How to install ubunutu/xubuntu on an laptop without CD-ROM or USB booting.

Hi everyone, I google this post’s title a bunch of time to find a easy solution to my problem. I have an old Sony Vaio PCG-SR33,  that doesnt have usb-booting capability, and its external CD-ROM is not working. I wanted to install xubuntu on it. Heres what I did:

 Tools needed:

• a working laptop or computer with CD-ROM or USB booting capability
• Get a copy of xubuntu/ubuntu. In my case I burned this copy on a CD
• IDE 2.5 to IDE 3.5 adapter or USB. (My had both)-> Adapter  $25.00
  Computer geeks has just the IDE 2.5 to 3.5  for $4
• an old laptop or PC.

Procedure

1.  Carefully remove the old laptop’s hard drive. My laptop hd was a Toshiba IDE 2.5
2. Connect the laptop’s drive to the other computer.
3. In the other computer insert the ubuntu CD and boot from it.
4. Once the installation menu shows up, being a normal installation.
5. Follow the instructions until you encounter the drive selection. Select the laptop’s drive, and delete it’s partition. (ALL data will be lost of course)  Now perform an automatic partition on that drive. This option will partition the drive with the require formats ubuntu needs for its installation. Write down the name of that drive, you’ll need it later. (ex. “(hd0,0)”)
6. Continue on with the installation. It might take a while depending on the speed of the drive. THe installation will be copying a bunch of files. Then it will ask you in what drive to install GRUB,  thats when you type the name you wrote down.
7. Take the drive and connect it back to the old laptop. Power the laptop.
8. You might encounter an error something like: Error 21: Selected disk does not exist.
   • Press any key, and it will take you to boot OS menu. On the bottom there are some navigation details.
   • Select the ubuntu kernel usually the first choice.  Press ‘e’,  select root and press ‘e’ and edit the hardrive selection to (hd0,0), press enter, now root should be as follow (root (hd0,0),  select it and press ‘b’.

I hope that works for you guys, I’m sure there are other ways to set the grub root to boot automatically to a specified hd. for now thats my fixed. please feel free to comment.

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Happy New Year 2008!

To everyone Happy New Year!.

thirdwheeldeal.com goes live

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Here is a video demonstration.

This is probably the beginning of other experiments that I’ll be doing with Arduino! It’s really fun and a great tool to learn from.

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$50 dollar coupon!

If you live in Southern California you’re lucky. This new website is having a sale for southern Californians. Basically you get $50 worth of a product for free. You can order any product with the coupon and if the product is under $50 you get it for free. If it is more than $50 you pay the difference. Check it out at: http://www.al-eds.com/get50.

Hurry, offer ends soon!

Zach’s Wedding

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