How do you install an Operating System on a Netbook with No CD Drive?

I have a netbook that needs to be reformated with a new operating system but there's no cd drive to put the disc into. How can I reformat it? Is there some way to do it with a flash drive? I'm very frustrated. Please help me figure out how to fix this netbook. Otherwise I'm gonna have to throw it out and I really really need it to work. Thank you so much for any advice you can offer.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. But I am broker than broke right row. And will be for awhile. That's partly why I am freaking out that I can't get this fixed. I kinda really need it to be working right now and I have no money to get it fixed. So I'm desperately scouring the internet for a solution involving money. But that thanks for your advice! I do appreciate it

 

What is the make and model number of your computer? You may be able to take it back to a factory state if it has a restore partition on the hard drive.

 

It's an Acer Aspire one series.
I can't take it to a factory. A friend gave it to me cuz they were just gonna toss it in the garbage.
Is there a way to make a "back up" disc on the working desktop and transfer it to a flashdrive for the broken netbook?

 

What I meant was that you could have the computer reformat and reinstall the OS from the recovery partition. For an Acer Aspire One series

When the computer starts to boot, press Alt+F10 together and keep them pressed. Does a menu screen come up?

 

oops... Ok.. sorry

Ok I did what you said to do on the netbook and it broke it to the windows XP logo and now it's a blue screen checking files ...it's like at 42 percent...

Normally when I try to boot it ... it just shows to windows xp logo and then crashes with a blue screen of death and reboots and does the whole thing over and over again.

I think most of the operating system is missing. That is why my friend wants to throw it out but said I could keep it if I fix it. I really really need it and can't afford to buy anything so this would be AMAZINGLY AWESOME if I could fix this. I really REALLY appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. Thank you!!

This board never lets me down... I always bragging about what a bunch of kickass people are on this forum. I have learned SO much from you guys.

Again, thank YOU so much!!

 

Ok it finished checking and then said ERROR or something about writing LOG ERROR and then it CRASHED to blue screen of death and just shut instantly down and started the whole process again. I couldn't even read the blue screen of death error cuz it flashed and rebooted.

I'm beginning to feel hopeless

Is it really trashed now?

 

I am not sure why it would be checking files. Maybe the files on the recovery partition? When you pressed Alt+F10, did it give you an option to restore XP back to a factory state? Also can you get into your BIOS by either pressing F2 or DEL at bootup and see if the option D2D is enabled.

Here is a video of a person doing it on an Acer Aspire One. You may have a different model but the procedure is the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4UvqRj90aw

 

I may have given some wrong info. According to Acer, when booting you hold the Alt button and tap the F10 key instead of keeping both pressed.

Edit: there is one other option if the above does not work.

 

it won't do that ..it just keeps saying that windows didn't shut down normally and then asks if I should load with safe options or continue normally ... then it goes to a blue screen scanning the disk and then while it does that it goes to a blue screen of death and shuts off and reboots the whole process again. All I can do is get into the setup options and I think the bios. No matter how many times I tap the alt key and f10 it won't do anything except take it to the start windows normally? and then goes to scan disk and then dies. I don't have a windows xp cd to put on the flashdrive to boot it up from the flashdrive. And neither does my friend. That is why she's tossing it into the garbage. but my computer is busted so I really want to keep this netbook and make it work but it doesn't look like I can do this without a disc to copy to the flashdrive. Do you have any suggestions? I think the orginal operating system is very damaged and that's why it's not letting me do much with it. I keep getting the blue screen of death.

But I appreciate all the help you've been giving me so far!! Thank you so very much

 

I do have a copy of vista that came with my old computer which is busted and now gone. So I don't have the number on the back of the computer anymore that goes with the vista cd. So I don't think I can use that without the code thingy. So are there any other options I can do now? Or is this netbook totally trashed and should I just give up and tell me friend to throw it out?

I honestly have no clue what else is left to try and bring it back from the dead. I mean it starts with the windows xp logo like it's gonna load and then it crashes to the blue screen of death and I can't even see what the error is cuz it automatically reboots.

Does any of that sound like a problem that can be fixed?

Thanks for listening

 

Can you get into safe mode using F8? If you can do the following.

 

no I can't get into safe mode ...it starts to load commands and freezes and then the blue screen of death flashes and then it shuts down.

I see the windows xp logo but it must be very corrupted and must have lost files.

What would happen if I tried to load my vista disc to it without the actual computer it came with? I don't have the code thingy that is on the outside of the last computer that disc came with. CuZ it's not looking good that I can somehow bring back the operating system that is already on it. I tried to load the windows 7 disc that I do have with that code but the netbook doesn't take 64 bit just 32 bit.

What would you do if you were me and didn't have any money to spare to buy parts or stuff?

 

The vista disc won't have proper drivers so it won't work well, if at all. Without a product key, it won't activate. You'll still need an external disc reader to install it.

I would go with Ubuntu. It can be installed from a thumb drive. You can even run it off that USB drive before installing it.
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download

 

sure I'll trust you and download it but what exactly does it do? And what am I doing? I'm downloading it to the usb drive and then booting from that drive when I connect it to the netbook. Correct?

I still can't say enough THANKS to you guys for being so super awesome helpful. I have been coming to this forum for years and have learned so much and saved even more money and heartache because of it. I swear by this place and recommend it to all my friends. You guys are totally da shit!! Thank you for doing this. Seriously.

I'm agoraphobic and I don't ever leave the house so my computer is my world. Without it ..I have no connections to anything or any person. I'm losing my mind without it right now and have borrowed the laptop I am on now just so I could write you guys and beg you for some help. So I'm going desperate crazy trying to fix this netbook. Nobody else would help me. That is why I'm so absolutely grateful to all of you right now.

Thank you hardcore again!!

 

oh and btw I forgot to answer a previous question ... YES the D2D option in the BIOS is in fact ENABLED. Is there anything else I should maybe look for in there?

 

I was going to suggest exactly what Just Playin did if the system restore partition did not work out for you. You can download Ubuntu 11.10 and put it on a USB key to install. It is even certified for use on an Asprie One. I did read that in order for Ubuntu to have a smooth install you have to disable D2D in BIOS.

Download a utility called Unetbootin. You can run this in an admin account. Just select Ubuntu and 11.10 in the dropdown boxes. It will download the iso for you. Make sure your USB key is shown in the lower box and not your hard drive then select OK. The USB key you are using should be formatted to Fat32.

Make sure that the computer is set to boot from USB in BIOS. As Just Playin said, you can try it out before an install. One advantage of Ubuntu is that they have a very good support forum.

Edit: here is a pretty good guide on installing Ubuntu from a USB. Forget about steps one and two because Unetbootin takes care of that. If you decide to install it to the hard drive. Select Erase disk instead of installing alongside another OS.

http://computertutoria.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-install-ubuntu-1110-from-usb.html

 

In Unetbootin do not select the X64 version of Ubuntu. Select 11.10_Live

 

OMG both you guys are SO awesome!! Thank you! thank you!! I think it's WORKING!!! I'm setting up the netbook now and getting the new OS up and running. I never even knew there was anything BUT windows!! This is amazing!! You have saved the whole day!! Seriously. Thank you

As usual... majorgeeks.com never lets me down

 

Is there any way to reformat the drive on the netbook now? And what's the built in security on that ubuntu system? I tried to install my security software but it won't load and keeps telling me it's a zip file when it's not ...it's an exe file. My network has security software on it ...and I am connected through the wireless network. Will I automatically be protected now? I'm worried about a firewall and all that. I don't like being wirelessly connected without a firewall and this isn't windows so I am unfamiliar with it.

 

I think it's the ubuntu system ...it won't recognize any of my downloads as exe files and I get nothing but errors

 

Ubuntu is a totally different OS. The programs that run on Windows do not run on Ubuntu. Do not worry about security apps on Ubuntu. As long as it gets installed with a good password, nothing can get installed and there are very few viruses written for linux.

There is a software manager that is installed with Ubuntu that can give you the equivalent programs but it is not Windows. Ubuntu was given as an option because Xp no longer ran and you did not have an XP install CD.

If you install Ubuntu to the hard drive (it gives you this option at first boot) the install process will automatically partition and format the drive for you. This was shown in the guide I linked to. You may also want to look at this install guide.

http://ubuntumanual.org/guides/435/...-ubuntu-installation-guide#ubdownload-options

There will be a learning curve with Ubuntu but this is the only option unless you can find a cheap XP OEM disk on Ebay.

 

I thought it might be FN & F10 but I is wrong sorry...it is alt & f10

 

Ohhhh! That makes sense. Thank you so much
So does that mean I can use it like windows at all? I mean I belong to a game site and I like to buy those games to play but I can't download them on this operating system it seems then. Right?

 

Ok I already replaced the broken operating system (windows xp) with ubuntu

I am writing from that broken netbook now so HUGE success thanks to you guys!!!

But I have no idea what I am doing with this new OS so I am most def going to go read that link that explains it. Thank you for posting it

 

Check here. !0 things to do after installing Ubuntu.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/10/10-things-to-do-after-installing-ubuntu-11-10/

Edit:
Installing software to Ubuntu

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/installingsoftware

It seems like you are really doing well with Ubuntu. Just keep it up and if you have any questions there is a Linux forum here or you can ask questions at the Ubuntu forum.

 

I forgot your question on games. There are a lot of free games for Ubuntu and you can always play those flash games on the internet like at

http://www.kongregate.com/ Which are free.

Once you get Flash installed on Ubuntu. I am not sure if it comes pre-installed. You can find out by going to Youtube and seeing if you can watch a video.

 

sweet!!! This works puuuurfectly now You totally rock!!

 

Glad you got everything working! And you saved a good netbook to boot.

 

Yes!!! You totally saved me a new netbook that I would be going absolutely INSANE without right now. I can't thank you enough. I would have NEVER figured this out on my own. That's why I always come here first. You guys blow me away with your awesomeness every single time. :drool

I have another question about the netbook ....
I have a copy of vista with a working key ... now all I have to do is put it on the flash drive and then bring the flash drive to the netbook and install the vista os. But how would I do that now that I have ubuntu on here already? I already reformatted the flash drive again cuz ubuntu was on it nd now since it's safely running this netbook I figured It was ok to delete it off the flash drive. So it's a clean flash drive formated to NTFS i think is the name. I just know it's not the fat32

Would you be able to help me figure this one out too? :-o

If not... I can settle with this netbook being ubuntu but I really miss my window based games I can't help the addict I am. LoLz! :-D

 

I gather you have another computer you can use...



1) make a new folder on your desktop

2) insert your copy of vista

3) open your dvd drive to see the files for vista

4) copy all of the files to the new folder on your desktop

5) then copy all the files to your usb drive

6) take your usb to the laptop and try to boot from the usb drive

this may or may not work but give it a shot see what happens

 

If you were sure you have a retail copy of Vista and not an OEM it will work as long as it was not installed on another computer. You might have a failed install if you have an OEM copy and the key was used to install Vista on another OEM machine.. You could either dual boot the computer but I do not have much experience with this or Install Vista standalone which I would not recommend as the netbook would not be as responsive as with the Ubuntu install. I am not sure how big your hard drive is. That is another consideration to take into account.

There are ways to set up a Windows install disk to boot from a USB but that takes another program.

There are plenty of free games for Ubuntu.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Games/NativeFreeUbuntuGames

For your reference. Installing Vista after Ubuntu. User Experience preferred.

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vista_with_linux_linux_is_already_installed.htm

 

yes it's a retail version that my brother bought me today as a surprise gift and yes you can play lots of games on ubuntu but I pay a monthly subscription fee to this one website and it requires you to download the games... so if I can't do that ... then it's a waste of money for me to belong to that site and I do really like those games there. So I really really want to try and get the netbook back to a windows based OS now that I finally got one again.

But I am defintely recommending it to my daughter's fiance when he gets a netbook. It's purfect for him cuz he doesn't do much other with the netbook but chat online.

Is there any way to wipe out the netbook drive and reformat it so it takes ubuntu off totally?

And thank you again everybody for all your help. This has been so frustrating and time consuming for me ... so I truly appreciate all your advice.

 

my drive is 7.5 gigs on the netbook
installation requires 9108 mb for windows vista

it says I do not have enough room?

So that means it's not capable of running vista ...it's too big for the netbook... right?

 

Yes you can reformat the partition. but to install Vista will require another program. I am not sure if the Vista installer would see the linux partition currently on the netbook so it would be best to delete the partition, create another and then format it to NTFS.

I think we can try the easy way first. You have to download a program called Yumi.

Then download Partition Wizard Bootable CD.

Run Yumi in an admin account. Make sure your flash drive is selected. You can also check the format box to delete what is currently on the flash drive. In the dropdown box select Partition Wizard and check the "Local Iso selected" box. Browse to where you downloaded the iso and then press Create. Then boot the USB flash drive. Highlight Linux Distributions and press Enter. Highlight Partition Wizard and press Enter.

Then Delete all partitions on the hard drive:
http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/delete-partition.html

Create a partition using the full amount of disk space and format to NTFS.
http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/create-partition.html

After you have done this, we can move on to setup a bootable USB of Vista but you will need another computer with a DVD drive .

 

Awesome!! It worked!!!

And then I just went ahead and copied the vista cd from a laptop with a cd drive onto a flash drive and then I booted the netbook with the flash drive and now it's installing windows... it's a looooong process and is taking FOREVER but as soon as it's done I'll let you know what happened.

I know I keep saying it and I'm sorry for repeating it so much but THANK YOU!!! I could have never done this without you. You've saved me ALOT of money and endless hours of frustration. Plus I just got a FREE netbook out of this thanks to you.

And now I have some experience with Ubuntu. And I must say ..it's very nice. It was sweet not having to worry about security issues. Windows needs to catch up and do the same thing.

Ok I'm going to get back to the netbook. Thanks for such speedy replies too and for being so patient with me. I don't know alot about these kinds of things but I am always willing to learn if somebody is patient enough to teach me. Like you

Hopefully I'll be back with good news

 

Edit: I would think you have a larger hard drive than 7GB. I am glad you got it working!

I do not see how you got Vista to boot off the USB by just copying the files from the DVD. Usually you have to install a bootloader for that or at least have an iso of Vista when using Yumi.

 

7.5 is what it said I had after the partitioning ... maybe I saw it wrong ..
Is there a way to check it now? After the windows installation?

 

Just double click My Computer and right click your hard drive and select properties.

 

you are right ... it's not loading right.
So I went back and redid everything you said and then I stopped.
The netbook has 7.51 gig and it's newly partitioned and has no operating system on it.
I have done nothing to flash drive except what you said to do in your last step.
What should I do next to get vista on the flash drive and bootable into the netbook?
cuz whatever I did last time was not working... it loaded the installation program for windows and got halfway through it all and went to restart and said installation error and started the whole thing over again.
So I just went back and redid the steps you told me to do so far.

 

I am sorry. If you have just 7.5 gig, you will not be able to use Vista.

Windows Vista Home Basic
20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space

Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate
40-GB hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space (the 15GB of free space provides room for temporary file storage during the install or upgrade.)

XP
At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk

It looks like the only option you have is to try and get an XP install disk if you want to play those Windows games.

 

I had posted a reply but I am not seeing it show up ... so if this comes up a second time in the posts.. I apologize

Thank you again for helping me figure this out. I'm sad I can't use Vista but at least I have a working copy for future use and I have been needing that for a long time. AND I now have a new netbook for FREE thanks to you!

I had no idea netbooks were so small and this has been a big learning experience for me. Especially learning about Ubuntu cuz I never knew about that before.

So now it looks like I need to reinstall ubuntu onto the netbook cuz it doesn't have an operating system at all now. Should I do anything to the flash drive since the Yumi thingie? How would I go about getting ubuntu onto the netbook now that the flash drive is changed? Or should I just repeat the steps you outlined earlier in the thread?

Again .. sorry if the other version of this reply posted already... I couldn't find it when I looked for it before I posted this again.

Oh and I am looking around for a cheap copy of windows xp right now since it would make the most sense for what I truly want out of this netbook... games! (I know.. I'm horrible)

 

You can either use unetbootin I linked to earlier or you can use yumi. You will need the iso you downloaded for Ubuntu. Just make sure the flash drive is formatted to Fat32. You can use the erase function in Yumi for that. Just use the drop-down box in Yumi and check "Local iso selected" and browse to your Ubuntu iso file. Then when Yumi boots, select Linux Distributions and then Ubuntu. Just remember when installing to select Erase hard drive and format.

It seems hard to believe there is only 7.5GB. I am wondering if there is a hard drive in this computer. You said you had an aspire one. Is there a model number on the bottom of the case?

 

This is what it says at the bottom:

Aspire One Series Model ZG5

And thanks for the info about reinstalling the netbook. I know it's been a lot of back and forth stuff. My brother is looking around to see if he can buy me a cheap windows xp cd right now. So I am going to wait to see what happens with that before I do anything else so I'm not asking you the same questions back and forth again. LoL

I have no idea what I am doing. All I know is that my friend didn't want the netbook anymore and that the operating system on it was corrupted. It seems to be in near new condition. I am surprised it's only got 7.5 gigs but then again I know NOTHING about netbooks. I just figured it was worth trying to fix it first before it was tossed away. I'm not sure what netbooks are intended for really. They are so tiny and hard to read. LoL

 

I just looked up the model on the internet and the one I found says it has like 120 gigs. Is there any chance that this netbook isn't reading properly? When I used the partition wizard it only showed the one drive and it was 7.5 .... maybe there's something way more seriously wrong with the netbook then I thought??

 

Does it show the hard drive and size in BIOS?

Edit: It does look like they sold it with a 7.5GB drive

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACER-ASPIRE-ONE-AOA110AW-ZG5-WHITE-NETBOOK-7-5GB-HDD-XP-/330603720538

When you used Partition Wizard, it only showed one partition, correct?

 

Yes it only showed the one partition.

The bios only shows the model name and serial number and it seems to match up with an 8 gig drive in the early models. So I think it really is that small.

 

ok so to get ubuntu back onto the flash drive I would use Yumi again, correct? And I find that back on the laptop I downloaded it onto then, right? And run the yumi exe command over again? I'm kinda confused on this process but I am learning. I still have the ubuntu iso image on the same computer that I downloaded yumi on. And that's the file I use to get ubuntu onto the netbook. But Yumi is confusing me... so many drop down options...

 

If Yumi is confusing, use UNetbootin. Just run it in an admin account. Have the iso file of Ubuntu available. In the box check DiskImage and in the dropdown box select ISO. Then browse to your iso file. Keep space used across reboots at 0. For type select USB Drive and select the drive letter in the dropdown box that is your USB flash drive. Just make sure it is your flash drive and not your hard drive. Then press OK. You can format the USB drive to FAT32 with this utility. This will probably be faster than deleting all of the Vista files on the flash drive.




For Yumi, just select your hard drive letter and highlight Ubuntu in the drop down box and make sure the box "Local ISO selected" is checked. Then browse to the iso file and press create.