Installing Ubuntu sans CD-rom, and sound issues

[Terrence van Ettinger]

Hello, all,
	I have 2 different questions, not really related except for their
connections to Ubuntu.
	First, is there a way to install Ubntu without having a CD-rom drive?
I got a hand-me-down laptop, but the CD-rom drive doesn't work on it.
Can it be done from a thumb drive, and/or is ther eanother option?
Preferably another option that doesn't need me to squint at the screen
since my vision isn't great and the screen isn't the biggest and
brightest.
	Second, I don't seem to be able to get capture capability working for
my sound card.  I' like to be able to record, but when I set my capture
option to the only one that oesn't freak out my system, I don't hear
anything.  Is there any sort of program that will autodetect the proper
capture settingsor something?
Thanks,
Terrence