Installing Linux like it's 1998

Today we're installing a very old boxed copy of Red Hat Linux 5.2 on a hodge-podge Pentium system!

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#RedHat #Linux #Pentium

[SockyNoob]

I'm definitely on board with the idea of covering more vintage Linux distros.

[nazgulsenpai]

When I was 12, I bought Red Hat 5.2 from a local bookstore called Waldenbooks. It was just sitting on a shelf and I had heard about how revolutionary it was. Totally wiped the family computer, never could get my modem to work (winmodem) and the display was monochrome so I just played games in black and white until I reinstalled Windows 95. Still, it kicked off what would be a lifelong passion and career. Those days of early Red Hat and Linux Mandrake are some of my fondest memories. Right alongside pranking friends and the school with BackOrifice.

[LeslieLanagan]

The title of this video reminds me of my favorite story in life. My mother doesn't know a thing about computers. Years and years ago, I asked for that distribution for Christmas. She tells the guy at Best Buy she needs a copy of Red Hat for her daughter. The guy says, "wow. That's a big operating system for a little girl." My mom said, "she's 20."

[kingedwin]

Non-Linux users: Ah, yes. The typical modern Linux experience.

[penguinman]

I remember finding a CD inside the back of a book in my local college library. I, also, accidentally wiped my entire HDD. So, yeah, it was learn or enjoy my new paperweight.

[parastie]

I remember picking up a copy of "Linux for Dummies" that came with a free copy of Redhat! Eventually I moved on to Mandrake Linux which came with an early version of KDE.

[Stealth]

Reminds me of how I came upon linux. Was in high school and a buddy of mine was really good with computers. Was curious and asked him if there was something other than Mac/Windows and he gives me a Redhat LiveCD along with the Redhat Bible, thing was heavy. Eventually learned my way but man was that different than having thousands of tutorials and stuff like we do now.

[dsouth]

Imagine it being a summer night in '98, and browsing through newsgroups late into the evening on RHL 5.

[grafxgear]

5:20 You say that but the DOS days were not much simpler. Look at the size of the DOS 5 user guide and reference. I remember being absolutely frustrated having to read through the DOS guide the first time i had to make my own boot disk with custom config and autoexe file. Extended / expanded memory was required to get the hand to appear in the cockpit of Wing Commander and i was determined to get it working. I learned a lot from that book that eventually led to my first job in the gaming industry. A lot changed with Windows 95 including basically useless manuals.

[rdalbum]

I didnt start using Linux until Ubuntu in late 2005, but I remember multiple people going onto Linux forums even into the 2010s saying they'd downloaded Red Hat 5 and asking for help to install it (on modern hardware). No idea why they didnt choose something more modern, or if Red Hat had such powerful brand recognition that they thought it was the best one to start with, even if it was more Old Hat than Red Hat.

[garciajero]

i was a happy teenager the first time i've installed linux and use windowmaker for a long time too, loved this video

[Lagrange_Point_]

Man, I hadn't seen xSnow running for YEARS! Installed it while watching the vid, of course. Really good fun. Takes me back. You can really crank all of the settings to the max on a modern machine with NVidia graphics.

[notNajimi]

Being someone that got into Linux a good few hardware generations after this, the idea of paying anything for Linux let alone for a boxed copy is wild

[Kilo]

Red Hat was my first experience with Linux in 99/2000. It frustrated me so badly that I avoided Linux for another 10+ years.

[Darbison_Santino]

Ive been telling my wife for 10 years there's a market for all my old computer parts. Thank you for hopefully allowing me to keep my stuff for another decade lol great video

[dremcfleuve]

I remember my dad buying this version of Linux and spending weeks trying to make it work until he gave up. I still have the CDs and manual. Also now I need to setup my dreamcast to go online to try frogfind for fun

[therealfodder]

Great video - the nostalgia was strong with this one!

I'd love to see Slackware attempted (tempted to have a go myself). My first Linux experience was in early 1994 - someone slipped me a copy of a 'boot' and 'root' disk that just had 'version 0.97' written on it - it got me hooked. A couple of months later PC Plus magazine in the UK ran a cover CD that contained Slackware 2. I didn't even have a CD-ROM drive at the time - I had to get a mate to suffer through writing all the floppy images for me!

[writerpatrick]

I remember installing Linux in 1998. The trick was that you needed to have a complete list of your system specs so you could enter them when asked.

[HeffeJeffe]

RHL 5 was my first encounter with Linux. Installed it on a Sony VAIO and started learning from there. Ended up with me becoming a system admin for a while, and now a full-stack dev. Was a great jumping off point!

[tenfourproductionsllc]

Thanks for the flashback. Also makes me appreciate what Ubuntu did by making installation of linux so much easy for the common folk like me.