(Vanity) My laptop died, need cheap OS

geronl

[GeronL]

My Toshiba Satellite L305 has crapped out. It did not come with the reinstallation disk. I can get a new hard drive but I need an O/S. It is too old to run Windows 7, which I can't really afford.

Does anyone know where I can buy a Windows Vista Home Premium (or sumtin') disk or product key for a good price?

[GeronL]

Looking at the site and not knowing much about it I have some questions.

Di I have to download more than one thing? Do I just download the ISO file? What are the other “packages” and how would I install them?

[catnipman]

Given how old that laptop is and the expense of a new HD and the fact it runs Vista, you're better off buying a new laptop. You can pick up a Dell from BestBuy for $350.00:

BB Dell

For a bit more you can get an i3 Intel processor instead of AMD and a 15.6" screen instead of 14".

[Lees Swrd]

yes you download the base ISO burn it to a disc as an ISO most disc burners have this option, after you install it you can add or remove pkgs with Synaptic just check mark what you want and it will download and install it.

[GeronL]

The new HD was about $90 and it don’t run Vista anymore, :(

I’ll have to use Linux now.

[oh8eleven]

I have the ISO on USB card, I don’t know how I can get a blank hard drive to read it though.
Plug the USB card into your PC, then power on. The system should sense the card and give you the option to boot from it.
See steps 1-4 (For step 2 choose "install.")

[GeronL]

i hope so. If not I’ll try and find the Puppy Linux on CD thing

[oh8eleven]

When your PC boots up, it won't find an OS on your hard drive, so it'll look to the next location as set via your system setup.
That could be the CD or the USB. Either one will work.

[GeronL]

good to know

[willyd]

you didn’t lose all your files...just take the disk and make it a slave drive of one of your other computers (you can buy the connectors at a place like amazon).

Then boot up your other computer and look for your new drive (probably named d:\ or e:\)

Then go to that drive and copy off all the files you need to your master drive on that computer.

[willyd]

you didn’t lose all your files...just take the disk and make it a slave drive of one of your other computers (you can buy the connectors at a place like amazon).

Then boot up your other computer and look for your new drive (probably named d:\ or e:\)

Then go to that drive and copy off all the files you need to your master drive on that computer.

[GeronL]

I certainly hope so

[Billthedrill]

I came to the thread late, sorry. I just finished doing this for a friend today. Assuming the hard drive is still in the lappy, you:

1. Download a Live CD iso file - I used Linux Mint

2. Download a free copy of StarBurn

3. Using StarBurn, create a bootable CD from the iso image onto a CD/DVD.

4. Borrow or purchase a USB thumb drive.

5. Boot the laptop from the CD. Linux will come up into a recognizable GUI somewhat similar to what you're used to. Use it to navigate to the drive. If that drive successfully mounts, you'll see a file structure. You can copy anything you want off that and onto the USB thumb drive.

6. Repair or replace the bad hard drive. If you like, you can place Linux Mint onto it directly from the CD you just used to boot from. Be careful - if you overlay a new OS of any kind on that drive you stand to wipe what's on it.

FReepmail me if you need clarification. My friend got his pix back.

[GeronL]

thanks for the tip

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well if computer runs....get a copy of Puppy Linux and run it from the CD ROM.

Cam be installed on a Flash Drive which would allow saving stuff and not having to reconfigure at every boot.Assuming you have usb2 on the laptop.

[GeronL]

bump

I even have offers of help from Texas FReepers. Cool

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I haven’t read all of the thread....do you know just what has faile?>{?Did you lose the boot code on the MBR?

[GeronL]

Geek Squad says the Hard Drive failed, I didn’t really get details but I got a new one installed. I’ll pick it tomorrow. I suspect the files on the old ones are still accessible even if Geek Squad doesn’t it. According to others I can still get the serial # from the BiOS even if Gek Squad can’t

[reg45]

Ubuntu 12.04 or LinuxMint 13. Both highly recommended.

[Still Thinking]

Dude, they’re like $12. $7 or so on Ebay.

[GeronL]

Not a USB card but something you put the HD in and makes it an external drive? really... hmmm

I feel old. I remember when an external CD burner cost hundreds of dollars, lol