Installing Debian from a memory stick

[andy <geek_show@dsl.pipex.com>]

Hi all

A few weeks' back I asked for some ideas re: installing Debian on a 
laptop with a dodgy CD-R/W. I was wondering if I could do so using a USB 
memory stick and if anyone has tried this. My primary concern is in 
whether or not the BIOS will recognise the USB stick at boot, and how I 
might encourage it to do so, or - alternatively - get to the boot stage 
and then do the rest with a memory stick. If this involves using 
floppies to get into a boot routine, which of the files are best for 
loading onto floppies for this purpose?

Thanks for any help.

A