Install Linux without a CD or USB Stick Using UNetBootIn
You know you want to install a Linux distro, but are you short on CDs or USB sticks? Follow these easy steps to avoid the waste of CDs or thumb sticks.
Steps
- Download UNetBootIn. It's free and open source for Windows and Linux. Mac users *may* be able to execute the Linux version, but it's unlikely.
- Go to http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ to download.
- Run the program as an administrator (Windows) or root (Linux). You should be able to do this using Run As (Windows 2000/XP), User Account Control (Windows Vista/7), or su/sudo (Linux).
- Also make sure you have a stable system and UNetBootIn is the only program running. Something may go wrong with your file system if it crashes.
- Select it from the two lists. The first one is the OS and the second one is the version. However, some releases (like Fedora 14) are not there yet. That might be a reason to select custom ISO's. Choose "Hard Disk" and click OK!
- Be patient. UNetBootIn is downloading the files and adding them to Windows Boot Manager (Windows) or GRUB (Linux).
- After the preparation is complete, restart your computer, select "UNetBootIn", then install as normal. Be careful about your partitions.
- When you're prompted to restart your computer, DO NOT boot back into your new OS. Boot into your old Windows or Linux and rerun UNetBootIn.
- It will ask you if you want to uninstall UNetBootIn. This is just the boot entry, your OS will remain. So accept.
- Have fun with your new Linux OS!
Warnings
- Be careful with your partitions.
- Don't remove UNetBootIn until *after* the Linux/BSD install.
- Make sure nothing else's running and you have a stable (not alpha/beta) system. We don't want this to crash.
Things You'll Need
- UNetBootIn: go grab yourself a free copy at http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/.
