How can I install Linux on a single partion XP machine without a CD burner?

How can I install Linux on a single partion XP machine without a CD burner?

I have an old laptop that I would like to convert to a media center (media player, netflix online, youtube, etc.). It's got something like 1.3 GHz, and 1GB ram and currently has XP so its really just not powerful enough. For this reason - and also because I'm traditionally a windows-only guy I would like to install Linux on it.

Asked by: Guest | Views: 373

Total answers/comments: 5

Comments display order:

Guest [Entry]

"You might want to try http://wubi-installerdotorg/ , which does not require install media at all.

If you have a USB pen drive handy, you might want to try one of the procedures detailed in

www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-knoppix-510/

or

help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick

Good luck!"

Guest [Entry]

"Would Wubi be of interest? Seems like it would fit the bill. Sets up a dual-boot Ubuntu 9.04 (of this writing). Installs just like any other Windows app.

There is a bit of a performance hit for disk IO but when I've used it in the past it didn't seem like a major hit."

Guest [Entry]

"Another option: open up your laptop, remove the drive, and use an adapter to plug the drive into another computer's motherboard. Then boot a Linux install CD and do your work; you can resize the XP partition instead of deleting it, so the laptop would still be able to boot Windows. Once done, put the hard drive back in the laptop.

This may be easier and faster than figuring out net booting.

But it wouldn't hurt to use Unetbootin, as Nick Kavadias suggested, to make a bootable USB flash drive; try to boot from that. Even if it doesn't work, you will at least have a bootable Linux to use with newer computers; it can be handy.

You might also be able to use an external USB CD drive to boot and install Linux, but if that works, the Unetbootin flash drive will probably work also, and will be faster."

Guest [Entry]

I know about Debian (the original project was from Ubuntu if I'm not wrong -- not sure maybe wuby already mentionned), that provides a win32 installer. It will modify the windows boot file to add an entry for a Debian installation, starting from there you'll be able to partition your drives, etc. See goodbye-microsoft.com.

Guest [Entry]

You could also beg/borrow a USB cdrom drive if you don't want to burn an image to a USB stick