Installing CentOS 7 32 Bit I386 To Laptop

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greetings one and all.

installing CentOS 7 32 bit i386 to laptop;

specs:

toshiba satellite l455d-s5976
amd sempron si-42
2 GB ddr2
250 GB hdd

]$ lspci|grep Realtek
0e:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. \
RTL8187SE Wireless LAN Controller (rev 22)
14:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. \
RTL8101/2/6E PCI Express Fast/Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 02)

]$ lspci|grep VGA
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] \
RS780MC [Mobility Radeon HD 3100]

CentOS 6:
network and vga controllers ok. ethernet controller not recognized.

3 questions:

anyone have problems installing 7 32 bit to a laptop?

any suggestions for getting ethernet controller to work?

any way to turn off touch pad? using logitech m570 marble.

any/all suggestions/comments greatly appreciated.

tia.

35 thoughts on - Installing CentOS 7 32 Bit I386 To Laptop

  • I have no experience with the 32-bit builds (but device support should be otherwise identical), but that device should be supported by the in kernel r8169 driver. Grepping for the Vendor:Device ID pairing in modules.alias for your kernel will determine that for sure.

  • hello Ned.

    <<>>

    —>

    Ned, thank you for reply.

    iirc, at;

    SpecialInterestGroup/AltArch/i386 – CentOS Wiki
    https://wiki.CentOS.org/SpecialInterestGroup/AltArch/i386

    it was stated that the 32 bit was built from 64 bit 7.1511 build.

    at path /lib/modules/2.6.32-642.3.1.el6.i686, grepping 8169 shows files modules.alias, modules.alias.bin, modules.dep, modules.dep.bin, modules.networking, modules.order, and modules.pcimap, contain
    ‘r8169’.

    after i install 7 -32, i will do some more checking to see why ethernet is not working.

    thanks again for your reply. greatly appreciated.

    you have brought about first listing of notes for new install.

    later.

  • <<>>

    hello Johnny,

    glad you caught my post.

    —>

    thank you. just had a look at it again. read closer this time.

    may have another problem with install. started a third attempt to install around 2223 hrs.

    there seems to be a problem with installation after clicking out of software selection. seems to have hit a snag somewhere.

    ‘installation source’ and ‘software selection’ both have the triangle. both read in gray ‘checking software dependencies…’.

    this is third round, thought i would let it try to run it’s course to see if it might pull thru, but has not.

    now, just over and hour, it is same as other attempts. clicking on
    ‘begin installation’ does nothing, nor does clicking other selections, including ‘quit’.

    i can ‘f2’ to root user prompt. not knowing what else to try, i tried
    ‘top’ to see if it showed changing. it does, but i can not get back to installation screen. holding pressing one of the ‘f’ keys does bring up mouse pointer, but screen i am on does not change.

    typing in ‘reboot’ does reboot.

    suggestions?

    if you have called it a night, like do not reply in about 30 min, i will go back to command line and check just which ‘f’ keys does what and post back.

    thanks again for reply. greatly needed and much appreciate.

  • –OGaiq3QJGrnrf4i4XRVHEJPehTHlIr1p1
    Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
    Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

    If you are trying to use the NetInstall ISO and if you do not have a network connection, that will not work (it requires a network install to begin).

    If you install with the CentOS-7-i386-DVD-1511.iso instead, you can do all installs without a network present.

    Thanks, Johnny

    –OGaiq3QJGrnrf4i4XRVHEJPehTHlIr1p1

  • good morning Johnny.

    —>

    CentOS-7-i386-DVD-1511.iso.

    have been trying to run gui install and beginning to believe that could be a part of problem.

    after sending last post, i did , did not run ‘top’, did go thru ‘f’ keys 3 thru 6. 6 is where pointer displays, is frozen, will not move, all keys are locked like it is graphic. even trying fails. does work.

    do recall from attempts 1 & 2 that when i tried , along bottom of screen the ‘f’ key functions is shown, plus text i do not recall.

    because of problems with gui, i am seriously considering text mode.

    last time i used text mode was early years of linux and with red hat.

    concern with text mode is this is hdd has 12 partitions that i need to maintain, so i need custom setup.

    also want to select all but last 2 selections of software for a workstation install.

    would there be any place that i can pull info for text mode so i will have an understanding of what i will be reading to make install.

    or, is there a way to run gui, but use a graphics mode other than what default is.

    ria, i have a felling that problem is with fact that vga is an amd/ati as shown in first post.

    if there is anything that by running install to lockup and going to cli would help solving problem, i am willing.

    again, thank you for reply, greatly appreciate.

  • Given what you tried so far I would, and have, start with cli build (text build) and build up from there. The GUI install is just a convenience. The same packages can be added as groups one at a time until you have your workstation. Tedious but effective as you can trouble shoot issues one at a time vs. full install everything that can go wrong etc. etc. Just my
    $.02. Good hunting.

  • I’d entirely go against that. The text installer is a legacy tool that I’d avoid whenever possible. Kickstart/cmdline or GUI, but text is just there to make you miserable.

    Definitely try a minimal install and just confirm that fails too.

    jh

  • hello fred. i thank you for reply.

    <<>>

    —>

    how about a $.05 if you answer next. ;-)

    when you say cli build, are package names offered during cli build, ie, asked and answered, or after reboot to install?

    if yes, where do i find names for package groups?

    is new boot level 3 or minimal level 5?

    if level 3, yum install or get?

    not being nosy, just want to know what is ahead.

    thanks again for replying.

    have a doctor’s appointment around noon, will run cli after return.

  • <>

    —>

    gui i pretty doing that now. :=)

    —>

    a minimal install is a good suggestion, as i do believe the ati vga chip is a part of problem.

    gui with previous installs has not been a problem. i believe that the build of 7 was intended for newer systems and that old video drivers have been dropped to make room for newer systems.

    again, thanks for suggestions. all are welcome.

  • <>

    install attempt #4 using _minimal_ install is now running.

    there is a problem in that,

    is not recognized.

    where as,

    is recognized.

    will be adding repo as suggested by Johnny Hughes.

    ooopppsss…

    not there yet.

    if life did not have problems, would it be any fun?

    and then there are computers…

    with default install, aka, command line…

    tried it, not what is desired.

    rebooted, selected ‘CentOS release 6.8 (final) (on /dev/sda7)’, and got what i desired even less. :=\

    error: invalid file name ‘CentOS^(2.6.32-642.3.1.el6.i686)’
    error: you need to load the kernel first.

    select: ‘Advanced options for CentOS release 6.8 (Final) (on /dev/sda7)’, selections are;

    5 (on /dev/sda7)
    5 (on /dev/sda7)

    ‘5’ what?

    selecting either, i get above 2 errors again.

    after applying the all mighty ‘3 fingers of death’, i boot CentOS 6.8
    live dvd to see if original files are still in boot partition.

    after mounting boot partition, a study of files indicates that all 6.x files are as should be. for some unknown reason, 7 32 bit does not understand what they are.

    of course is no ‘CentOS^(2.6.32-642.3.1.el6.i686)’, but there are all of the ‘2.6.32-642.3.1.el6.i686’ files for CentOS 6.8 final.

    so now what? any suggestions for recovery?

  • I would not be surprised if the minimal install did not include wifi support, as wifi is quite complex and requires a lot of OS level support to operate.

  • —>

    good evening John.

    interesting point you make. sounds very reasonable. i have never made an install to a laptop with wifi before, minimal or full, so i have no experiance.

    have installed wifi to an established system, but that is whole different pond to to play in.

    there is an option to add additional networking, but does not seem to apply to wifi, so i do not believe install i was using is wifi aware and i need to pull iso Johnny referred me to.

    intended to pull it after my last post. saw your post, felt i should read it first.

    have you tried the 7 32 bit?

  • no, all my linux servers now are 64 bit, I havent’ run a 32 bit system in a long time.

    if your internet is working over ethernet, you should be able to install what you need via yum, rather than reinstall from different media…

    yum install NetworkManager-wifi

    and you should be able to configure wifi with the text mode NetworkManager tool, nmtui

    yum groupinstall “GNOME Desktop”

    should install the full Gnome desktop environment, and the gui NetworkManager, which is probably easier to use.

  • —>

    this box has an on board network chip plus a nic and have a wifi card i want to check out, thought i would try above and have ready for next power down.

    my surprise;

    =+=+[geo@tower-1-i686 Documents]$ sudo yum install NetworkManager-wifi
    [sudo] password for geo:
    Loaded plugins: aliases, changelog, fastestmirror, ovl, presto, refresh-
    : packagekit, security, tmprepo, verify, versionlock Setting up Install Process Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
    * base: mirror.steadfast.net
    * epel: mirror.steadfast.net
    * extras: mirror.steadfast.net
    * updates: mirror.steadfast.net extras | 3.3 kB 00:00
    updates | 3.4 kB 00:00
    updates/primary_db | 1.3 MB 00:01
    No package NetworkManager-wifi available. Error: Nothing to do
    [geo@tower-1-i686 Documents]$
    =+=+
    so that may not work for laptop, ;-)

    nbd. why should my luck change with installs. !LOL!

    ‘one of those days’ has been going on for over a week. 8=D

  • —>

    will not be first time i have had to tweak repo files.

    this is day is reminding me of my old saying;

    geo: why me Lord?
    Lord: why not george?
    geo: thank you anyway Lord.
    Lord: any time george.

    anyway, this has been a long day after a short night of sleep.

    went into kitchen to refresh my yeti mug and felt someone stepping on my heels. turn around to see who, it was my butt dragging. 8=D

    will put off getting lt back to booting 6.8 tomorrow. i have not run
    ‘grub-mkconfg’ for a few years, just hope i do not have problems with that too.

    btw, what area of western side do you roam?

  • Additionally, most 3rd party repos (e.g, epel above) do not ship 32-bit packages for el7 as there is no 32-bit offering of RHEL from Red Hat. So not much point configuring them in yum.

  • <<>>

    —>

    hi Ned, you up late or early on your side of the pond?

    the above altarch 7 repos links do have both 32 and 64 bit directories.

    after reading John’s post, i logged them and bookmarked both.

    when i am trying something new, as i am now, i like to pull files so i have them local. saves going back online if i mess something up and have need again.

  • then, ideally, pull down a copy of the whole ‘7/*/i386/’ tree of the altarch respository, and put it on a local http file server, then you can point the CentOS-*.repo’s directly to that and yum will fetch from this local repo.

  • ===>

    being ‘frugal’, yet a short step of ‘gung ho’, i am saving pages i have already logged and some of the linked pages. if while reading a page and i need to read a page i do not have, i am back at site pulling that page and it’s links. after a few more trips to site, i just may well have the whole all of 7 32 bit.

    my current count sites that i have pulled is over 250. when i get my new
    ‘playstation’ boxen, this one will become my ‘local web server’. then i will have to figure out how to run a bot to keep it updated. ;=)

    while i am at it, please allow me to pick your brain so i can refresh my forgetful chemo brain.

    after the 7-32 fiasco, in attempt to recover grub boot, i booted 6.8
    install disk in rescue mode, when in sh, ran chroot /mnt/sysimage.

    there is where chemo brain filed.

    what is command to restore boot to 6.8 install. it has been a very long time when last had need. now when i do, recall fails me.

  • I use this script to maintain a mirror of all current mainstream versions of CentOS except SRPMS (source). my /mirror directory on this server is both nfs shared to all my other systems, and available on my local network via http.

    #!/bin/sh
    /usr/bin/lftp -c ‘open ftp://mirrors.sonic.net && lcd /mirror && mirror
    –continue –verbose=1 -x SRPMS CentOS’

    I invoke this script nightly from crontab

    $ crontab -l
    30 21 * * * time ./lftp.sh

  • <<>>

    ===>

    then again, not as bad as i was thinking.

    or, no guts, no blue chips.

    booted rescue mode again, then chroot /mnt/sysimage.

    ls /sbin/grub*, there it sat and the brain snapped, ‘grub-install’.

    ‘grub-install /dev/sda’ and a reboot brought up old boot selection menu.

    new problem, while watching screen scroll, it stopped, of all places, while loading the touch pad driver. great.

    to be on safe side, now installing a lighter system, than what is at sda7, to sda8 where i tried to load 7-32.

    if booting new install fails, i will figure out how to get inside case and disable touch pad. with the heat it puts out, it is nothing but a waste of battery power because i have a usb wireless logitech m570 marble that i love using more than the logitech trackman marble w/tail that i bought many years ago when they first came out.

    1039 of 1301. not long now.

    i do hope it is driver problem and not the touch pad.

  • <<>>

    ===>

    thank you Jesus.

    strange, but it was the driver. new install ran without a stall.

    lt is now recovered from 7-32 trashing.

    i would very much like to install 7-32, but it looks like it just may be that, like fine wine, 7-32 needs to age a little longer for my taste.

    my regrets to the altarch group.

  • why? your 2009 vintage low end mass market laptop is hopelessly underpowered by today’s standards, you should stick with software thats approximately as old as it is. however, the Semperon SI-42 is, I
    believe, a 64 bit capable CPU, so why not run native x86_64 win 7 on it?

  • ===>

    you are very correct. not in question to your knowledge, i did run a search to locate info on cpu for my knowledge.

    what caused my thinking to be in error is there is a label to right of rest pad that states ‘Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit’.

    chemo brain again. 8=\

    run ‘win 7’, no way in hell do i run oos.

    this lt came with oos 7 already installed. after i tricked the oos 7
    partition a few times to reduce size, i repartitioned drive with oos down to sda1= 1.6 GB system, sda2= 43.0 GB oos 7, sda4= 8.4 GB recovery, sda3= extended sda5= 1.1 GB boot, sda6= 3.1 GB swap, sda7 thru sda10= 11 GB linux os, sda11= 84 GB home, sda12= 66 GB open use.

    only reason i left oos 7 is that if i ever, God forbid, am forced to lower my self, it is installed. only times i have booted oos was during repartitioning to see if it had problems with sda3. it did not, i have not booted oos again. i did pull an update package, do not recall which and i burned the 3 dvds. that i all i have done with oos.

    during the writing of this, i started pulling 7.1511 on tower.

    i do thank you for bringing it to my attention. very much appreciated.

  • In that case stop wasting your time with CentOS 7 i386 and install the native x86_64 version of CentOS 7. This will give you access to all the
    3rd party repos you’ll want as well, such as epel and nux.

    Peter

  • also, try and scrounge another DDR2 SODIMM for that thing, according to my google search, it supports up to 2 x 4GB == 8GB, and you said you only have the stock 2GB. 4GB will be way better performance with a GUI, 8GB would be even better. you still have a really slow CPU and if its still got the original 5400RPM HD, a really slow HD, but don’t make it triple-suffer from not enough ram. (a SSD replacing the SATA HD
    would make it actually pleasant to use)

  • ===>

    you saying you can not read? 8=D

    go back to my reply to John, take note of the next to last line. 8=b

    just poking a little fun at you. ;=)

  • ===>

    i am considering memory upgrade.

    if some funds that i am hoping for come in next month, i am considering a new multi core tower and a new laptop.

    if good fortune hits, this lt will become an emergency access terminal to new desktop. old desktop will be converted to a zoneminder server for ip cams.

    i do have other more pressing obligations that must be taken care of first. what is left will go for my toys.

    7-x86_64 has finished downloading. that means i am out of here for a new install. back later to let you know how it went.

    again, greatly appreciate your advice and help. i thank you.

  • They are dirt cheap on ebay, from Hong Kong with free shipping. I would go all the way and max it out.

    I would also recommend that you go for a light weight DM such as XFCE
    which you can install from EPEL, this will help a fair bit on that older hardware with the performance as opposed to gnome 3.

    Peter

  • ===>

    when buying memory or hdd, i check both ebay and amazon for price, warranty and shipping.

    last purchases i made were all from amazon.

    1 TB sata hdd, 2 ddr 1×2 GB memory and a power supply for an emachine.

    1 TB sata hdd, 2 ddr 1×2 GB memory for tower box.

    turned out emachine had more than a power supply, so 2nd hdd and power supply went into tower box.

    tower box is oem mainboard for ide drives, bought an ide2sata adapter for it. now it has 2 1 TB sata drives, 1 250 GB ide and 1 ide cd/dvd r/w drive,
    1 usb cd/dvd r/w usb drive, 1 hd 3.5 floppy, 1 dc2120 tape drive on floppy controller, 1 dc2120 / travan on scsi controller.

    no front cover so all drive will fit and have access.

    i tricked it with a 3 position momentary-center-momentary switch for reset | off | on.

    i took a much needed nap while pulling 7 x86_64 iso. it was not until i started to run checksum to verify that i saw i pulled the ‘everything’
    iso file. now have the 4.0 GB dvd iso file.

    rebooting to install correct iso.

    back later. again.

  • | this lt came with oos 7 already installed. after i tricked the oos 7
    | partition a few times to reduce size, i repartitioned drive with oos
    | down to sda1= 1.6 GB system, sda2= 43.0 GB oos 7, sda4= 8.4 GB recovery,
    | sda3= extended sda5= 1.1 GB boot, sda6= 3.1 GB swap, sda7 thru
    | sda10= 11 GB linux os, sda11= 84 GB home, sda12= 66 GB open use.

    if you have a NAS available you could “dd” the the hdd to .img and free up the space. Personally I would pull it, resources permitting, and replace with a another hdd, say 7200 or 10k rpm to buy some speed. Not sure if your system will support a ssd but might be worth a look. Then again, depending on use, there is the consideration of diminishing return of value for so old a system when a newer system can be obtained for

  • <<>>

    ===>

    well, i never.

    never enjoyed installing an os as much as i did CentOS 7.

    selection and setup was not difficult, all went well. i do like the new design of process better than previous.

    fun really started when those inline prompts started. i though i was terse. those prompts have me beat. it took a couple of errors to see just what was what, then breezed thru it. reminded me a little of cromemco install back in s100 days.

    did not like logging into gnome. that creature needs to stay in front lawns keeping yards safe.

    did figured out how to get kde, had to change my color scheme so i could see what i had set up. slide show of my ‘girls’ is running ok. would not liked to have lost them.

    still need to go back to ‘system settings > applications appearance’ to do some tweaking. panel bar has lighter color for text making it a little difficult to read. having 16 to 20 progs open makes for a bit of squinting.

    all in all, my congratulations to CentOS crew for putting together a real fine product and procedure.

    my most grateful appreciation to repliers who help me get this install.

    especially to John R Pierce for staying with me thru all of it. most helpful.