Hacktop

Overview

The goal of this project is to learn the basics of the Linuxs OS and build higher capacity for using command line tools. My first aim will be to install and run the MOPy fish, a freeware cyberpet from my childhood. The aim of this project is to be able to write a paper about the processes of engaging in digital scholarship within the social sciences, as well as how our childhood experiences of technology and posthuman subjects (or at least relational objects) impact us as scholars in the anthropocene.

Progress

  • Ordered the Hacktop!
    • LENOVO THINKPAD X200 TABLET INTEL CORE 2 DUO 1.8GHz 2GB RAM 128GB HDD
  • Internet searching/reading, asking Hacklab folks about: desktop environments, windowing systems, and window managers; learned about the desktop metaphor (which I was previously unaware of) and the paper paradigm
    • I wonder if my lack of awareness of the desktop metaphor and paper paradigm are sort of my generation’s lack of awareness of say, floppy disks versus save icons
  • June 13 – installing Linux
    • starting point: section 3 of the the Debian/GNU Linux Installation Guide, skipping section 2, because my partner has already vetted my laptop for compatibility
    • opened up the Thinkpad for the first time and let Windows do its thing (which is weird – I haven’t seen all of that since I was a kid), and went into the Device Manager to get the hardware information that the installation guide references here
      • hd: HITACHI HTS543225L9SA00 (and IMD-0)
      • 4 gb ram/2.96 gb usable
      • after Googling and using the find feature, I used the file path in parenthesis (Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Display > Screen Resolution > Advanced Settings > Adaptor) to find out what video card the Thinkpad has – Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family, Adapter string: Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500MHD
      • used these instructions to find out what network interfaces the Thinkpad has – Intel(R) 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection, plus Intel(R) Wifi Link 5300 AGN
    • next step was figuring out how to access BIOS, which I did with my partner’s expert advice (after googling and finding this helpful comment on which keys do what): “yeah try mashing f1 a lot after you press the power button. don’t hold it down though, just press it over and over.” It worked!
    • put -USB HDD as priority one in the Boot priority order (– because there isn’t one connected currently)
    • while trying to figure out how to download the files needed for installation, my partner gave me a tip about this tool. Once I had the USB key I wanted to use plugged in when I went to run the program, it worked very well. It allowed me to skip the rest of section 4 of the installation guide.
    • installation started just fine, but then I was missing some firmware that Debian doesn’t ship and the network autoconfiguration failed – realized that the folks who were helping me out thought that I was doing an online install, and I was aiming for an offline install. aborted install.
    • attempted to use the tool partner had suggested to create an offline install stick, and that just failed entirely. done for today! will return to installation guide next time (step 4.2) and give it another try
  • December 13 (no joke) – still/again installing Linux
    • take two. started with the installation guide and UNetbootin from before
      • as soon as I opened UNetbootin (after borrowing a USB key from sen), sen determined what media type I needed to download (Stable_HdMedia_x64, where Hd probably means hard disk, and because I have 64 bit processor in the laptop)
      • got the files from UNetbootin onto sen’s USB key, but after downloading it, it prompted me to download a CD image for Debian.
    • went to the index of cd/disk images for Debian and started downloading the DVD images for amd64 (which sen told me corresponded with the Stable_HdMedia_x64 – when I asked how ze would know that without just knowing that, ze wasn’t sure). I was at Site 3, and it’s a long download. Pause.
    • doing some reading while the downloads continues, I’m reading section 5.1.1, and checked with sen, and it seems like once I have the DVD images and the files from UNetbootin on the USB key, I can just put the USB key into the computer while it’s off, and then turn it on, and it should start installing on its own
Print Friendly, PDF & Email