Laptop/desktop install without HDD

[The_Unbeliever]

Now you got a second hand laptop/desktop for free/at a good price.

Now you want to install your favourite Linux distro on said laptop/desktop.

Is it possible to move the HDD over to another PC/laptop, do a partial install, move the HDD back and do a complete install?

Regards

Libs

 

[Cosmic_Nomad]

If it doesnt have a CD/DVD drive then I would ask can it boot from USB ?

 

[The_Unbeliever]

If it doesnt have a CD/DVD drive then I would ask can it boot from USB ?

Let us assume the following :

1. USB ports are buggered.
2. You don't have an external USB device to install from.

 

[web]

I did do this once with an old desktop hard drive with Mandriva and it worked fine...

 

[nic777]

Should work fine with Linux.

 

[Nod]

Set up a PXE boot server on an already running Linux machine, then install via network. If the client does not support network booting (PXE), then you will have to look at "udpcast" (just google it), which might be a solution, although it wants to be to be able to boot up from something to provide the client part (CD/USB/etc.).

 

[SilverNodashi]

Definitely, Linux isn't as finicky about hardware changes as Windows. The only 2 things which ~may~ cause a problem is the graphics card, and network card.

 

[MyWorld]

I would second the network install.

Do not one of the USB ports work? That is a huge bummer.

 

[milomak]

as long as the architectures are the same it shouldn't be a problem. i once did a major upgrade of my computer and my linux distro booted up no problems with the new hardware.