Installation without bootable CD

[carsten]

Hy,
I am just trying to re-animate an outmustered office PC for a friend (actually its a girl  )
Presently there is an XP on the hard drive but I want to replace it with Linux. Unfortunately the machine is not capable of booting from CD nor an USB device.
I think I can manage somehow to generate a Linux Boot Floppy, and to mount a CD. But how can I initiate the install procedure manually (and can it be done with any Distributions CD).
Please boys, help! That is for everybody the ultimate chance to save a Girl in distress 

Carsten

[M0E-lnx]

I understand your situation and hope something good comes out of this for you

Here is what you can do.
Get you a win98 boot floppy boot into DOS mode and format the drive
the you reboot, and start the box into DOS mode again but with CDROM support (and hope to God that works)

This could help you
http://vectorlinux.osuosl.org/docs/vl58/manuals/vl5_installation_guide_en.html#iso_win

[MikeCindi]

Another option for a boot floppy (there are several listed on the Ultimate Boot CD's home page: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/) is here: http://www.toms.net/rb/
This is in case you do not have access to a Win98 boot floppy and want to stay with a linux environment.

[carsten]

Hy and thanks for support 

@M0E-Inx: when I tried to generate the floppy I received an error "directory or file does not exist". I checked with MC and did actually not find the install-directory on my Vector Standard 5.8 CD

@mikecindi: worked well, I will keep the floppy as very last final rescue device

I worked out a different approach:
I found in the BIOS of the machine a well-hidden switch to get the system booting from CD. Than I ripped the DVD from my external burner and rigged it with flying wires to the machine and installed Xandros. This is the most Window-look-and-feel Linux I know and should satisfy the Ladies needs. Also, there is no risk that any busy-body-wanna-be-windows-expert tries to show off expertise and corrupt the installation.
So, as in a tale henceforth they lived happily and computed to the end of their days ....

Carsten

[lagagnon]

Also, there is no risk that any busy-body-wanna-be-windows-expert tries to show off expertise and corrupt the installation.

I hope you set a BIOS password then?

[nightflier]

Just to add my $0.02: In the past I have used Smart Boot Manager on a floppy to boot from CD when BIOS did not support it. Tiny download, works well.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/btmgr/

[M0E-lnx]

good to know you got it going. I have to say i do not think i could pulled that off