# Installing Damn Small Linux on blank hard drive.



## redhandfilms (Dec 5, 2007)

Ok. I need help, and lots of it. I'm not too great with software and I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew. 
Here's the deal. 
I am trying to install Damn Small Linux onto an old Sony Vaio PGC-505TS laptop. It did run Windows 98 until I screwed it up. I tried creating a partition on the hard drive for Linux and now it can't find windows. Or run anything. I am also unable to boot Linux from a CD because, well I lost the CD-ROM for the computer a few years back. 
I have now opened up the laptop, taken out the hard drive and plugged it into my desktop (running Windows XP) via a USB to IDE adapter. I have transferred all the files from the Vaio hard drive onto a separate external drive for safe keeping. 
So now I have a blank hard drive that I want to install a bootable version of Damn Small Linux (or any other Linux system that will fit on a 4GB hd) on to. 

I need someone to treat me like a child. Tell me what to do step by step in the simplest terms possible. I am great with hardware, but lousy with software so assume I know nothing (I have been to too many confusing websites that tell me to make a partition, or run this file or create that file, without telling me how to actually do that). If I need to install something or get a file, please give me a link to it. Spell it out, and don't use obscure abbreviation's or names. Thanks


So,
My Goal: Get a Sony Vaio PGC-505TS laptop to run Damn Small Linux (or other Linux system that fits on 4 gigs)

What I have:
Sony Vaio PGC-505TS laptop (with no operating system)
Blank 4GB hd (From laptop)
Vaio Floppy Drive
IDE to USB cable (to connect hard drive to other computer)
Other computer (Desktop running Windows XP with internet access[ I want to keep this one as is])

So, I'm a stupid Linux newb, blah blah blah. Please Help. Thank you.


----------



## Bartender (Jun 10, 2005)

Hmmm, interesting situation.
You say the Sony has no optical drive?

You could unplug your Windows HDD so that the only HDD on the desktop is the Sony HDD. The DSL installation CD will only see one drive and it'll install everything to that drive. Don't let the PC reboot and try to run DSL. If you do it'll configure itself for the PC's components and probly won't work on the Sony. I've read that you can install from one PC, then take the HDD to another PC, if you do a fresh install then immediately unplug the HDD and put it in its new home before running it. You might just have to hold down the power button because the installs I've done want to restart. I don't remember a "Shut down" option. 

It seems to me that the less frightening way for you would be to beg or borrow an external USB optical drive and plug it into the Sony. Go into BIOS, see if the drive is recognized and if you can tell the Sony to use it as the boot device. If so, plug the Sony HDD back in where it belongs, drop in the DSL CD, and install.


----------



## redhandfilms (Dec 5, 2007)

OK, how do I make a DSL LiveCD? I'm not sure what exactly I need to download and there are no clear instructions on what needs to be done to make the CD. Everything just says "make a LiveCD" or use the CD, but how do I do that? It can't just be as simple as dropping the files onto the CD can it? When I click on the files I have they don't do anything (other than ask what i want to view the files as) so does just putting them directly onto a CD change that?

I have tried putting the files directly onto the hard drive and then booting from it but all I get is a black screen that says "Missing operating system"


----------



## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

To create a bootable Live CD, you can't just copy the files onto a blank CD, you need to burn the downloaded ISO file as a *CD image*.

In Nero you do this by going to Recorder > Burn Image and then navigate to the folder where the ISO is. Other CD burners should have the same option available.

After creating the Live CD, reboot and go into BIOS to change the boot order to 'CD First', save BIOS settings, insert the CD and reboot to start running Linux.


----------



## Bartender (Jun 10, 2005)

I second koala -
you have to convert the downloaded image to CD. It's ridiculously easy using the NTI software that came with my Sony burner...I just double-click on the download and the burn utility knows what to do. All I have to do is slow it down.
ImgBurn is a free download that will convert .iso's. There are others


----------

