Putting an OS on a laptop hardrive in a desktop computer 1

[havfunonline]

I'm kind of new to the scene, I've done some work in a computing firm, but entirely programming (Java/C#/SQL etc) but I know absolutely nothing about hardware.

I have a laptop which died, so I deleted windows to try and put linux on. However apparently my CD drive was broken so this wasn't possible, I've got the connector to plug it into a regular hard drive slot, however, I have no idea how to put a linux on a hard drive from a windows interface. Any ideas?

PC is running XP HOME, if thats any help, ask if you need more info.

Cheers

 

[kestrel1]

Not sure that this would be possible & even if it was it would be a very complex operation.
Can you get your hands on an external (USB) CD drive. You may be able to boot the laptop from that with a Linux CD.

 

[havfunonline]

surely it would need the drivers (which it doesn't have) in order to do so?

 

[kestrel1]

Not if the laptop is able to boot from USB. You may need to select this in the BIOS as the first boot device if it is available. You wouldn't require drivers.

 

[havfunonline]

sorry it might have them, I'm just not sure it would work. Are you sure it would?

 

[kestrel1]

If your laptop is able to boot via a USB device, I can pretty well guarantee that it will work.
I am able to boot my home PC via a USB pen drive with Linux installed. I have laptops at work that are all able to boot via a USB CD drive or External USB HDD. No drivers are required. Take a trip in to the BIOS, by pressing F1, F2 or what ever key is required to gain access. Check the boot sequence & see if USB is an option.

 

[havfunonline]

it doesn't let me do anything, I turn it on and all it says is "missing operating system

 

[kestrel1]

You need to be pressing an F key or del before it gets to far.
You may get a splash screen that tells you what key to press.
What make/model of laptop is it?

 

[havfunonline]

Toshiba Satellite Pro A10. It doesn't go far it just goes to the initial "TOSHIBA" bootscreen with five selectable icons. None of them do anything, neither do any of the F buttons. it may be busted forever

 

[kestrel1]

You need a different procedure with that machine to get to the BIOS. Try this: Boot the system up and hold down the‘Esc’ key, then press F1 when you get the check system message.
That should get you in to the BIOS screen.

 

[havfunonline]

you my friend are a genius. However, It says CD ROM LAN HDD and FDD, I think that means I'm screwed, right? It says that something called USB legacy emulation is enabled.

 

[kestrel1]

You may find that if you set it to CD-ROM & have a USB CD-ROM drive connected that it may boot. Might be worth a try, unless you have to go out & purchase a drive.
Do you have a floppy drive built in to the laptop? Are you certain that the CD-ROM drive is dead? You may be able to get one at a fair price. a lot of laptop CD-ROM drives are interchangeable, they just sit in different caddies for different models. Have you run a CD-ROM head cleaner through the drive or is there nothing spinning?

 

[Nelviticus]

I don't quite understand your original question. As I read it, your laptop died and you now have a spare laptop hard drive (with adapter for full-size drive cables) and a working desktop PC. Are you trying to put your laptop hard drive in your desktop PC 1) so that you can read its contents or 2) so that you can install Linux on it and have a PC that can boot both Linux and Windows?

If 1, it's pretty easy. If the drive is Windows-formatted (FAT32 or NTFS) then just plug it in and it should work. It may be visible straight away or you may have to go into Computer Management (right-click My Computer then click Manage) and make it available in Disk Management. If it's Linux-formatted (Ext2) then install the software from this page and then plug it in.

If 2, again it's pretty easy. Plug it in, boot from a Linux CD or DVD and follow the instructions for installing it. However BE CAREFUL that you install it to the right place as you don't want to over-write Windows - the installer should tell you which hard drive partitions are already Windows-formatted. The first hard drive will normally be labelled as 'hda' and the second as 'hdb' but it still pays to double-check before you hit 'go'.

If it's a decent Linux installer it will detect that you already have Windows installed and provide you with a boot menu that lets you choose whether to boot Linux or Windows each time you start your PC.

Regards

Nelviticus

 

[havfunonline]

I want to install Linux on it so that I can use linux on my laptop

 

[saikee]

The simplest way I would put a Linux into a laptop currently has its hard disk out and hooked to a desktop PC.

(1) Download the iso file Puppy, or DSL or Slax

(2) Burn the iso into a bootable CD

(3) Install any of the above as a Live CD, let its boot loader take over the MBR of the laptop disk

(4) Remove the laptop disk and put it back into the laptop

The distro will boot up and run as a Live CD. In this mode the setting is not permanent and the root filing system is compressed into a single file when Linux is log off. It gets expanded every time the Linux is run, like a Live CD.

Reason : The above distros, if installed as a Live CD mode, can be installed in a machine A and then used in machine B.

Further possibility : One can actually download all the above iso, use a MS Windows to read each iso and store the expanded files "all" into one folder in the laptop disk. As iso are booted in a CD using isolinux one can replace isolinux with Grub and have all the above distros bootable in the laptop when the disk is return.

This thread

http://www.justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?t=150078

shown 7 iso (Damn Small Linux, Slax, Mepis, Grafpuppy, Ubunu, Parted Magic and SystemrescueCD) booted this way. The disk was a USB pen drive but distros Mepis, Slax and DSL will work just as fine for any internal hard disk. Don't forget to read Post #5 on how to change Grub's menu.lst.

 

[kestrel1]

Now I have got my brain in gear, Yes it is possible to get the Linux distro on your lappy HDD.
I think the easiest way would be to remove all other HDD's from your desktop & just use the lappy HDD as the master HDD.
Instal Linux on your lappies HDD, use lilo or grub as the boot loader. Once this is done, put your HDD back in the laptop & it should boot.
I don't know why I never thought of this option before, must be having a bad week.
You can use any of the above mentioned distro's of Linux or any other for that matter. My prefered choice at present is Puppy, but I only use it from a bootable CD. Another fairly easy to use distro is Mandriva.
I am going to slap my wrist for not thinking about this earlier, sorry mate.

 

[havfunonline]

no problem at all, This helps a great deal! THanks everyone