computer boot up question

[Rallispec]

maybe this should go in the stupid questions thread.. but i'm really drawing a blank on it.


how do you boot up an older computer from a cd when the bios doesnt have any kind of option or support for it. The harddrive isn't formatted so thiers no OS installed on it-- I'm trying to install redhat linux on it but i can't figure out how to make the computer boot up and read the cd.


edit: hopefully without using any kind of boot disk.

 

[minendo]

Create a floppy boot disk. redhat should have the files on the cd necessary to make the bootdisk.

 

[Electric Amish]

You can't.

You need what is called a "Boot" floppy.

amish

 

[hoihtah]

boot from a floppy (win98/linux)
and access your cdrom from there.

 

[bizmark]

it's probably easiest to use a different computer to make a boot floppy. The CD should have an image.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
You can't.

You need what is called a "Boot" floppy.

amish

what is this "boot floppy" you speak of?

 

[Rallispec]

okay... i know what a freaking boot floppy is.

i was hoping their was a way around this though---

becuase stupid me decides that he doesnt need floppy drives on his computers anymore and doesnt have a single computer in the house with a floppy drive.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
okay... i know what a freaking boot floppy is.

i was hoping their was a way around this though---

becuase stupid me decides that he doesnt need floppy drives on his computers anymore and doesnt have a single computer in the house with a floppy drive.

Well then pull out the hard drive, install it in another computer and copy the redhat cd to that drive. Then reinstall the drive and do the install from the hard drive.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: minendo
Well then pull out the hard drive, install it in another computer and copy the redhat cd to that drive. Then reinstall the drive and do the install from the hard drive.

you, my freind. Are a genius. Why didnt i think of that?

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
okay... i know what a freaking boot floppy is.

i was hoping their was a way around this though---

becuase stupid me decides that he doesnt need floppy drives on his computers anymore and doesnt have a single computer in the house with a floppy drive.

hahahahahaha!!!

LMFAO!!!

amish

 

[hoihtah]

hey ... that used to be me...
i used to not have a single floppy drive in my house...
'cause i never used them.

but soon i realized... for situations like this,
that $10 is worth it.

so i got one.... but haven't used it yet.

you still have many different options to make this happen.
but i'm going to save you some time and trouble...

the easiest way would be to go out and get yourself a floppy drive.

if you absolutely don't want to purchase one...
then,... you can take the harddrive out of that computer...
and format it from another computer.
copy bootable files into the harddrive...
and once that's done put it back with your ol' mobo.

you might want to look for mobo bios update while you are at it... and copy that as well.
a new bios might have that cd-boot fuction.

 

[hoihtah]

damm... minmendo beat me to it.

my post was too long.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

hahahahahaha!!!

LMFAO!!!

amish

Quite You! I havnet needed a floppy in over 3 years... i never thought i would now. I dont think i even have any floppy discs... unless i have some really old games laying around.



and maybe i should clarify.. i dont have a working floppy drive-- i have a floppy drive on my desktop computer.. it doesnt work though, becuase when i isntalled i hooked the IDE cable up upside down and fried the floppy drive.

 

[bizmark]

Originally posted by: Rallispec
okay... i know what a freaking boot floppy is.

i was hoping their was a way around this though---

becuase stupid me decides that he doesnt need floppy drives on his computers anymore and doesnt have a single computer in the house with a floppy drive.

Maybe look for a BIOS update? Or go buy a floppy drive for $15? Also you may want to try putting the CD-ROM on the first IDE channel as the Master, and the HD on the second channel.... I don't know, it might work

OR.... put the HD in another, newer computer, and install Linux onto it from the CD-ROM, then swap out the HD's again... simple

edit: bah... you people are too fast.

 

[hoihtah]

Originally posted by: bizmark

Originally posted by: Rallispec
okay... i know what a freaking boot floppy is.

i was hoping their was a way around this though---

becuase stupid me decides that he doesnt need floppy drives on his computers anymore and doesnt have a single computer in the house with a floppy drive.

Maybe look for a BIOS update? Or go buy a floppy drive for $15? Also you may want to try putting the CD-ROM on the first IDE channel as the Master, and the HD on the second channel.... I don't know, it might work

OR.... put the HD in another, newer computer, and install Linux onto it from the CD-ROM, then swap out the HD's again... simple

Can anybody come up with a more convoluted solution?

that cdrom in ide master channel won't work.
you need driver for that to happen.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: hoihtah
hey ... that used to be me...
i used to not have a single floppy drive in my house...
'cause i never used them.

but soon i realized... for situations like this,
that $10 is worth it.

so i got one.... but haven't used it yet.

you still have many different options to make this happen.
but i'm going to save you some time and trouble...

the easiest way would be to go out and get yourself a floppy drive.

if you absolutely don't want to purchase one...
then,... you can take the harddrive out of that computer...
and format it from another computer.
copy bootable files into the harddrive...
and once that's done put it back with your ol' mobo.

you might want to look for mobo bios update while you are at it... and copy that as well.
a new bios might have that cd-boot fuction.

good call.. i'm gonna go check out bios updates too. Maybe i have a floppy drive laying around in an old 386 out in the garage.

this is turning out to be way to much trouble for whats it worht. all i wanted was a dumb comptuer to mess around with and learn linux on.

 

[Electric Amish]

I put a floppy in every computer that I build and I ALWAYS use them.

I don't know how you'd get around it a lot of the time.

Also, for those suggesting a bios update, he would probably need a floppy to install the update.

amish

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
I put a floppy in every computer that I build and I ALWAYS use them.

I don't know how you'd get around it a lot of the time.

Also, for those suggesting a bios update, he would probably need a floppy to install the update.

amish

I dont use a floppy becuaes 99% of the time becuae all my computers are networked.. so i just transfers files from computer to another that way.

the rest of the time, any files small enough to fit on a floppy are just as easily sent over email or similar way.