Laptops :: Worth looking at?

I was thinking simple: take out the HD, put it into another laptop (it being the only HD in there), install DSL with the other laptop (which has a CD drive), then take the HD back to the original laptop.

In fact, I will have to try that myself one of these days, as I got an old laptop with a broken CD drive.

I have both an ide hard drive adapter and a USB ide adapter. Now, interesting, once in ubuntu or dsl, the drive shows up via the usb adapter, however, dsl won't let me install to a drive not plugged in via ide cable. Perhaps I can mount the USB volume as dev/hda0? Would such a thing work?

I'm looking for a serial to serial cable, apparently in the 1900's these were plentiful.

Check here:
http://www.amazon.com/Null-Modem-Cable-Db9f-Connections/dp/B000067SCH

A 9-pin null modem cable is very easy to make if you have any skill with a soldering iron. Use low heat, the plastic base around the pins melts easily:

You can pull the 9-pin connectors out of old machines if they're handy.

original here.