Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

[ThirdI]

I need to try installing a version of Linux, preferably Kubuntu, on an old laptop that does not have a CD-ROM, just a 3.5" floppy drive. In all honesty, I'm hoping the machine will be powerful enough to run Kubuntu. Regardless of that, is there a way to install Kubuntu via a floppy or possibly just booting from a floppy long enough to get internet access (not WiFi) and install that way?

I'm very new to Linux but spent many years with DOS and I'm currently a Junior working on my C.S. major. If this works, it's going to make my classes a LOT easier!

[dibl]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

No.

Sorry.



This is a stretch, but I'll toss it out. The hard drive is most likely IDE. It is probably cabled to the main board with a simple 2-connector IDE cable. If you could fine (a) a decent IDE CD ROM drive, and (b) an IDE cable with a middle connector, and set it up on a bench/table to boot from that CD ROM drive (another stretch, depending on the BIOS), and if you had a Kubuntu installation CD, then you MIGHT get to a point where it would boot the Kubuntu CD and you could install on the hard drive.

Maybe.

[ThirdI]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

Can you recommend a version of Linux that might work? All I really need it to do is run a text editor, basic internet functionality and your standard set of compilers i.e. jGrasp, Eclipse, gcc/g++ etc.

[dibl]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

Your problem isn't the version of Linux, your problem is that the standard installation medium for many years now is the CD ROM.

You can search the Linux distributions at http://distrowatch.com/ and maybe get lucky with one that can be obtained on diskettes, but I'm not holding my breath. :P


EDIT: http://sourceforge.net/projects/byld ? :P

[ebtech]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

Found a couple links that may be of some help.

http://users.sunet.com.au/~tsn/floppy_linux.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,12...1/article.html

http://marc.herbert.free.fr/linux/win2linstall.html

http://www.linuxmigration.com/quickr...all/media.html
(Installing from the internet section)

[integr8e]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

Check out this link; this one might work as well

Edit: With the second option, there is an Ubuntu version; just look at the downloads.

[Rog131]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

And here is more ways to install K/X/Ubuntu:

Installation
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation

The guides listed below provide instructions on how to install Ubuntu on your computer.

Most people will use the standard installation procedure.

If you have problems installing or need to install using a different method, see the other sections.


Installation without a CD
The documents listed below provide instructions for installing Ubuntu without using a CD or CD-ROM drive.

• SmartBootManagerHowto - Installing from a PC which will not boot from a CD.
• Installation/FromUSBStick - Installing from a USB memory stick.
• Installation/WithFloppies - Installing without a CD drive over a network.
• Installation/FromHardDriveWithFloppies - Installing without a CD drive or network capabilities from a hard drive.
• Installation/FromWindows - Installing from Windows without using floppies, a CD, or any other removable media.
• Installation/FromLinux - Installing using a spare partition from an existing Linux system to house the Ubuntu CD image.

[integr8e]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

Out of curiosity, how did it go?

[dibl]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

I keep waiting for someone to post that he's got a PC/AT with a 5.25 inch 1.2M floppy diskette drive, and can we point him to a copy of Kubuntu for his rig ....

[ThirdI]

Re: Install Kubuntu with Floppy+Internet?

I hadn't actually seen the laptop yet and, after a few more PMs, I found out that it's only got the floppy drive AND a 56K modem. I don't really feel like trying to do an internet-based Linux install over dial-up, lol. So thanks but no thanks, I passed on trying it.

Thanks though. I'm still tempted to try it but not during the school year.