How to install a OS on a laptop with no OS?

[jsheph03]

I have a laptop with no OS but it has a CD drive. Any way I can get a linux OS on it?. Thanks to all!

 

[MH-Wolfae]

How about you install Windows XP/Vista/7 and then install Linux? I don't really know if you can find Linux on a CD...

 

[Kala]

I did it once with Windows Vista.

Insert CD and boot your computer. Enter the Boot Menu by pressing some button.
Then it will ask you something, and you answer "Boot from CD".

Then the Windows Installer will pop up and keep hitting "Next" till it's ready
I haven't tried with Linux or W7, but i assume its almost same.

If you install Linux, i recomment you to choose Ubuntu 10.04 LTS.
You can download it from internet, or borrow from library for free.

 

[Dr Super Good]

I have a laptop with no OS but it has a CD drive.

As far as I am aware, both vista and windows 7 come on a DVD thus he will not be able to install them.
He can however install XP via the same manner (insert CD) or some linux distro (again, insert CD).

 

[Grey Nightmare]

I believe you can download the OS and burn your own Linux installation disc - Can't say I speak from experience though.

 

[BlargHonk]

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

Get 32 bit if your comp has less than 4gb of RAM

Then simply burn it onto a CD using the computer you just spoke on.

Plop it into the computer you want to install it on, and hit the Any Key

 

[thelifelessone]

Get 32 bit if your comp has less than 4gb of RAM

32-bit if your computer isn't 64-bit. -_-
You can probably install Windows 7 / Vista via USB. Try Googling it.

 

[BlargHonk]

32-bit if your computer isn't 64-bit. -_-
You can probably install Windows 7 / Vista via USB. Try Googling it.

....

My sister has a laptop with a 64bit processor, and 2gb of RAM. It runs a 32bit OS >_>

32 has better compatibility with older applications, and so is preferred until you get past it's limit of 3.5gb of addressable memory. At which point it's much better to install 64.

And the man said Linux.

 

[thelifelessone]

Someone mentioned Windows, so I figured I'd say that. Anyone can figure out easily enough that Linux is very easily installed via USB.

And I've very rarely seen a bug when running 32-bit applications on a 64-bit Operating System, and even then, it's usually due to a bug or poor coding. Theoretically speaking, there should be no significant decrease in performance when running a 32-bit application on a 64-bit architecture. Actually, in a good portion of cases, the 32-bit application runs better under the 64-bit architecture, with the 64-bit version of the software running even faster.

So even when you have less-than four gigabytes of RAM, it's still very much worth it to run a 64-bit architecture, with a 64-bit operating system.

 

[jsheph03]

Thanks all! I got ubnutu working on it now!

 

[BlargHonk]

Good for ya.

Remember to look up guides because you are new to Linux. I think

Tom's Hardware recently did a few software group reviews for Linux programs, but check around. And remember, chmod +x is your friend.