual frugal install (you just need to extract a few files from the iso with Izarc or something, and put them on the CF)
3. Install a bootloader to the CF (WinGrub is nice and easy, otherwise the easiest would be to boot a Linux LiveCD on the desktop and do it in that). Don't forget to put the right entry in menu.lst if you use any form of Grub.
4. Presumably you know how to use NFS?

[chicks]

Simplest way I've found is to download an ISO, burn it to a CD, boot Puppy from the CD, then use Puppy installer to burn your CF via a USB adapter.

[raffy]

Simple copy will not work, as the "bootware" in the CD is isolinux whereas it is syslinux for CF/USB install.

You can perhaps try to put the syslinux MBR to your CF with

syslinux.exe E: mbr.bin

in console in Windows. Get syslinux.exe and mbr.bin here:
http://minipc.org/safepup/syslinux.zip
http://minipc.org/safepup/mbr.bin

We assume that your CF is already bootable. Substitute your CF drive letter to "E".

[chicks]

OK, I just did a dry run on a MaxTerm 3300 (same HW as your 8300)

1. Download a Puppy ISO
2. Burn a CD under Windows using something like ImgBurn or whatever.
3. Boot your PC using the new CD
4. Insert your CF into a USB adapter, and plug it into the PC
5. In Puppy, select System/GParted partition manager
6. Format your CF as ext2 or ext3 (should show up as device sda1)
7. Make sure the boot flag is set (right-click in GParted for menu)
8. Select Setup/Puppy Universal Installer
9. Select USB Flash Drive (later move CF to IDE adapter)
10. Follow the prompts
11. Move CF to MaxTerm, boot, and enjoy Puppy!

[ThinIsGreat]

OK, I just did a dry run on a MaxTerm 3300 (same HW as your 8300)

1. Download a Puppy ISO
2. Burn a CD under Windows using something like ImgBurn or whatever.
3. Boot your PC using the new CD
4. Insert your CF into a USB adapter, and plug it into the PC
5. In Puppy, select System/GParted partition manager
6. Format your CF as ext2 or ext3 (should show up as device sda1)
7. Make sure the boot flag is set (right-click in GParted for menu)
8. Select Setup/Puppy Universal Installer
9. Select USB Flash Drive (later move CF to IDE adapter)
10. Follow the prompts
11. Move CF to MaxTerm, boot, and enjoy Puppy!

I thought I am too smart, so in step 6, I created a swap partition first.
And the installation failed apart. 2nd try w/o swap partition, the installation went fine.

New concerns pop up here, but it is not related the hardware (8300). More on software issue, control center/management this puppy device.

Thanks a lot,