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fleamailman
10-03-2006, 12:54 PM
I have XP and broadband, I have a USB key of 512mb, is there a way to download linux directly from the net into my computer, transfer it to the key and then have the key as my second os. I have a floppy disk drive to help with the boot but perhaps I am out of date here?
Tortanick
10-03-2006, 02:47 PM
Sure it can be done, with that small amount of space I would recomend getting a light distro, damm small linux or puppy linux. Linux may have an amazingly small disk space requirement but even then, for a full blown desktop 512 just isn't enough.

Chances are both damm small & puppy's offical forums or wiki will have a guide on how to do this :)

However not all computers can boot from a key.
fleamailman
10-03-2006, 04:17 PM
which of the two that you have mentioned, and would I be able to use a bootdisk to get it to load, I will explain more, I have a laptop with both the harddrive and the cdrom dead, I will buy a harddrive which is easy, the hard part is gettng an os onto it, but I imagine that once I have one running, then I can load a bigger better one beside it, any suggestions
Tortanick
10-03-2006, 04:53 PM
Pen drive is just a stub? try installing PClinuxOS minime on a pendrive, just put the CD in and the pen drive in, it has an installer option to put it on a pen. really simple install.

Get a grub boot floppy, lots of guides on how to make one but none for download :(

And set that up to point to the pendrive by editing menu.list. You'll need a better UNIX man then me for that. Or maby I'll end up with a couple of hours to kill tomorrow...

boot into your pendrive, log in as root and the installer is still their.
fleamailman
10-03-2006, 07:30 PM
Ok, there is certainly no rush for this but if you and I could make a tut at the end of the process(ordeal), then I feel KH would have a good sticky about loading linux, from a USB key, next question, I have a external caddie, if I load linux onto a harddrive of 40gb then transfered that into the laptop, would it work? I have not bought the 40gb harddrive yet in either case so we are still only talking about it.
jflan
10-03-2006, 09:22 PM
I have XP and broadband, I have a USB key of 512mb, is there a way to download linux directly from the net into my computer, transfer it to the key and then have the key as my second os. I have a floppy disk drive to help with the boot but perhaps I am out of date here?

fleamailman,

Have you considered trying a Linux live-CD?
You may or not know, that with a live-CD you can test drive the OS from your optical drive without having to load it on your hard drive.
It's then a fairly simple operation to install and even set up a dual-boot with Windows.
Your local computer shop may have some free linux CD's or you can order from here:
https://shipit.kubuntu.org/ These are free, shipped to your doorstep.
Or go to a news shop/market and have a look at this:
http://www.linux-magazine.com/issue/72

Not sure if Mandriva 2007 is in live-CD form but the latest Kubunto is.
I'm presently experimenting with SuSE 10.0 and Kubunto 6.06
These are both live and/or install DVD's. I'm dual-booting XP and SuSE.
fleamailman
10-03-2006, 10:33 PM
Ok, I am on board, I have tried the free kubuntu download but I am not sure it it worked, I am going to buy the magazine too next time I am in town. I had some problems with kubantu before but that was another computer and I was alone, now I am not and if I can just get the laptop working again. I will be happy.