AndreasL is a new contributor for Living With a Nerd. Here is his first article, outlining how to make a hard drive-less laptop useful again by installing Ubuntu Netbook Remix on USB key.
Do you have an old laptop just laying around collecting dust? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to use it? Well, today I’m gonna show you how to download Ubuntu netbook remix and install it to a USB stick. That’s right; surf the web, watch movies, and more… all on your old out-dated PC!
So a couple of days ago I found out that my family had an old small HP laptop laying around, and being the geek I am I couldn’t just leave it there. It’s a pretty cool laptop too…a convertible tablet! But of course someone (my Dad) had stolen the hard drive. I’ve always wanted a small and handy laptop I can use while I’m watching TV, so I searched the web on how I can make use of this old computer that I can’t install operating systems on. The answer? Ubuntu 9.10 netbook remix. You can install it on and run it from a USB stick, and I have plenty of those around!
So I copied it over, inserted it, booted it up, and like from a Disney tale it was working! (magically!) So now I thought I’d share this with other people who have laptops collecting dust around the house.
RECIPE:
- A 2gb (or larger) USB stick
- A working PC, to install from
- A teeny, tiny bit of tweeking (explained later)
- Installation files:
Ubuntu.iso file & Universal USB installer
- Insert your USB stick into the working PC, and start up the universal USB installer
- Select Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook remix from the drop down menu
- Browse for the .iso file
- Start the installation
- Wait about 5-15 minutes
- Eat pie (not required)
Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix
Now for the tweaking part:
- Boot up the old computer without the USB stick.
- Press F10 lots of times as soon as you’ve pressed the power button
- Eventually you’ll get a blue screen with some menus at the top (the BIOS)
- Go into Start up/boot options
- Select USB hard drive as first
Then just to turn off the computer, insert the USB stick and start it up again.
If you’ve done it all correctly you should get a screen asking to run Ubuntu. Just hit enter, wait a while, and when you get to the main screen, start the wireless network and surf the world!
To be honest, this works very well! Until Google’s Chrome OS comes out, I’m using this computer for everything, everyday! Hopefully this short guide will help you as much as it helped me.
Thanks for reading!
I have been a computer / IT technician for a long time now. I have dealt with PCs amd MACs but still prefer PCs for personal reasons. I have worked for many local corporations and like to read about new products, software, hardware, systems, and other developments in the industry. I find it is very usefull in the job-world to always keep up-to-date on infromation. Obviously I can’t read tons of blogs all day, but ocasionally I do stumble upon a good one like yours. I really apreciate the infromation you provided in the blog. It always amazes me how I can still learn something new every day.