Installing ubuntu when my laptop cant run from CD?

There is plenty of documentation for installing Ubuntu using alternative methods. I do NOT recommend (sorry for shouting) the floppy install method available on Ubuntu forums because it involves the Debian net-install floppies which, since I use Debian as my default configuration I have tried (unsuccessfully) to use several times during the last year. A usb pen drive seems like the best way to go. I'm sorry I can't find a page I've just alluded to, but I can't find the Ubuntu forums page about alternate installation methods.

Found it. Scroll down this page:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation

Scroll down to the section titled:

Installation without a CD

and you will find several methods described. Don't even try the floppy method. I never once got those disks to acknowledge the ethernet cards of the machines I booted them on.

few things here.. first go to ubuntu's web site and look at the systems speck needed to install it

how old is the laptop?

how much memory is in it?

how big is the hard drive?

dose the old computer have USB ports on it?

ubuntu needs at least 256 meg minimum to run and a few gig of hdd space...

there is a way to install any operating on a computer (network)

if your computer is very old and you want to install linux on it then have a look at :- Dam Small Linux..

There are several versions that will install and run on old laptops.. it's finding the one that suites your computer the best..

each and every time something out of the traditional occurs with a Linux disc I consistently advise reburning the disc at a slow velocity. the reason behind it is sometimes (and notably on older pcs like yours) there should be buffer overflows, which reason this methodology to mistakes even as that is ran from CD/DVD. Burning at a slow velocity reduces the opportunity of that happening because you at the on the spot are not loading up the buffer with as a lot records at one time.

I got a free laptop from this site, I highly recommend it!