Installing MEPIS on a Laptop/Computer without a CD ROM

My problem: I have an old P-266 laptop with a bad CD ROM with network connectivity.

Requirements:

2004.05b0 MEPIS CD
Network Connectivity between the target computer and a computer capable of serving the CD
Windows 95/98/ME system on target computer. (May also work on NT/2000 but I have not tested it.)
Formatted Floppy Disk

Steps I used to install MEPIS:

1.) Run the makeboot.bat file from the CD. rawrite will executeand create a boot floopy. (I'm assuming here you are on a Windoze PC, otherwise read the MEPIS install how-to on the CD)

2.) Copy the linux folder from the CD across the network to the target computer. Place it in the root of a drive (c:, d:, etc.)

3.) Defragment your harddrive if you plan on installing MEPIS on the harddrive and resizing your partitions.

4.) Backup your data on the Windows partition if you plan on dual booting the computer.(You've been warned!)

5.) Insert the floppy into the floppy drive. (Make sure you computer boots from A: then C: in your BIOS).

6.) Reboot PC, boot floopy should start MEPIS in "Live" mode from the DOS partition on the PC. This exactly the same mode as if you had a CDROM and were booting it off the CD.

7.) If you want to install. Double click on the Installation Center icon. Follow the directions. Use QParted to partition your harddrive. Create at least a / and a swap partition from the free space. If you have trouble getting / partition to load when prompted, this is what I did: I shrank my Windows partition about 800 mb, created another fat32 partition in using Qparted. Removed the boot disk and rebooted back to Windows. I copied the linux folder from C: to the new D: partition. Placed the boot disk back in the floopy drive, and rebooted back to the MEPIS "Live" mode. Double click the Installation Center Icon on the desktop and load MEPIS.

Disclaimer: This is how I got MEPIS on my laptop. YMMV.