odd install question

themillak

Member
Feb 2, 2011
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I have my wife's old desktop that I wanted to stick linux on and use as a server for our apartment. the bios is old and doesn't support booting from a usb stick, only hard drive, floppy or cd. I figured the cd would be easy but the cd drive is broken and I don't have a spare IDE cd drive. its only $20 for a new drive but its the principle of the thing; i'll hardly ever use it after installing. Is there an alternate way I can install debian?

tho ideas I had:
1- wubi to grub -> usb install
2- floppy -> usb, just need a floppy.

will it work do you think?
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
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I'd try pulling the hd from the old machine, put it in a new machine, install Debian, then put the hd back in the old machine. I'm sure that isn't the best way, but that's what first came to mind for me.
 

themillak

Member
Feb 2, 2011
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thanks guys, i'll check those out. can't do the hd install and switch because its the only desktop we have but i'll try those out, together with some more cd drive surgery.