Toshiba N500

killaspec

I have a Toshiba N500 net book that is gathering dust at home as it is running to slow with windows on it. Now I have been using Debian Wheezy on the raspberry that I bought and would like to get a little more familiar with linux as a whole. I want to whip off the windows 7 I have on the netbook and install Debian on it but it dont have a CD/dvd rom installed and I cant write the .iso image on a usb key.

I have optiion to boot from ffd or Lan but not sure how to install Debian that way. Can anyone help me


Many thanks Matthew

Johnboy1951

I cant write the .iso image on a usb key.

Why not?

If the netbook boots from USB - which it most likely does as it does not have an optical drive - then this would be the usual method to install an OS.

killaspec

Figured out that I must have done something to my usb key as it dont work on anything

Johnboy1951

killaspec wrote: »

Figured out that I must have done something to my usb key as it dont work on anything

..... "don't wok" ..... as in is not recognised or doesn't boot or needs partition table to be re-built? ......

killaspec

As in I was an idiot and pulled it out without ejecting it first now it is as they say an Ex-USB key ....... It is dead kaput previous. But I managed to find one that works in my wifes car and going in for round 2. I am making a boot key with ISO to USB as I am typing this but have gone with the the 64 bit version of Debian Squeezy.

Holding thumbs at the moment

Johnboy1951

killaspec wrote: »

As in I was an idiot and pulled it out without ejecting it first now it is as they say an Ex-USB key ....... It is dead kaput previous. ........

It probably needs the partition table rebuilt ..... there are free software apps to do this ..... anything that works with partitions ....

killaspec

Some thing like Paragon ?

killaspec

Thanks a million I am such a fool. That key is back in action.

killaspec

Ok so now I am trying to load Debian onto that Tosh NB500-115. I have loaded debian-6.0.5-ia64-CD-1 onto the usb key using ISO to USB (some free software I found online) when I plug it into the laptop I get an error: Remove disks or other media and press to restart. I made the ISO file a bootable Key but well no joy.

Should I remove the hard drive and format it externally or am I doing something wrong when I am putting the info on the key ?

Johnboy1951

killaspec wrote: »

Ok so now I am trying to load Debian onto that Tosh NB500-115. I have loaded debian-6.0.5-ia64-CD-1 onto the usb key using ISO to USB (some free software I found online) when I plug it into the laptop I get an error: Remove disks or other media and press to restart. I made the ISO file a bootable Key but well no joy.

Should I remove the hard drive and format it externally or am I doing something wrong when I am putting the info on the key ?

I am unsure as I do not have access to your netbook ..... but I would first start with checking BIOS to make sure the USB device will be bootable before the internal HDD.

If you can, try the USB key in another PC to see if it boots ...... to ensure it is created correctly.

I would not remove the HDD

killaspec

Ok it aint booting on either of my pc. Hmmm do you have a suggestion as to how to write the file to the usb key

killaspec

That is what I am seeing on my NB500 at the moment

Johnboy1951

killaspec wrote: »

Ok it aint booting on either of my pc. Hmmm do you have a suggestion as to how to write the file to the usb key

....... maybe try Unetbootin which will correctly write most distro ISOs to a USB key .....

killaspec

I should say at this point that windows no longer works on the netbook it wont boot at all

killaspec

Houston we have lift off!

killaspec

Ok I am in load screen at the moment and it is telling me that I am missing firmware files: rtl_nic/rt18105e-1.fw

Johnboy1951

killaspec wrote: »

Houston we have lift off!

Sorry we cross posted .....

Ok I am in load screen at the moment and it is telling me that I am missing firmware files: rtl_nic/rt18105e-1.fw

firmware files for your network device

killaspec

some of your hardware needs non-free firmware files to operate. The firmware can be loaded from removable media, such as a USB stick or floppy.
The missing firmware files are: rtl_nic/rtl18105e-1.fw

Any idea as to where I can get this firmware ?

killaspec

Network as my LAN and wireless ?

killaspec

Ok did my home work the missing fill is for my NIC (this is my wlan?) is it possible to just wire it up and by pass the wlan?

killaspec

By the way John thanks a million for all the help I really appreciate it.

Johnboy1951

This might be helpful ..... sorry I don't use a .deb based distro so cannot take it any further

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=82328

killaspec

Yet again thanks a million for all the help. I download that driver.zip file unpacked it onto the same usb stick as the one I had the install on and it worked like a dream. Got a little stuck on the server config page but figured out it was my router it was on about now it is bashing away at installing the base system.

Please know that if it wasn't for your help I would be minus hair on my head eyebrows finger nails and teeth as I would have pulled it all out.

Cheers Matthew

Johnboy1951

killaspec wrote: »

Yet again thanks a million for all the help. I download that driver.zip file unpacked it onto the same usb stick as the one I had the install on and it worked like a dream. Got a little stuck on the server config page but figured out it was my router it was on about now it is bashing away at installing the base system.

Please know that if it wasn't for your help I would be minus hair on my head eyebrows finger nails and teeth as I would have pulled it all out.

Cheers Matthew

Glad I could be of some assistance ..... I wouldn't care to be responsible for you being in such a state

.... hair on fingernails and teeth? ..... :eek: