0

I want to give my computer to my friend. He doesn't know how to use Windows, only Linux.

I would not like to keep windows on the system. The computer's BIOS does not support USB start-up. Also, I don't have a disk that has a large enough space to have the ISO image on it.

Help anyone?

Thanks, djtravz

djtravz
  • 17

4 Answers4

1

Since you cannot boot from USB, you could try booting over the network.

However, there's an easier method using CD's. I see in your question that you cannot load the images onto CD because of size. I assume it's because the computer has a CD drive and not a DVD drive.

In this case, please follow this link to download an burn a MinimalCD. It's a tiny image that will start the installation, and pull all the data(packages) over the internet during installation. This can easily fit on a CD since most of these images are under 60 MB, and a typical CD holds ~650-700 MB.

Delorean
  • 10,923
0

It would require another computer, https://help.ubuntu.com/community/

Installation Installation without a CD -> Server and network installations

guest
  • 1
  • Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. Also, wouldn't it be easier to provide the exact link instead of a general link and giving directions, like this? https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation#Server_and_network_installations – MadMike Jun 13 '16 at 19:09
-1

The most practical way to do this is to remove the hard disk, temporarily connect it to another computer that can boot from DVD or USB, and install Ubuntu to the temporary drive. A few tweaks to /etc/fstab may be required to get correct recognition of the partitions on the side-loaded drive, but once done, reinstalling the drive with Ubuntu on it will let the computer boot to Ubuntu.

If your friend only knows Linux, though, he'd probably be more comfortable doing this than you would...

Zeiss Ikon
  • 5,128
-1

The answer to this is no, the closest things I thought of were the below 2 options.

  • Create a virtual drive
  • Create a ram disk

Creating a virtual drive My first thought for this was to create a virtual drive and then boot from there. There is one major floor with this though and that's the fact that when you get to the partition screen, you will need to remove or at the very least resize the Windows partition and this will cause issues.

Creating a ram disk My second though was a ram disk, the problem with this though is you will need to restart the computer in order to access the ram disk. This will mean that all the data from the ram disk will be erased and you won't be able to boot into it.

There are CD installers though, if you don't want to go for a DVD installation. There is the netboot install, but you will need to connect via a network cable to do that.

There is also a CD ISO download, but you will need 9 CDs in order to achieve that.

proprocastinator
  • 187
  • Whoever downvoted me was very quick off the mark, I don't even think you got chance to read my post. – proprocastinator Jun 13 '16 at 18:23
  • This answer is vague, it doesn't actually give the OP any instructions, or answer his question. You mention having to resize the windows partition when the OP says he would like to remove it. Then you mention ram disk for no reason, which would still require him to have burned the ISO to a dvd. He most likely doesn't have a dvdr and will need to do the minimal install cd, and everything will be fine. –  Jun 13 '16 at 18:27