Loading on Laptop without any CD-ROM or OS.

Forum: HD Install
Topic: Loading on Laptop without any CD-ROM or OS.
started by: Klashe

Posted by Klashe on Feb. 14 2004,23:07

Hey all,

I have a system that has no OS or CDROM. I do have and external floppy and a USB port.

How do I go about installing the ISO on a harddrive?

I have a 64 meg key drive for USB, but I have no idea how to transfer it to the harddrive. Can i install direct from the key?

I'm in serious need of some direction. Just some ideas, with a little explanation.

Thanks.

Posted by libretto on Feb. 15 2004,00:57

My laptop didnt have a working FDD or an extra CD drive either. If you have access to another machine, you could take the HDD out of the laptop, puti into this other machine and install DSL on there then transfer it back.

Hope this helps.

Posted by hasty on Feb. 15 2004,14:15

Take a look at < http://featherlinux.berlios.de >
Will fit in 64mb.

Step sister to DSL.

Posted by Klashe on Feb. 15 2004,16:50

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Any way that I can get DSL to work with an installation to the hard drive with the equipment i have?

I also have a parallel zip drive.

Posted by TyphoonMentat on Feb. 15 2004,17:41

If you're planning to install from USB, wait until Feather Linux 0.3.6 - the 0.3.5 USB edition doesn't let you use any other USB devices (new release very soon).

Posted by libretto on Feb. 15 2004,18:34

If you have a look on the www.tldp.org weebsite, theres some FAQs on using Zip drives to load OSs. I havent tried it myself yet and i think tis been discussed elsewhere on the forum. Hope this helps.

Posted by donkey wrestler on Feb. 15 2004,20:00

klashe, I installed DSL to a laptop with no CD by booting to a linux floppy called tomsrtbt, and making 3 partitions, one for dsl, one for other data, and one for linux swap. i copyied the dsl iso from a parallel port zip drive to the data partion, mounted the DSL iso there, and copied the /KNOPPIX directory to HDA1, the DSL partition. Then made a DSL boot floppy, and rebooted. The boot floppy recognizes HDA1 as the DSL CD and loads the file system into memory.

JP

Posted by Modrak on Feb. 15 2004,21:25

Please look into how-to section...there is my article about Installing DSL to USB key under WindBlows 2003 enterprise server
Then do normal HD-INSTALL

Code Sample

$sudo su
# dsl-hdinstall
# mkliloboot