3

I have a Dell Inspiron 1525 with a working copy of Vista running on it. I want to install Ubuntu Desktop on it. The twist is this: The laptop monitor is broken.

I can run a VGA monitor, but it will not clone the screen until after windows activates. When I try to install the CD helper that comes with WUBI, it errors out at the end and will not boot from CD.

I'm OK with destroying my windows installation from within windows so that the BIOS skips the hard drive and boots from CD, but I can't find how to do that either.

6
  • FYI: WUBI has officially been deprecated. It seems to cause more problems than it solves at this point, although I know your post has to do with something else. Generally though on bootup, usually it is F12 that gives you the boot selection. Whether or not you can do this blindly... I don't know. Alternatively (no warranty!), you can unplug your hdd when you boot up, and just plug it back in once you go ubuntu loading to ram (Do this via the sata cable, rather than the power cable.)
    – Anon
    Apr 15, 2014 at 3:40
  • thanks... was just getting my screwdrivers out actually... i was really hoping not to open it...
    – Bee
    Apr 15, 2014 at 4:32
  • 2
    removing the hard drive worked perfectly.... just in case someone else has this same problem... doubtful though... seems like my problems are always unique... :)
    – Bee
    Apr 15, 2014 at 16:39
  • had an interesting side effect when remotely connecting to said machine once i got ubuntu installed... the broken monitor is turned off in the dual monitor setup... but when i remote in, it's as if the turned off monitor creates a "phantom desktop" that i cant seem to access locally, but it's there remotely... not sure if there are any practical applications for this, but i thought it was interesting enough to mention... although, probably not the right thread...
    – Bee
    Apr 15, 2014 at 17:51
  • 2
    @Akiva write up your HDD removal solution as an answer so I can upvote it. (And we can reduce the unanswered questions by 1)! Thanks!
    – Elder Geek
    Jun 14, 2014 at 20:32

1 Answer 1

3

Unplug your hdd when you boot up, and just plug it back in once you got ubuntu loading to ram (Do this via the sata cable, rather than the power cable.)

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .