Any other way to "install" Ubuntu Linux?

[Grey Belnades]

I've been very interested in switching to another OS (I currently have Windows XP Pro). When I read about Linux, I knew it was an OS that I wanted to switch to, however, I've been reading that in order to install Ubuntu Linux as your OS, you have to boot a Live CD with Ubuntu in it but there's one problem I have...my CD Drive doesn't work. Everytime I put in a CD or DVD, it doesn't read it, I really want to switch to Linux but the CD Drive is my only obstacle preventing me from getting Ubuntu. Is there any other way I can boot the "Live CD" other than using the CD Drive?

 

[Anthony523]

Well guess what there is a way. Since Linux is a pretty small file and it's an ISO file... You can put it on your very own flash drive!
But there's a few things... You need to make a regular Linux CD from any computer with a CD drive... and a blank disk
So if you have a friend with a working CD drive on their computer that can burn things onto CDs then just have one made then boot from the CD on their computer then look for the option to make a USB startup disc that you can boot into on your computer

 

[Super_ness]

Heh heh. Actually, just google for UNetbootin. It's a program that will make a Live USB from Windows.

 

[Grey Belnades]

Thank you, will using UNetbootin erase everything in my computer when I boot Ubuntu? Somehow, my computer has become slow because of some errors I can't fix with Advanced SystemCare and AVG and I hope booting UNetbootin will make my desktop "like new" when I first used it (when it didn't have errors that my AVG and SystemCare couldn't fix).

 

[Anthony523]

Well it just depends if you decide to overwrite your windows partition
Or you can have it dual-booted so that when you turn on your computer you can decide to boot into XP or Linux (I have this on my netbook it works great) and this is done by a little thing called GRUB which does an amazing job at what it does.

So to give a good answer. Yes, you can delete everything and make it "like new" but you DO NOT have to.

 

[hammythomas]

Ubuntu can be installed without using a CD or CD-ROM drive. SmartBootManager which Installing from a PC which will not boot from a CD.