HD Install :: HD Install in a laptop w/oCD-ROM, using a 2nd PC

All:

Here is the situation:

I have a laptop that I want to install DSL onto, but I only have a floppy drive. Of all the options I have read about here in the DSL forums, it would seem that my best/easiest option would be to temporarily install my laptop HD into a desktop PC, "install" DSL, then put the HD back in my laptop. (I do have the proper adapter to do that). After reading several posts in here though, I became a bit confused, though, so I would appreciate it if I could receive some additional input.

My question is, if I do a "hd-install" while the hard drive is in the PC, will the installer program set up DSL for the hardware that is in the PC? And, if so, how do I re-configure DSL after the HD is back in my laptop?

If running "hd-install" isn't the correct way to do this, how do I do it then?

Thanks for tolerating all my newbie questions!

I'll give this one a try..
Others here can do better than I..

The HD swap from laptop to another box would be the FASTEST.
Although I don't relish the idea of disassembly of the laptop itself.
They can sometimes be a pain...

Doing it that way will not be a hardware issue..
DSL autoconfigs upon bootup..
You can boot your main box with the laptop hard drive in it,
from your DSL CD. Make the laptop HD your HDA drive...

Type "dsl base 2" at the boot prompt, and get to a root shell.
Then type "dsl-hdinstall" , and follow the prompts..
After this has completed, it will wish to reboot..
When it starts to reboot, turn it off, so it doesn't get to the xsetup,
Then put it back into the laptop, boot, and your good-to-go..

Or,

Try the frugal_lite script if you have high speed access...
( do not try this on a dialup, unless you've got LOTS of time and a good ISP.)
Start by making a tomsrtbt floppy disk.
Search the forums or google for tomsrtbt, a floppy distro.
Boot your laptop from the tomsrtbt, and see if it will recognise your network card.

If so, You've got another way to do this...
Without opening up the laptop...

Read more in roberts post about frugal_lite for information
on settng up your partitions with the tomsrtbt before you run the script...
You'll need a blank floppy to make a boot disk...
You'll need a copy of the frugal_lite.sh script...
You'll need the tomsrtbt floppy distro...

73
ke4nt

Quote (ke4nt1 @ Aug. 05 2004,01:31)

The HD swap from laptop to another box would be the FASTEST.
Although I don't relish the idea of disassembly of the laptop itself.
They can sometimes be a pain...

Doing it that way will not be a hardware issue..
DSL autoconfigs upon bootup..
You can boot your main box with the laptop hard drive in it,
from your DSL CD. Make the laptop HD your HDA drive...

Type "dsl base 2" at the boot prompt, and get to a root shell.
Then type "dsl-hdinstall" , and follow the prompts..
After this has completed, it will wish to reboot..
When it starts to reboot, turn it off, so it doesn't get to the xsetup,
Then put it back into the laptop, boot, and your good-to-go..

Ah, this sounds like the answer I was looking for!
The key thing you mentioned is to not let the desktop PC reboot...

Luckily for me, drive access on the laptop has been made quite easy. The laptop is a Toshiba Portege 300CT, and there is a small access door on the bottom of the unit. All I have to do is remove two small screws, remove the door, and the hard drive is right there! The whole removal process takes less than a minute.

I do understand your statement about laptop disassembly being a pain, as I have replaced hard drives in older laptops where I had to dismantle the whole damn thing. Ugh.

Speaking of easy hard drive access, I also have a CTX laptop that I am going to install DSL onto and give to my mom. (yeah, she's 75 years old and a computer junkie, gotta love it!) That laptop has its hard drive mounted in a "caddy", and all you have to do is move the latch into the "unlock" position and it just slides out of the bottom of the machine! Now THAT is easy access!

Thanks for the input, Kent! Nice custom call, BTW.

73

You can also look in the HOWTO section...I have gotted DSL installed with just floppies, but it takes some work...

Brian
AwPhuch

original here.