Peace,
So just got hold of an old Compaq Armada M300 (P3 500Mhz 64MB – but upgrading to 256MB). No CD, floppy, and doesn’t boot off USB, currently running a halfway hosed Win98. I was able to get the flashdrive running in Win98 though.
I want to install Linux on it.
1. Suggestions on how to do so (w/o CD, USB, or floppy)?
Some ideas I have had:
– arent there some tools that allow you “shrink” a windows partition? Could I do so and install Linux into the separate partition?
– I think I’ve done this before – take out the laptop hardrive. Connect it to a desktop, wipe it clean, and copy OS files + some boot files on to HD, and then put it back in. Is this still possible? with Linux?
– The BIOS allows a network boot, but I dont have a server. Any possible way to quickly and easily setup such a server on my desktop just for this purpose? Is it possible to install from remote servers?
– any other suggestions?
2. Suggestions for Distro to use? I am newbie to Linux, but based on some research thinking of (in order) Slackware, Ubuntu or Xubuntu, DSL, Puppy, and maybe Vector, Arch, Xandros. Thoughts? (remember: Experienced in windows. but Linux newbie.)
Apologies for the multiple questions.
Thanks