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I've been given a fairly modern laptop that has Windows 10 installed, but I'd like to install Ubuntu as a second OS.

The problem is, the laptop has no DVD drive and it appears the USB ports have literally been burnt out. Nothing I plug into them works and the previous owner told me they inadvertently plugged in the wrong power adapter when using a multi-port USB hub and all the magic smoke has escaped.

Everything else works though. So I'm thinking if I temporarily put the SSD into a desktop I could create a new partition and copy an Ubuntu iso onto it.

I assume that will work and I'll Google how to create a bootable partition later. But what I really want to know before I spend an afternoon trying this is whether that is generally the right approach, or if there's another (i.e. easier) way.

Btw, until recently I was just a Windows user. So if you answer I'll need you to dumb it all the way down for me. Thanks.

Edit: 2 seconds after posting I realised that putting the SSD into a latop to do the stuff above is not actually necessary. But I'd still appreciate any opinions on the rest of it.

user496341
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  • from disk. You can tell grub to boot an ISO that is on the disk. Or get the USB fixed. The 1st method: https://askubuntu.com/a/1251782/15811 – Rinzwind Jul 01 '23 at 14:13
  • Fixing the USB isn't really an option. So can I clarify: If I copy an Ubuntu iso to a separate, bootable partition I will be able to install and configure GRUB while running Windows. Then, after restarting I'll be given the option to boot to either Windows or Ubuntu? – user496341 Jul 01 '23 at 14:26
  • See the link: you put an absolute path to the ISO so a partition is not really needed. But ... if you format the disk with the ISO and the installer messes up after formatting you are out of an ISO. So it is advisable. I am not sure how to do this with windows. The instructions are about grub so linux. :P use this for windows https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-boot-from-iso-file/ BUT this is off topic on AU ;) – Rinzwind Jul 01 '23 at 14:37
  • @Rinzwind Doesn't the linked answer suppose you have already a version of Ubuntu installed? Chicken <=> Egg? OP has only Windows. – Jos Jul 01 '23 at 14:39
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    It looks like the top comment on this Ask Ubuntu page from five years ago suggests it's as simple as I thought. I'll probably just give that a go and report back. – user496341 Jul 01 '23 at 14:44
  • You could try a PXE boot installation via network, but you'd have to set up a server first. – HuHa Jul 01 '23 at 16:25

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