After following one of the methods above, you should have the basic files needed for a Linux system. If you are running DOS, the following command will reboot your computer and run Linux:
C:\LINUX\DOSUTILS\LINUX
If you are running Windows 95, you can reboot your machine to start Linux by running the following program:
C:\LINUX\DOSUTILS\Linux95
You can add a short-cut to this program to your desktop by dragging the icon from a folder onto the desktop. Then to start Linux, just double-click on the icon.
Follow one of these two methods, then Linux should boot. If all goes well, you will end up with a prompt that resembles the following:
tinderbox login:
Aside: here ``tinderbox'' is the hostname for your machine. If you are curious about where the name came from, it might help to know that two of my other machines are ``snug'' and ``flowerpot''. A Mars bar will go to the first person to spot the pattern.
If you don't get this far, then something has gone wrong while you were installing the base set of files. Return to DOS, remove the C:\LINUX directory and try again. If you've already tried again, send me some mail ( mjc@cs.usyd.edu.au) and let me know what went wrong (with as much detail as you can about your computer and what went wrong). Please include any error messages that occur.
If you have got this far, then at the login prompt, type
root
password prompt, just press return.