Load OS on thumb drive for a laptop?

[JE78]

I was given a laptop with a busted screen and no hard drive a few days ago. The laptop is not even a year old but my brother broke the screen and bought a new one. I ordered a new screen that will be here tomorrow and was planning on buying a new hard drive as well. My brother informed me yesterday after I bought the screen that he thinks the processor might be going bad because the last time he used it was locking up on him alot, it was really slow and that it was getting really hot after only 10 minutes of use. My brother doesn't know too much about computers so I'm just hoping it was the hard drive that was slowing the system down.

Before I go and sink more money into this laptop is there anyway I load an OS on a thumb drive and test the computer to make sure everything is ok or do I need to go and get a hard drive? Thanks in advance.

 

[sivart]

You could try a Linux live CD (or live USB)

Something like this: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/create-a-ubuntu-9-10-live-usb-in-windows/ for the USB thumb drive or just download a distro and pop it in the CDROM and run it.

 

[JackMDS]

As said above there are versions of Linux that support it.

Windows OS do not support a functional boot working OS from USB ports.


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P.S. I delete the duplicate thread in the GHW forum, It is a No No to do in our forums.

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[JE78]

Thanks, I'll give Linux a look although i've never used it. Sorry Jack, won't happen again.

 

[AnnonUSA]

http://www.blogsdna.com/2016/how-to-install-windows-7-from-usb-drive-without-windows-7-iso-dvd.htm

 

[JackMDS]

AnnonUSA the page you linked to explains how to make an original installation disk on a Flash Drive to use it with computer that do not have a DVD drive.

You can install from the USB to the Hard Drive, but you can Not install Windows as a running OS to a Flash Drive instead of the HD.

 

[lxskllr]

The heatsink might have gone bad on the CPU. I had the heatpipes go bad on a Dell laptop once. I never knew that was even possible, but the CPU clamp would get hot while the heatpipes stayed relatively cool. I even tried reseating it without luck. If it is overheating, that might be a cheap fix to look into. You might be able to test it by partially disassembling the laptop, and put a big desktop cooler on the CPU. You won't have to clamp it for this purpose. It'll take enough of the heat away to let you know if that's a problem or not. It may even be something dumb like a fan....