HELP: LMDE on Toshiba Portégé R100 with NO USB BOOT nor CDD

[Matrioska]

I guys,
I'm new on this forum: I've decided to register because I really would like to try this distro (I've been on Ubuntu this far) but I can't figure out the way to install it on an old notebook I found at home (it has a double boot with Win XP and Ubuntu 8.04 - told you is old!)

The problem is that the Portégé has no possibility in the BIOS to boot from USB, and the computer itself lacks of the cd-drive to boot from. I actually own an external CDD but only a few are compatible with the boot on a Toshiba - mine not being among them...
Anyway, I also own an external FDD, but can't find out the way to boot from it. I was able to follow this instructions: http://forums.computers.toshiba-europe.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=5994&messageID=20655#20655 and make windows boot -from FDD, that subsequently runs the CDD- but i don't find an adequate floppy boot image file for LMDE: I have tried with that of Windows and the old one for Debian (doesn't exist anymore, found it here: http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/a-close-shave-debian-etch-floppy-images/) but with no success.
I have also used Plop (http://www.plop.at/), in order to force the CDD to boot (doesn't see it, neither as an usb) or to boot from USB stick (doen't work either).
The only remaining boot possibilities in the bios are from pcmcia card (i don't have one), SD or HD...

I was thinking of a Network boot, but i never performed one, and would need some help with it. (of course if you can find out an easier way I'll happy with that! )

Thank you very much in advance for your help and sorry if something's not clear enough (my mothertongue is not english and i'm not really an expert)

[rivenathos]

Welcome to the forum!

Is there any way you can physically remove the hard drive from the laptop, attach in another laptop or hook-up to a desktop, install LMDE, and then re-install the hard drive back into the laptop?

[Matrioska]

In my roundabouts in the net i have read about someone doing that, but i never opened a laptop, and have actually no idea how to remove the hd and attach it to another computer... seems a bit complicated to me, am i wrong?
i could try anyway, i have tried everything...

[rivenathos]

The only reason I mentioned the above method is because I have done it numerous times with desktops. I agree that a laptop is going to be harder to work with considering the connections, as well as getting the drive out in the first place. If you try, I wish you good luck. Oh yeah, you may wish to take pictures step-by-step so you can follow your way back.

[Matrioska]

you may wish to take pictures step-by-step so you can follow your way back.

good idea, also to post a tutorial somewhere, just in case others will have my same problem.

but i'll keep that as a last resort. thank you anyway!

[willie42]

The hard drive on a Laptop is located in a door under the machine. attached is an image right side bottom

[seeley]

Hi Matrioska!
Supposing my old laptop is booting from USB (sometimes it works, sometimes not) I could try today evening to install Mint on a MicroSD card to see if I can boot from it.
(Those cards, e.g. 4 GB, are not expensive.)
BTW: I was writing a HOWTO:
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=141&t=62603&p=360138#p360138
seeley

[seeley]

Hi!
Unfortunately I had no success. The installing of Mint on the MicroSD card with PartedMagic/ UNetbootin was no problem, but I could not boot from SD.
And I'm afraid most computers cannot boot from such a card.
seeley

[Matrioska]

thanks seeley, I'll probably go for the removal of the hd as mentioned by rivenathos.
I think the signature of willie42

You can not have Success without Failures.

suits perfectly for my case

[Matrioska]

By the way, could anyone explain me step by step what to do?

I mean, i can easily remove the hdd, but then?

first problem i encountered is the (obvious) discover that i will need and adapter to connect the small laptop hard disk (1,8") to the flat cable of my tower. something like this----> http://cgi.ebay.it/1-8-to-3-5-Laptop-IDE-Hard-Disk-Drive-HDD-Adapter-/120675684107?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item1c18d4cf0b

But once connected, what shall i do?

[rivenathos]

If another laptop is not handy, then that small adapter should work fine.

Once you have the laptop's hard drive connected to your tower, you can install Mint normally. So, all you do is put the Live CD in the drive, boot your tower with it, and install following the instructions on the screen. Once you have Mint installed, replace the laptop's hard drive back in the laptop. When you boot the laptop, you should be all ready to start enjoying Mint.

[Matrioska]

last question: how about hardware recognition? will it be a problem to install the os on the tower and then move the hdd to the laptop?

thanks a lot, i'll write back while on mint i hope!

[rivenathos]

I have never had a problem with my hardware being recognized when switching between machines as I suggested above. Perhaps you will have good luck as I did.

[SleepyJohn]

You can also do this trick by fitting the laptop drive into a usb enclosure and plugging it into a usb slot on the tower as an external usb hard drive. Because the drive is external and has a different device number to the internal one, you do have to fiddle one or two things, but it is a useful alternative if you cannot get into the tower for some reason.

Basically you have to identify the external drive in the partitions list and ensure it is chosen as the installation partition. Then when you are asked for installation of a boot partition (or whatever the wording is) choose 'advanced' and select again the partition representing the external drive. When the OS is installed you need to edit /boot/grub/grub.cfg (or whatever that file is called these days) on the external drive and change the letters of the boot partition in various places back to the standard lettering of the first hard drive or it will not boot when it goes back in the laptop (because it is looking for an external drive).

I hope that makes sense. If not, perhaps someone more experienced than I can clarify it.