
I'm currently writing a rather extensive tutorial on how to install and configure Slackware 9.1 (http://gabes.orcon.net.nz/slackware_install.html). It's so extensive in fact that it would be stupid for someone to try and print it all out. Instead of getting them to print it out beforehand, I thought I could get them to save the page to a floppy and bring it up in Lynx before starting the installation ie. insert the install cd-rom, login as root, switch to a virtual console, mount the floppy disk, and read the webpage with lynx. That way they could keep switching back to the virtual console and reading the next step while setup was running. The problem was that lynx was not included as an executable on the disk (it was obviously avaliable as a package-yet-to-be-installed). I was now faced with the problem of not having access to a web browser with which to read the tutorial. The first thing I did was try and copy the lynx binary (/usr/bin/lynx) on my (already installed) system onto the same floppy disk as the saved webpage. When I tried to run it, it complained about a missing library (which is logical considering that I only copied the executable). My next thought was to get one of those Linux floppy-based Linux distributions (which usually has lynx). The problem is that I have no idea how I could load it (the floppy-based distro) once I had already booted the install cd. To reiterate, here's my problem: I need to run lynx from the slackware installation cd so I can read a file stored on a floppy disk. Lynx (as an exectutable) isn't found on the disk. How would I be able to run lynx from a floppy disk? Thanks. Note: The Slackware install disks work as live distro before you start the actual installation (ie. you can login and do partitioning, mounting, formatting etc.).

* Gabriel Bankier-Perry <gabe89(a)orcon.net.nz> [2004-05-31 09:21]:
I was now faced with the problem of not having access to a web browser with which to read the tutorial.
You might want to check out vilistextum. It's not a browser, but you could use less(1) as the pager. So long as you don't need links in the text to work, that will do the job just fine. -- Regards, Aristotle "If you can't laugh at yourself, you don't take life seriously enough."

On 31/05/2004, at 7:21 PM, Gabriel Bankier-Perry wrote:
The first thing I did was try and copy the lynx binary (/usr/bin/lynx) on my (already installed) system onto the same floppy disk as the saved webpage. When I tried to run it, it complained about a missing library (which is logical considering that I only copied the executable).
Missing shareable libraries? Try running: ldd `which lynx` on the system you copied lynx from. I see on mine that it needs: libncurses.so.5 => /lib/libncurses.so.5 (0x4002e000) libssl.so.0.9.6 => /usr/lib/libssl.so.0.9.6 (0x40071000) libcrypto.so.0.9.6 => /usr/lib/libcrypto.so.0.9.6 (0x400a0000) libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x40174000) libdl.so.2 => /lib/libdl.so.2 (0x40292000) /lib/ld-linux.so.2 => /lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x40000000) You will need to make sure those libraries (or whatever ones your version requests) are available in the /usr/lib directory of the floppy. Michael.

Gabriel Bankier-Perry wrote:
To reiterate, here's my problem: I need to run lynx from the slackware installation cd so I can read a file stored on a floppy disk. Lynx (as an exectutable) isn't found on the disk. How would I be able to run lynx from a floppy disk?
Tar appropriate files and create a RAM disk to untar to then run from ? - Drew
participants (4)
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A. Pagaltzis
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Drew Broadley
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Gabriel Bankier-Perry
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Michael Cree