Old laptops

[reddwarf2956]

I am looking for a destro of Linux that could run a real time program that is currently MS DOS. Most of the computers that use it are 386, 486, or Pentium laptops. It will because of the demands of the program be the only thing running on the machine. I figure the distro needs to be on a floppy or two, or a CD.

The software is used to control motors which control a telescope. Because I am not a programmer, I will need help on recoding the source from MS DOS C to Linux C. Most of the time the computer will be having low, but constant use. However, there are times when the machine has to give full CPU power to the motor controller to move the scope quickly. The hardware that the motors are using is the parallel port. The serial port, IRport can be used as communication with another computer.

I feel that the distro is going to be as important as the code change as to make use of the current software. One can look at this as a way to make a embeded computer for a telescope however everything is off the shelf and old.

To look at the source code:

http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/cot/cot.html#DOWNLOAD



Any help would be great.

John

[gehidore]

the distro i would recomend would be damn small linux (damnsmalllinux.org) its small fast has a very small wm and boots from the cd into a complete os auto confs almost everything

the recompile i cannot help you

[reddwarf2956]

I see that I need to state the size a bit better.

It can go on a CD, but must be able to fit on up to 3 floppies.

My computer that will be running this program is in fact fitting the profile of not having a CD.

[terribleRobbo]

Have a look around for 'Floppix'. It fits on two or three disks. I don't have linkage at the moment, sorry.

[reddwarf2956]

The big problem I see with 'Floppix' is no way to save the setup and changes back to a floppy or to place everything to a harddisk. I have not downloaded as of now so I maybe wrong.

I have read about recovery disk too I just don't know if it would be useful for what I am doing?

While snooping around I found this:
http://blueflops.sourceforge.net/
which has 2.6.x kernel. I wonder how much of the old hardware needs this newest version?

Any others? What about the code?

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by reddwarf2956
[B]I am looking for a destro of Linux that could run a real time program that is currently MS DOS./B]

'DOSEMU' (http://www.dosemu.org/) may work.