Not sure if this is the right forum for this topic, but anyway..

I have a computer with no CD drive (or even a floppy drive) and I need to install Linux on it. At the moment, there is no OS on the hard drive at all. I could use another computer to put files on to the hard drive or something, but I dunno how I would go about doing that to install Linux.

A few options

1. like you said take the drive out put it into another machine install linux and then put it back.
2. USB cdrom drive (or pen drive)
3. Net boot (if your network card supports network booting)
4. Install a floppy drive from another machine, boot up and perform a ftp install

There are plenty of HOWTOs avaliable that provide step by step instructions for these options.

Can you simply put a CD reader in the machine? They are really cheap.

In principle, you can do an install on another computer and then put the drive into yours. I have no personal experience, however.

Please post specs for the computer--may prompt some more in-depth help.

ohmyx: I tried your first suggestion of installing it from another machine then putting it back in, but when I tried to load it, it wouldn't boot in to the GUI, as it was configured for the hardware on my other machine, I guess.

I have tried to use a pen drive and USB CD drive, but the machine wont boot from it, there is no options for it in the boot order in the BIOs.

I don't really know how to do the last 2 suggestions, but I will look for some tutorials on them or something. Thanks.

Pixellany: It doesn't have a spare IDE cable or anything. Specs: 400mhz celeron, 192mb RAM, 80GB 7200RPM Seegate hard drive, don't know what motherboard. I know it's crap, I only want to use it for internet and stuff.

People put Linux on far less....
IDE allows 2 devices per connector on the MB---master and slave. Can you not get a cable with 2 device connectors?
MB has only ONE IDE connector??? wow!

I do that all the time. Well, almost
I am the sys manager for a lab with several pcs and when I have to install linux on theses machines, I use only the first cd to boot and in the installation menu I choose to use NFS/FTP and point to a server and the directory where the iso images are. All installation is done using the network and only the first cd.

My point here is this is possible. You just need to make a boot floopy for start your installation. Several distro have in the first cd, tools and images to create a boot diskette which may be useful and time saver.

Of course, you need to setup a nfs server or a ftp server in your lan, and put in this server the iso images for all cds. I think a nfs server is easier to setup than a ftp server.

good luck,

BTW, I think a networked installation is good for installing several machines in paralell.

For install just one machine, try to put a temporary cdrom as suggested by the others fellows.

cheers

Well, it has a spare plug, but I'm not quite sure what it is, it's like an IDE, but thinner, so I dunno.

Anyway, I tried installing Linux on to the hard drive using a different machine again, trying a different distro (FC5) and when I put it back in, it worked fine. So I've got it working now. Thanks for all the replies.