HD Install :: Help a noob again?

Me again

I got DSL to boot on all my machines now, and it's awesome.  I want to use it on an old (1997) Compaq, set up as an extra web surfing machine with DSL.

I want DSL to boot when the machine is powered on, and I'd like the lone cd-drive free, so I think I want to install it as the main OS on this old machne.

Machine: Compaq Desktop w/ 1.5Gb IDE HDD, 48Mb RAM,  AMD K6 200mhz, one optical drive, 1 floppy. 2 USB jacks

Going to install netcard: "Network Everywhere" (Wal-mart) 10/100 card (Model NC100)in the lone PCI slot to run from my highspeed, but the machine also has an old 56k modem.

Soundcard is built into the Motherboard, "ES1888 PnP audio drive" is what Windows tells me it is.

I want to erase everything currently on the HDD and start from a blank drive, but I've never formatted and partitioned a drive before, and I'm afraid I'll mess this up..  From what I've read, I'll need 3 partitions?  One for DSL, one for MyDSL extensions, and a third for Data?  This is where I'm unsure.  For that size drive, what size partitions to make?

I don't have any USB pedrives for storage on hand so I want the thing to just boot up and run, and have my settings, firefox bookmarks, etc.. already there for my daughter.  

I'll also need a flash player to work with firefox, because the educational kid's sites she likes to surf and lay on all seem to use flash for their reading/math learning games.  It's almost crucial, and the main reason I'm setting up the box for her.  Is it possible? (forgive my newbness here!)

So, what's the first step, and are there any issues I need to worry about?  I think this is all I need:

1. Basic DSL to boot without the Live CD (from the HD, frugal, I'm guessing), but with a place for downloading and installing extensions, and all traces of old OS and old data gone from the HDD (completely empty, starting anew.)
2. The sound to work (it doesn't on the box I'm using now)
3. Firefox with bookmarks that won;t dissappear
4. Flash player to work from firefox.with sound.
5.  The netcard to work for surfing to sites on my highspeed.
6. Ability to play audio CD's (my kid had music she wants to play sometimes)

I'd appreciate it if someone could help get me started in the right direction with this lil' project.  Thanks!

SMAG

next thing is to make it install on hd and tune it a little

be sure you're still root
- "mkswap /dev/hda2" from a terminal
- "swapon /dev/hda2" from a terminal
- Start the HD-install from the menu (by hand seems to messup my keyboard settings)

- boot from HD
- log-in as root
- edit "/boot/grub/menu.lst" (vga=792 dma nofstab acpi)

Quote

edit it in your first boot option, or make a new entry. This will set: - vga modus to 1024x786 without framebuffer (read FAQ) - dma access to your harddrive (faster) - stop DSL from rewriting the fstab on boot - activate ACPI power functions if your bios got it - set the wait-time to 5 or less seconds for faster booting

- edit "/etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig (comment out rule 379 to 383 to prevent "regenerate cache.ld.so and modules.de" for faster booting)

Code Sample

this will activate apt-get for you for easy installing new apps: - run "dpkg-restore" in terminal (to enable apt-get) - edit "/etc/apt/sources.list" (set the active one to "stable") - run "apt-get update"

use nano to edit normal config files, and use beaver to edit the "knopix-autoconfig" as it has a counter to see what rule your on.

reboot and login as DSL user. of make your own user if you like.

your datadisk is prolly mounted in /mnt/hda3 if not, get back to this thread and i'll help you with it.

have fun !