hi there win, There are hardware solutions that can *quickly* help you transfer/copy the ISO cd's to the laptop's hard drive. One device that I know of is the IDE-to-mini IDE (referring to the laptop's HDD IDE header) adapter/converter. Once you have this IDE adapter, you can connect it to the IDE connector of a desktop computer. I still have to find one here in Manila (anyone?) A friend bought some for me from Indonesia.
i've been doing this all the time.
why buy when you can build your own?
here's the pin configuration for the IDE-to-Mini IDE cable.
IDE drive connectorConnector: 40 pin header IDE Hard Disk Interface IDC-40 Male pin assignment pin assignment 1 -Reset 2 GND 3 Data 7 4 Data 8 5 Data 6 6 Data 9 7 Data 5 8 Data 10 9 Data 4 10 Data 11 11 Data 3 12 Data 12 13 Data 2 14 Data 13 15 Data 1 16 Data 14 17 Data 0 18 Data 15 19 GND 20 Key 21 (reserved) 22 GND 23 -IOW 24 GND 25 -IOR 26 GND 27 IO Chrdy 28 Ale 29 (reserved) 30 GND 31 IRQ14 32 -IOCS16 33 Addr 1 34 (reserved) 35 Addr 0 36 Addr 2 37 -CS0 (1F0-1F7) 38 -CS1 (3f6-3f7) 39 -Active 40 GND Portables use a 44 pin IDE connector, which is the same as above plus: 41 +5V (logic) 42 +5V (motor) 43 GND 44 reserved
you can use your old IDE (or buy it at HMR for 50 Php)
then cut one of the end socket. and then connect your
Mini-IDE socket using the above configuration.
HTH.
