# Installing FreeBSD base system on laptop with low specifications (Intel 80386)?



## starship300 (May 20, 2018)

Hi,

I have an IBM Thinkpad 300 notebook in good condition. I would like to run any type BSD (ideally close to FreeBSD). 
Will FreeBSD ever run on so low specifications?

IBM Thinkpad 300
http://oldcomputers.net/ibm-thinkpad.html

Which possibilities are given?

Thank you


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## Π 5C15 (May 20, 2018)

The problem it's that you must use the newer versions of FreeBSD since the previous versions are outdated and in EOL (End Of Life).
How do you are pretending to install it? Which media will you use for it? Because there are 2 ways of install FBSD that I'd do: from USB, and from DVD.
This equipment has USB ports?


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## starship300 (May 20, 2018)

Sounds impossible regarding possibilities... 

I have Win 3.1. I would like to format and reinstall something better : BSD (with floppy disk).
No usb is available, just floppy disks for installation.


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## Π 5C15 (May 20, 2018)

Still there's 1 possibility: install the cavernary versions of FBSD.
Do you have floppy disks?


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## Π 5C15 (May 20, 2018)

Wait: don't give up. I can't remember the times that I reinstalled this OS on my PC because of my ignorance about it. Despite it, I fought. And I was successful installing and using this system on my PC.
With this kind of attitude you won't install it.
You must decide if you'll give up...Or if you will fight.
I won't lie you: this is complex as hell.
But not impossible.
You decide.


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## Deleted member 30996 (May 20, 2018)

starship300 said:


> Which possibilities are given?



Oh, you'll never get FreeBSD on that old thing.... You might as well send it to me.  I'll pay shipping.

You, Sir, are the proud owner of one of the pre-spaceflight era Thinkpad, and I envy you. I have 6 in my Thinkpad farm but not one of those:

http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/thinkpad-laptop-nasa-youtube-spacelab

Let me think about it, I just woke up and haven't had my coffee yet.


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## Π 5C15 (May 20, 2018)

Trihexagonal Nice machine.
And it wasn't necessary that you liked my reply: I'm here to serve and learn


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## abishai (May 20, 2018)

You may not to believe me, but I booted old laptop from usb using PCMCIA-to-USB adapter once.... If bios has option to boot from PCMCIA slot, you have chances to boot from USB or CF.


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## Phishfry (May 20, 2018)

I am a tweaker and I would pull out the hard drive, put a 44pin to 40 pin adapter on it, and install FreeBSD on the drive from another computer. Then reinstall in your laptop.
It helps that I already have the adapter in a bin..Maybe you could borrow one from a friend. These were common 15 years ago.


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## Phishfry (May 20, 2018)

I just read the specs and you are out of luck. There is no way you will boot FreeBSD off 16MB ram.

"*Memory:*4-16MB RAM"

https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/bsdinstall-hardware.html
"A FreeBSD installation requires a minimum of 96 MB of RAM"

Even if you did some custom configuration I doubt you could get it to go below 64MB.


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## Π 5C15 (May 20, 2018)

Phishfry
At least...that he do what I don't: download the vital components of a FreeBSD system, compile them in a file, and put that file into the memory of the machine (maybe without installing it). That and hope that this crazy operation won't f*ck up everything...
Since FreeBSD is open source, he can edit its code, and make it specifically for that laptop. But still he needs old code, with all its vulnerabilities...always when he don't connect it to Internet, I think that nobody can attack that relic.
Although, he can extract the kernel and the code that makes the system to run. Then adapt it for that old machine.


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## Deleted member 30996 (May 20, 2018)

My offer to pay shipping is still open. 

When I have questions about Thinkpads and need the advise of what I consider the Pros, I go to the Thinkpads Forum. They would be who to ask about how best to utilize your 300. I'm a member there, my screenshots are easy to spot.

This is the Thinkpad Wiki 300 page and another resource I use regularily.


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## Datapanic (May 21, 2018)

Install DOS on it and be happy!


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## Phishfry (May 21, 2018)

Better yet how about FreeDOS and OpenGEM. FreeDOS has been going strong for 23 years now.
http://ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/gui/opengem/


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## Maxnix (May 21, 2018)

Why not NetBSD? According to their page you should be able to install it.


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## starship300 (May 21, 2018)

Datapanic said:


> Install DOS on it and be happy!



Thank you for so much answers.

I was considering FreeDOS to install on the laptop... FreeDOS is opensource. Opengem looks good.
http://www.freedos.org/
http://ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/gui/opengem/

This means that FreeBSD will be out of luck, right? The base would be to have the FreeBSD 12.x on a single floppy disk. The version 12.x would be awesome, really.  http://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/

I wonder. Maybe an existing BSD:
- Is there maybe a BSD that fits only on a single floppy disk to start with base system, and then, next floppies to further install it. ?? (a bit like Windows 3.1).

not much results 
https://www.google.at/search?q=bsd+on+floppy+disk
One result: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PicoBSD
https://people.freebsd.org/~picobsd/old/picobsd.html
https://people.freebsd.org/~picobsd/picobsd225/  (not found)


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## Phishfry (May 21, 2018)

Well NetBSD sounded OK . But I do see this on their page
"Any i486 or better CPU should work"


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## starship300 (May 21, 2018)

Phishfry said:


> Well NetBSD sounded OK . But I do see this on their page
> "Any i486 or better CPU should work"



My 2 cents...



> It is common. Most people in computer science area usually think that i486 machines are just too old. They are sufficient for the garbage dump. It is like if the physician would say to a person in retirement (above ~65-70 years old): "Go outside, you are too old. I am sorry but you are just too old and I can't help you".   Microsoft Windows operating system is good at that  The hardware is made to be according to the Software. Software rules. This is common and normal, i.e. generally accepted. It is like smoking. People are educated to be dependent. At school, they are used to mostly Apple or Microsoft, and much less Linux. I don't know even a single university that has lab rooms with installed Linux or BSD. University admins are using Microsoft, nothing wrong about that. Or maybe this is completely wrong? Just matter of education. Maybe, in the world, 2-3 universities in Brasil (with Ubuntu) are relying on OpenSource / Free Software foundation. Likely less than 20 universities in the world. Our Education makes us not caring about old computers. Linux is more likely to be found rather than BSD    No idea why really. Considering it, Schools and Universities teach how to "smoke" and how to be dependent.



NetBSD has likely still supporting old machines. Google search gives good hopes to get a BSD system.
http://www.netbsd.org/~sborrill/htdocs/i386/faq.html#onefloppy


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