@softgoat I think the easiest thing to do would be to install a linux distro to a USB, and then select your BIOS settings to try booting from USB first.

The easy way to do that would probably be:

• Have 2 usbs. On one install the liveOS, and the other is blank.
• Do the installation of the OS, but onto the other USB instead of the hard drive.
• Turn off the computer, unplug the live usb, and turn the computer back on.

I don't know if it would work, but I can't see why it wouldn't!