USB-Serial adapter

[Bill_Hancoc]

Before you tell me to search first and there are tons of other threads about this lemme explain...I dont need to go from my USB port to a serial device i want to go the other way my serial port to usb(i dont know if this is even possible). I have and old IBM ThinkPad 760EL and would like to attach a USB hub to it to eventully get a new hard drive or dvd drive.

My ultimate goal is to install linux on the 760EL but the lack of USB doesnt let me add USB prepherials. Since the BIOS doesnt support booting from a CD drive, I have to use a floppy to boot. I bought the book Linux for dummies and it came with instructions on how to boot from to floppy but all the info is on a DVD and the CDs can be ordered for $11 shipping. i would like to update the BIOS to one that supports booting from a CD but cant find any, if anybody knows where to find them please help.

back to my orignal question is this type of adapter available and how much do they cost??

i plan to install fedora core 3 (included in the book and covered mostly) but might also try SuSE Mandrake Linspire or Xandros (also included)
does anybody have any opinions on the above?


So what are anybodies ideas for attaching a USB device to my old laptop and getting it to boot from a cd

Thanks a lot for your help

[sciguy125]

I doubt that you'll be able to find a serial to usb adapter. Even if such a thing exists, I suspect that it'd be a rather pricey item.

As for installing linux, I'm not sure what your problem is. I haven't done an installation via floppy boot since RH 9, but I'm pretty sure FC3 still has it. You should be able to just put both the floppy and the CD in, then boot. It'll boot from the floppy which will start the installation program on the CD.

By the way, if you've got a fast enough internet connection, you might want to download FC4 and install that instead.

[Andy A.]

I still remember the days of syncing my palm through a serial port. It took a painful amount of time to transfer a few hundred kilobytes. I don't think I ever had to transfer more then a megabyte, such where the limitations of the device, but I don't think I ever would want to try.

I can't even bare the thought of trying to use a hard drive through a serial connection. One that has to deal with all the gobbeldey gook of USB to?

Sheesh.

There's got to be a better way man.

-Andy A.

[Mike AA]

here's an IDEA/way someone did it. and here

Another way you may wish to install or use a USB drive would be to add a PCMCIA USB car, usually quite cheap on ebay, like $15-30.

Or like some suggest, pull the HD and hook to another system and copy the needed files or install the OS on another computer using the laptop drive as the main drive, achieved by using a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter, available at many locations.

-Mike

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I just bought a USB/Firwire card for my laptop at Fry's. It has 2 USBII ports and a Firwire with the ability to external power incase the USB peripheral needs extra power that the PCMCIA slot cannot handle. I believe they are also avaiable at Best Buy. I remember seeing serial to USB several years ago but have not seen any lately. They were very pricey too.