Installing on Laptop without Floppy

[Usulsuspct]

I have a laptop I would like to install Linux onto. The problem is that I dont have a floppy, I have read about files I can copy and start within dos to get the installation going, unfotunately I have winME on the laptop currently and therefore dont have DOS.

I have also read about installation via ftp or the net. Unfortunately all of the files I have read require that you use a bootnet.img floppy on the laptop to get going.

Of which I dont have. I have tried making a bootable CD, but for some reason my laptop wont boot from the CD even though I have made the boot order change in the BIOS.

So what do you think, is there a way for me to do this?

[bdg1983]

Of which I dont have. I have tried making a bootable CD, but for some reason

Your laptop being relatively new, must be able to boot from CD. I would keep trying as perhaps the CD was not created properly. Do you have another bootable CD that you know has worked before you could use to test with?

[miker]

if not already, when creating the bootable CD be sure to do non-multisession (ie close the disc) and burn it disc-at-once. This should provide max compatibility with CD-ROM drives.

[Usulsuspct]

I have tried all sorts of bootable cd, I have tried different linux distro's that I know are bootable ie mandrake, RH. I have also tried MS windows versions such as win2k, just to see if I could get it to boot.

Still no luck...

I will keep trying I guess... :confused:

[Antho]

Are you saying you don't have a floppy drive or a boot floppy? If you dont have a boot floppy just open up a dos prompt (you DO have dos)there should be a utility called Rawrite on whatever linux cd you have, use that to burn the boot .img onto the floppy.

[ 01 May 2001: Message edited by: Antho ]

[Pakrat]

Bah! I had a link to some directions on how to bring the Command line option back, it was just a registry entry or two I think. But I can't find it!

Maybe search the big computer mag websites, I thought it was from one of them. Or, goto discussions.virtualdr.com and search, I think I picked it up from there.
search for command line & ME.

[Usulsuspct]

thanks for the tip, I will look and see what I can find about bringing the command line back to winME, I didnt think that anything like that was possible, but hey maybe M$ is not that bad after all...

and no I dont have a Floppy drive, that's where the issues start...

did a quick search on google, and this popped up at the top...

Boot To Dos WinME (http://www.geocities.com/dos8me/)

[ 01 May 2001: Message edited by: Usulsuspct ]

This just in...
I am installing Mandrake 7.2 on my laptop as we speak...hope it works because if not...I am screwed...
:eek:

[ 01 May 2001: Message edited by: Usulsuspct ]

[Usulsuspct]

well installation froze...and when I tried to reboot...nothing...

So I guess I am screwed unless I can find a floppy drive... :mad:

[r]

Which Laptop do you have? Most new laptops should be able to boot off a USB floppy.

check out http://www.linux-laptop.net/
to see if anyone installed linux on a similar
laptop.

r.

[Pakrat]

Well, I'm glad you found it.
I found it today (different place) but the proxy won't let me get there from work, I was going to post it anyways.
Also, your link wouldn't work for me either. Are they verbally bashing MS on these sites?

http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/