Hi guys, this is my first post here. I would appreciate any help given.
I would like to install something like Linux enlightenment light(heard it is good for old laptops).
I have a Packard Bell easynote with a broken CD drive. I have an external usb cd drive and a usb memory stick. My beloved old easynote has no option to boot from USB and despite many hours searching on google and fiddling around, I am unable to crack the riddle with my limited knowledge and am in need of step by step idiot proof instructions. Any relatively easy ways to do this?

If it can't boot to USB, what can it boot to? Does it have a floppy drive? If you can't boot to USB, don't have a floppy, and down't want to replace the CD-ROM drive, you are quickly running out of options.

The only serious option at that point would be to take the HDD out and install Linux to the drive from another computer. Then you could swap it back into the Easynote to actually run.

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No, it has no floppy and i havnt bothered replacing the cd drive because the external drive works fine (unless I want to install another OP,lol) Everything I've learnt about laptops over the years is trial and error at home. I may be the woman for the job for friends and family when they want to get their printers working, but I'm not sure I want to try taking one apart! I just hoped there was a way round it. Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it

Option one is to use some boot source. Either floppy,cd, or pxe if an option. Then install.

Option two is to use your current booted system to then install. loadlin or wubi or other chroot deals may work

Option three is to remove hard drive and then move to other system to install then move back.

Lastly is pcmcia but it gets real complex and not well supported but may be possible to boot to dos then loadlin to something.

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Remove Battery
For optical drive 3 screws
For hdd 6 screws
ftp://ftp.packardbell.com/pub/itemnr...MZ_rev_100.pdf

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Is this supposed to be an answer for some question? I don't understand what you are trying to advise here.

Laptopfiddler posted "but I'm not sure I want to try taking one apart!"

EDDY1 has posted a nice link to a pdf that describes how easy it is to disassemble her laptop, and replace the CD drive.

So I guess it is a useful suggestion

1 members found this post helpful.

I was trying to show op how simple that 1 is to repair machine.
Or to remove hdd and put in an enclosure to install os.

Thanks! you gave me a few options to look into, appreciate the reply

If all else fails it'll be worth giving this a try, Thanks for the link

You're welcome