Thanks EDDY1, the standard install disc does, indeed, allow me to install GRUB to my USB3 stick and, so, boot from it instead of the hard drive.
Unfortunately I am now having problems getting the Broadcom wireless networking to work under Debian so it looks like I'll be stuck with Debian in a VM for some time.
I suppose this is what one gets for buying cheap rubbish.

Which chip is it? A lot of the broadcom chips nowadays just need firmware to work.

I did install the firmware-linux-nonfree and a couple of Broadcom firmware packages too but still no joy.
After dealing with devices which just work with the non-free packages installed it is somewhat frustrating. I'm in the Windows install at the moment and it's downloading updates so I might not get a chance to check the chipset this evening unless I can workout how to list the hardware under Windows properly and not just get "Wireless Adaptor" when I look in Control Panel.

OK, so I'm posting from the Debian install and the wireles card is:I have installed this, which I thought would be all I needed:
https://packages.debian.org/jessie/broadcom-sta-common

It's not supported by broadcom sta, you have to buid it.
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.p...109498#p520911
It's a .deb file so use gdebi to do it for you.
https://mega.co.nz/#!qIUySZYJ!PgfNRV...bU-houaQ97c0yM

Thanks, I wasn't sure how up to date that was. I also feel a little uncomfortable downloadindg an installing something from a random dropbox type website. Not that I don't appreciate the effort people go to just that it's presented as a .deb file with no other explanation makes it look a little odd.

Here's a better 1 use the ubuntu drivers explained here.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Instal...kPad_Edge_E135

Marvellous, thanks, when I'm done dist-upgrading to Sid I'll give it a try.

I'm gong to mark this thread as solved since I had to ditch the piece of trash laptop and I would guess that the answers given would have allowed me to install Debian on it and get wireless working.