can't get any version to work

[Emrys]

So I got an old desktop from someone with 128 ram and a 2gig processor running windows xp. And I've been trying to learn a bit about linux lately so I thought I'd try to put vectorlinux on it since it has low ram. I tried several versions of vectorlinux but had problems with all of them. If you could help me get any version working I would appreciate it.

I had to install plop boot manager on it so it can boot from usb since my disk writer doesn't work. Then I put VL6 standard on a usb and booted from it. It took me a few tries to figure out a video configuration that it wouldn't freak out on. Then I guess it's going through the installation process and I get to

"sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk
sd 2:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0"

and it just stops there.

After that I decided to try VL6 light live
I got it to boot all the way, but it seems to have a problem running the programs, nothing will open. XTerm did open once but it took a pretty long time. I tried to open the vlliveinstaller and it did ask me for the password but it didn't do anything after that. Also when I tried to log out, it wouldn't. I had to force the computer to shut down. Also if it helps the desktop background was black, but when i tried it on my laptop it had a background and all the programs ran fine.

I tried VL 6 light and when I was running setup on it it said it couldn't find the install media because it was only looking for a cd or hard disk partition and I was using usb.

I tried VL KDE classic live and from what I remember of running light live, I got to the part where the interface should show up, but the screen stays black. The last message I saw was
"going to multi-user interface mode"

and thats all the versions I've tried, any suggestions?

[nightflier]

How about some more information about the machine you're working with? Make and model may give some clues. Also, is there anything on the drive that you want to keep, or can you just wipe it clean?

With 128 MB of RAM, Light would be your best choice. There may be boot options that could help, only experimentation will tell.

[Emrys]

Dell Dimension 2350
Pentium 4 CPU 2.20GHz
128MB RAM

I'd like to keep windows xp on since I know it works. I'd hate to wipe that off just to get a new operating system on there and risk that one not working. And I don't have a windows cd to put it back on.

[GrannyGeek]

I'd like to keep windows xp on since I know it works. I'd hate to wipe that off just to get a new operating system on there and risk that one not working. And I don't have a windows cd to put it back on.

First of all, make an image file of your Windows XP drive *immediately* if you want to keep it. A hard drive can fail at any time. Since you have no disk to restore your Windows, what would you do if your drive suddenly failed--and this has nothing to do with Linux? If your hard drive is a Seagate, Maxtor, or Western Digital, you can download a free version of Acronis TrueImage that will make an image file of your hard drive.

Do you have unformatted space on your drive? If you don't, you can shrink your XP partitions losslessly with a Windows tool like Partition Commander. I think GParted, which comes on some VL CDs, will shrink a Windows partition losslessly, but be sure to confirm this first.

But to go back to my first point, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you don't want to lose *must* be backed up all the time.
--GrannyGeek

[Emrys]

I'd like to keep windows xp on since I know it works. I'd hate to wipe that off just to get a new operating system on there and risk that one not working. And I don't have a windows cd to put it back on.

First of all, make an image file of your Windows XP drive *immediately* if you want to keep it. A hard drive can fail at any time. Since you have no disk to restore your Windows, what would you do if your drive suddenly failed--and this has nothing to do with Linux? If your hard drive is a Seagate, Maxtor, or Western Digital, you can download a free version of Acronis TrueImage that will make an image file of your hard drive.

Do you have unformatted space on your drive? If you don't, you can shrink your XP partitions losslessly with a Windows tool like Partition Commander. I think GParted, which comes on some VL CDs, will shrink a Windows partition losslessly, but be sure to confirm this first.

But to go back to my first point, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you don't want to lose *must* be backed up all the time.
--GrannyGeek

So I followed your advice, got acronis, made a backup image of my drive. Then I got partition commander,  shrunk my windows partition and set up an empty and a swap partition, then it said it had to reboot to make the changes and now it won't boot. It doesn't even get to the plop boot manager before it reboots each time.

[nightflier]

Now is a good time to test your backup then. Restore the image and see if it returns to the starting point.