Want to install Debian from DVD, but dont have DVD drive.

[rzs]

Hello,

I have a Debian Etch DVD, using which i installed Debian on my laptop. Now, i want to install Debian on my PC, but i dont have a DVD drive on my PC .
Can i convert the Debian DVD to a CD or is there a way to install from the DVD drive of my laptop on my PC if i network both of them ?
I am a newbie so plz help.

Thanks.

[iwanabeguru]

Why don't you use the netinstall cd?

Or

maybe you can copy your existing linux installation from your laptop to your pc

Ask if you choose this option.

[rzs]

Helllo iwanabeguru,

Thanks for suggesting the use of netinstall CD . I didnt know about that . Id like to download the netinst image from Index of /debian-cd/4.0_r3/i386/iso-cd . So id like to know approximately how much data will be downloaded from the Internet if i choose to install only a bare minimum system.

Also, if i choose to copy the existing installation from my laptop to my PC, whats the procedure for doing that ?

Thanks.

[GNU-Fan]

Depending of the type of system you want to install, be prepared to download approximately 300MB for a working system without any windowing system and >1GB if you want to have the desktop environment GNOME.

[rzs]

Thanks for the reply . My PC is a very old system with 128 MB RAM, no DVD drive. So do you think Debian would be the right OS for it ?. Or is there some smaller distro whose ISO i can download and install on the machine .
I mainly use my laptop, so my PC isnt going to be used much anyways. I however dont want to install Windows on it .

Thanks.

[GNU-Fan]

I am writing this reply from a 8 year old office mini PC.
1.3 Ghz, 128MB, IntelOnBoard GFX, no removable-media drives.

I installed Debian Stable over ethernet (BootP) and it runs pretty smooth with GNOME. Of course no Doom3 but browsing, writing texts, compiling and listening to online radio can be done at the same time without annoyances.

(I use this machine as my main work PC now because of the increasing electricity fees.)