HD Install :: HD Install on OLD IBM laptop from inside Windows?



These are all good suggestions, and I've been tinkering with it. I've been trying to configure the Windows config.sys file that Grub launches from in the C:\ directory, and I've been able to have it look for the menu.lst file, but I'm not sure how to type the configuration line in the sys file to make Grub look at menu.lst correctly, so I either get a kickback saying "file not found" after a few minutes, or I get one more quickly that says "filename must be an absolute path or block-something" (I can't remember exactly and I'm at work...)

The switching HD idea is pretty interesting and I'm going to try to find another laptop that has a compatible HD connector. If in the meantime anyone realizes what I'm doing wrong on the config.sys file, let me know.

Thanks again for the input and ideas. It's a little taxing, but a fun hack-away-at-it project...
Usually laptops use 2.5" hard disks which are all standard and interchangeable (if you can get to it that is!).
You may have to look for the service manual of that laptop in order to find out how to open it easily, but I'm sure you can find that somewhere on the net.
Yeah, the IBM internals are actually easy to get to. I kinda found it by accident the other day. I was fiddling with the screen latches that you pull forward to open the top, and I pushed against them and they slid backward past the stop, at which point the keyboard popped up and I got instant access to the CDROM, the HD, and the battery. There's a tab attached to the HD with a little "pull here" icon...

So I have to find one that has a compatible push-down socket. Maybe a newer IBM or something.
Hi, I was in the same situation.  Buy what's called a (I think) 3.5" to 2.5" converter for your laptop HD.  This will let you boot your laptop HD via your desktop PC.  It sounds complicated but it's pretty easy.  

1. Plugin the laptop HD -> converter -> desktop
2. Boot the desktop with DSL
3. HD install
4. Put HD back in laptop.

I spent many hours trying to install DSL/Puppy from inside Win2k using qemu but it never worked.  I'd highly suggest getting the converter.  I've only had it for one day and I've used it at least 10 times already, it's been a big life saver.

The converter I got cost about $7 dollars at Frys electronics.
Yeah, I've spent quite a while tinkering with it to no avail...
So I'm still trying to find a laptop that has a compatible HD bay, or I might try to find a converter like you suggest after a while. Hopefully I'll get it done soon- I'm anxious to report back how my old machine runs with DSL. Windows 98 is awful on it.

Just for grins though, the other day I booted up my good laptop with the Live CD. It was ridiculous. It has 1GB or ram, and a 2ghz 64bit processor. (Although I don't think the 64bit would make much difference here.) Anyway, it was like having 8GB of ram in a regular box. Crazy.
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