Laptops :: HD Boot

I have an old thinkpad system with 32mb memory, and a P166 processor. Windows runs horribly on it and im looking to replace it with DSL. problem is, it doesnt have a CD ROM drive, or a functioning floppy disk drive. What i do have is a PCMCIA reader (x2) , 1 card and a PCMCIA (external IDE) cd rom drive, which doesnt boot. i am planniong to do a HD install but i cant even boot to it. I want to know if i could somehow boot off my hard drive. Please, let there be a waY!

(AIM: winloyalist (please dont take this seriously: this is from when i didnt know the greatness of linux) IRC: irc.freenodes.net #noodlebot)

First scusse me for my bad english, i'm writing from san luis rio colorado, Sonora Mexico

I hope this idea works for you

I'm planning to install DSL on a toshiba laptop, it's in the same conditions than your laptop, what i'm planning to do is, take out the HD from the laptop, then use a IDE to LaptopHD adaptor,, install DSL on a desktop PC and then put it back on the laptop, i think this could work, since at the boot time DSL recognizes the hardware. try this. i'm going to try it too when i got a memory stick that i buy on ebay for the laptop (32mb), by the way you can also find the IDE to LaptopHD adaptor there on ebay

Also as a good note, i'm writing this post on a P200/64mb/800MB hd, compaq sff deskpro, i just install DSL 2 hours ago and I LOVE IT!! thanks to the creator of DSL and all contributors

Have a nice day

ED (cybered77)
san luis rio colorado, sonora mexico

cybered77's solution seems to be the only way
BUT , you could also insted of using a 3.5" HD adaptor you could just slip it into a GOOD freinds laptop, and at the same time introduce them to DSL

Is there a way to save the Knoppix directory found on the DSL cdrom on the hard disk and then run loadlin.exe from the autoexec.bat when the computer boots? If yes, what parameters does loadlin.exe need? I have an old laptop with 16MB ram only and a CDrom that doesn't boot. No floppy and no USB.
Thanks

You might want to try a distro that lets you modify the boot sector from Windows (and hope it works first try, haha).

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