Ubuntu Server on laptop

[jehoshua]

I have an old laptop that currently has a formatted hard drive. I want to install ubuntu server on it as a webserver/email server. However, the laptop has no working optical drive and does not support booting from USB. I've tried installing with netboot via LAN but it doesn't seem to work. Anyone have an ideas?

Thanks =]

[LoloftheRings]

Not sure if this is possible, but you could boot from cd maybe?
You do need 256MB ram to do. I guess your old laptop hasn't got it..
I think it's pretty much impossible, sorry :P

[slakkie]

You could use the alternate installer or the minimal installer if you can boot from CD..

[silentrebel]

Perhaps you should invest in an external optical drive... They aren't that expensive anymore and can be useful for situations other than this quite... special one. Copying CDs or DVDs on a machine with only one optical drive can be made much faster by having a second one (one to read and one to write simultaneously).