Yggdrasil: Oldest Linux Distribution in CD

I wanted to try out Yggdrasil, one of the the oldest Linux distributions. I could not find an ISO image, but I could find the source files, I do not know how to install an OS from source files, can someone help?

Is there anyone who has used Yggdrasil?

Anyone who has an ISO image of Yggdrasil? Or any legalised download of it?

I guess it would be nice to see where this distribution revolution started.

Arkapravo

Posted 2010-04-04T08:02:41.817

Reputation: 471

Have a look at this http://www.timeguy.com/cradek/01188356148 he claims to have a cd and offers to send copies.

– Nifle – 2010-04-04T09:55:02.530

@ Nifle: I am sending an e-mail to this person, can you please re-open my question. Much appreciated. – Arkapravo – 2010-04-04T10:04:14.477

If you put a space between @ and Nifle the system dosen't treat it as it as a message to me. If you write @Nifle I will get notified that you have written to me. – Nifle – 2010-04-04T10:14:33.537

@Nifle : Can you kindly re-open my question. I have incorporated your changes as suggested. – Arkapravo – 2010-04-04T10:18:53.683

2Yggdrasil isn't the oldest distribution.

Yggdrasil was introduced in late 1992. SLS was introduced in mid 1992, and MCC interim Linux and TAMU were both introduced in early 1992.

However Yggdrasil was the first CD based distribution. At the time CD Rom's were quite rare & expensive, so most distributions were based upon floppies. – gorilla – 2010-04-04T10:19:31.047

@gorilla : Thanks, but can you help with the installation from source files ? – Arkapravo – 2010-04-04T10:20:43.070

1This seems odd to me. There's no point to installing an old Linux distro except for fun and hack value, and in that case it seems to me appropriate to do it from source. – David Thornley – 2010-04-06T13:28:35.730

@David Thornley : Not for fun, but rather to check where it all began .... I am not very sure, how to install from the source (never done it ! ) – Arkapravo – 2010-04-07T03:47:08.473

I don't see how you would install from source without already having a running system. Kind of a chicken and egg problem. – coneslayer – 2010-04-10T15:44:39.653

@coneslayer : As I mentioned, I simply don't know .... may be there is some magic method ! – Arkapravo – 2010-04-11T08:09:48.317

Answers

Yep, it was the first Linux distribution I tried. I still have the CD-ROM somewhere.

I had to recompile the kernel in order to use the printer port. It was occupied by some TPC/IP over printer port (!) device.

Update: I found it. Text on the CD-ROM (for reference):

Plug-and-Play Linux. Internet ready multimedia operating system with source. Summer 1994. ISO 9660 universal CDROM filestem with Rockridge extensions. Yggdrasil Computing Incorporated/Freesoft. 4880 Steven Creek Blvd. Suite 205. San Jose, California. 95129-1034. United States of America. toll free: (800) 261-6630. (408) 261-6630. fax: (408) 261-6631. To install, insert floppy in drive A, insert CDROM and reset computer. Requires 386/486/586 CPU, 8 MB RAM, floppy drive, Sony CDU-31A, Sony 535, Mitsumi, Matsushita/Panasonic/LaserMate or SCSI CDROM with Adaptec 154x/174x, Bustek 542B, Future Domain 8xx/16xx, other other TMC-950 based controller, Ultrastor 14F/24F/34F, or Western Digital 7000faast SCSI controller.

An upload may follow.

Peter Mortensen

Posted 2010-04-04T08:02:41.817

Reputation: 10 992

@Peter Mortensen: Do you have a cd-image or floppy-image ? .... or can you guide me with the source files .... I just want to see it ...feel it...nothing too extravagant to do with it ! – Arkapravo – 2010-04-04T10:35:54.430

@Arkapravo: try to contact me at the email address indicated in my profile and things may work out. – Peter Mortensen – 2010-04-04T12:17:19.773

@Peter Mortensen: Hi, I have sent you an e-mail ! .... – Arkapravo – 2010-04-05T02:50:20.747

1Can you post a torrent of it so others can get it (not all torrents are illegal ;))? :) – Natalie Adams – 2010-04-06T12:25:46.360

@Nathan Adams : A torrent would be WOW ! .... however even if someone could help with the source files, it may be great ! – Arkapravo – 2010-04-10T13:48:01.330

@Peter Mortensen : Thanks for the update ! .... eagerly looking forward to the real thing ! Please do an iso if possible ! – Arkapravo – 2010-04-11T08:11:32.417

Source over there: http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/yggdrasil/

Still would be great to have a cd-image available, if someone have one, I would be glad to host it on one of my servers...

Albirew

Posted 2010-04-04T08:02:41.817

Reputation: 1

1Could not make this work on VMWare and Virtual Box .... – Arkapravo – 2011-09-18T05:10:30.987

Warning: Atleast some Yggdrasil versions don't work with standard ATAPI/IDE CD-roms, you need one of those (ISA) scsi cards (or emulating them if you are using some kind of virtual machine) to be able to do more than just load the kernel and watch a panic because the kernel cannot mount the root filesystem.

You might be able to put the cd image on a (secondary) hard disk (or partition) and point the installation boot kernel to that image.