Well I got myself a laptop, but my only problem is that it's running Linux and doesn't have the cohones to run Wine, which essentially means it's kinda useless to me. Normally, I'd just wipe it and throw windows2k on there, but the CD rom drive is broke'd! Short of buying a laptop 2 IDE converter kit, then praying that windows doesn't freak out when I transpose the drive back into the laptop; anyone got a suggestion on how to get windows on there? Are USB 1.1 cd-roms bootable (My roomies got an external I could borrow)?
I've done this sort of thing literally ten or twenty times at least. I have to put up with old computers all the time. If you do much dabbling in computer hardware repair, I'd seriously recommend buying an IDE to USB adaptor. Most allow both laptop and full size HDD's to connect. I bought one for $20 on ebay a few years ago, and I've used it like nuts. I'm sure it's cheaper now. Anyway, if you do get one, you can crack open the laptop (if you're not afraid) and plop the i386 folder from the win2k cd onto the hard drive (by plugging it into another computer), then boot from any old DOS floppy (then type cd i386; winnt). I've also found that tape drives can do the job well, albeit slowly. And then of course, you could always just copy the i386 folder from within linux over a network.
Laptops do occasionally have the entire OS backed up on the HDD so you can completely reinstall your OS. If the CDROM drive's fault is a software one that should fix it (like it did with mine)
otherwise i guess booting from usb is your only option
Nope, when I got home I crashed out hard for about 12 hours (I was moving friends and my girlfriend for 3 days last week, I was damned tired!) and tonight I've been claimed by the g/f; so I figure I'll try to get it all working on monday.
Advertisement
Post Reply
Apocalyptic Coders - 
Edited by the Author.
