Install OS on laptop from another laptop?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I have an IBM 560Z laptop which has no built-in CD and whose USB port
I just can't make work. It has W98SE on it at the moment, but it's
pretty well useless if I can't get data in and out.
I was wondering if I could install a Linux distro on it from my XP
laptop - maybe via a serial connection? Is it possible? If so, does it
need a special (null?) cable?
I want to try this to see if Linux can make the USB port work - W98
"sees" it but won't recognise data on devices (pen drive, floppy)
attached to it.
Sorry to appear dim, but it's the first machine I've owned without a
CD drive, so I'm a bit lost...
Thanks for any advice or suggestions.
DAH.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

mike wrote:
> DAH wrote:
>> I have an IBM 560Z laptop which has no built-in CD and whose USB port
>> I just can't make work. It has W98SE on it at the moment, but it's
>> pretty well useless if I can't get data in and out.
>> I was wondering if I could install a Linux distro on it from my XP
>> laptop - maybe via a serial connection? Is it possible? If so, does
>> it need a special (null?) cable?
>> I want to try this to see if Linux can make the USB port work - W98
>> "sees" it but won't recognise data on devices (pen drive, floppy)
>> attached to it.
>> Sorry to appear dim, but it's the first machine I've owned without a
>> CD drive, so I'm a bit lost...
>> Thanks for any advice or suggestions.
>> DAH.
>
> There are a bunch of issues here.
> You do realize that in 98, in addition to usb drivers, you also need a
> device
> driver for every usb device you want to plug in???
>
> 98SE seems to do better with usb devices.
>
> If you can't make a usb device work with the proper drivers in windows
> 98, I don't expect you'd have any better luck with linux.

You could use a PCMCIA memory card. I've got one that I use to dump
pictures from my digicam. Win98 sees it just like another drive, with no
extra drivers needed. It accepts CF (Compact Flash) memory, although I
imagine there are devices which read other types. The 512 mb card for my
camera would load all the stuff you need, although it would be a little
weird from that point on.....
>
> There's a thing called "unoficial win98 service pack" that claims to
> be a collection of windows updates that relates to usb2 and other
> stuff.
>
I'll have to look into that. Out of at least half a dozen machines that I
own, only one uses anything but W98SE (XP Home).

jak

> I don't have any idea where I downloaded it...some usb2 webpage.
>

> mike

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"DAH" <dont@email.me> wrote in message
news:ureea1pbi28k265j8qdiopn47mqedq6eoo@4ax.com...
> I have an IBM 560Z laptop which has no built-in CD and whose USB
port
> I just can't make work. It has W98SE on it at the moment, but it's
> pretty well useless if I can't get data in and out.
> I was wondering if I could install a Linux distro on it from my XP
> laptop - maybe via a serial connection? Is it possible? If so, does
it
> need a special (null?) cable?
> I want to try this to see if Linux can make the USB port work - W98
> "sees" it but won't recognise data on devices (pen drive, floppy)
> attached to it.
> Sorry to appear dim, but it's the first machine I've owned without a
> CD drive, so I'm a bit lost...
> Thanks for any advice or suggestions.
> DAH.

You can probably find an inexpensive external CD drive with a PC Card
connection on eBay. Also, there are some MS USB updates for Win98SE.

Chas.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

DAH wrote:
>
> I have an IBM 560Z laptop which has no built-in CD and whose USB port
> I just can't make work. It has W98SE on it at the moment, but it's
> pretty well useless if I can't get data in and out.
> I was wondering if I could install a Linux distro on it from my XP
> laptop - maybe via a serial connection? Is it possible? If so, does it
> need a special (null?) cable?
> I want to try this to see if Linux can make the USB port work - W98
> "sees" it but won't recognise data on devices (pen drive, floppy)
> attached to it.
> Sorry to appear dim, but it's the first machine I've owned without a
> CD drive, so I'm a bit lost...
> Thanks for any advice or suggestions.
> DAH.

Several ways, but they're dependent on the OS.

1) Use LapLink thru either the serial(slow) or parallel(faster)
ports(DOS/Win9x).

2) Pull the HD and plug it into a 2.5" to 3.5" HD adapter, then plug it into
your desktop computer(best solution), gives you full access to ALL files on the
HD without having to search thru cryptic files names.(2000/XP)

I'd do the second...

TJ
=================================================================
Pilots track their lives by the number of hours in the air,
as if any other time isn't worth noting....
Michael Rarfit

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 13:37:06 -0400, Garglemonster
<garglemonster@my-deja.com> wrote:

>Do you have the floppy drive?
Yes, but one of the problems I have is that it only occasionally
works. If I format and add files on my new laptop, the old external
floppy refuses to read them. One of the things I have to take up with
the commany that sold me the laptop. Since it's so unreliable I'm
finding it difficult even to get USB drivers on to the machine.

>I have a 560z.
Excellent. Can you tell me if you have a working USB port? This is the
very reason that I'm trying these other routes - just to try to make
the USB port work. If it did, I would be happy, but with no other way
to get stuff into or out of the laptop...

Thanks for your help,
DAH

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"DAH" <dont@email.me> wrote in message
news:6o7ha1ljvknld7i4j5jjij0hpu43bdvcb5@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 17:58:23 GMT, "Capt. Wild Bill Kelso, USAAC"
> <Dec7.1941@cableaz.com> wrote:
> >1) Use LapLink thru either the serial(slow) or parallel(faster)
> >ports(DOS/Win9x).
> I'll give it a go - I'm sure I have a cable soewhere in the chaos of
> my room...
> >2) Pull the HD and plug it into a 2.5" to 3.5" HD adapter
> Unfortunately I don't have an adaptor, and I don't really want to
> spend any more money on this machine. After all, it's old. My interest
> is more intellectual - I don't want to let the damned thing beat me.
> My latest thought is to try swapping the hard drive with my work
> laptop's drive - they're both IBMs, so I might be lucky. The newer one
> has a DVD drive, so I might be able to re-install W98 - who knows...?
> Thanks for your help,

Adaptors are really cheap...less than $20...maybe less than $10.

jak
> DAH

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 01:11:28 GMT, Barry Watzman
<WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote:
>> Adaptors are really cheap...less than $20...maybe less than $10.
Thanks, guys. I'll bet they aren't so cheap over here in the UK - we
pay in stering what you pay in dollars...
I'll have a look around...
DAH

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

DAH wrote:
>
> On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 17:58:23 GMT, "Capt. Wild Bill Kelso, USAAC"
> <Dec7.1941@cableaz.com> wrote:
> >2) Pull the HD and plug it into a 2.5" to 3.5" HD adapter, then plug it into
> >your desktop computer(best solution), gives you full access to ALL files on the
> >HD without having to search thru cryptic files names.(2000/XP)
> TJ,
> Thanks - our local electronics chain here had one for £4.99 - about
> $8. Worked a treat first time, but when I plugged the drive back into
> the laptop it started a siren noise which I imagine means that the HDD
> is screwed. I can see nothing on the web or Usenet about this.
> Looks like I need a new HDD. More trouble than it's worth...?
> Thanks for the tip about the adapter.
> DAH

Did it make the noise going back into the desktop? If not, there's a laptop,
not HD issue.

You're welcome.. NO laptop owner should be without a HD adapter. Makes it
-really- easy to do initial loads/backups. The critical step tho is FDISK and
format it in the laptop due to drive geometry tables being different from
desktop tables.

Good luck

TJ
=================================================================
Pilots track their lives by the number of hours in the air,
as if any other time isn't worth noting....
Michael Rarfit