XP on a USB key

[Randy Reimers]

Is there any way to install WinXP on a USB key? I have a 256meg key that
work sweet for win98 DOS and getting on the network, I am curious about
installing a "tiny" WinXP to the key, with Explorer and basic networking.
All our PCs are Dell GX270 and GX260, I have disk images that will work on
either. Or, is there a "tiny" Windows 98 installation that would work? I
could use an NTFS reader to pull information from the true hard drive if I
needed to.

Thanks for any help
Randy Reimers

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

"Is there any way to install WinXP on a USB key?"

No. Windows XP requires a bare minimum of a 1.5GB
hard drive for installation. USB keys are designed for data
storage only.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Randy Reimers" <rreimers (at) hotmail (dot) com> wrote in message:

| Is there any way to install WinXP on a USB key? I have a 256meg key that
| work sweet for win98 DOS and getting on the network, I am curious about
| installing a "tiny" WinXP to the key, with Explorer and basic networking.
| All our PCs are Dell GX270 and GX260, I have disk images that will work on
| either. Or, is there a "tiny" Windows 98 installation that would work? I
| could use an NTFS reader to pull information from the true hard drive if I
| needed to.
|
| Thanks for any help
| Randy Reimers
|
|

 

[Randy Reimers]

Any way to do it with Win PE? Had a case in point this morning - VP
secretary's laptop croaked big-time, would have been VERY convenient to be
able to pop in a USB key, boot, read the NTFS and copy 350 megs of stuff to
the network. took about 2 hours instead.

Thank you - Randy

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305595

HOW TO: Start the System Restore Tool from a Command Prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449&Product=winxp

HOW TO: Start Your Computer by Using the Last Known Good Configuration Feature in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307852&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Randy Reimers" <rreimers (at) hotmail (dot) com> wrote in message:

| Any way to do it with Win PE? Had a case in point this morning - VP
| secretary's laptop croaked big-time, would have been VERY convenient to be
| able to pop in a USB key, boot, read the NTFS and copy 350 megs of stuff to
| the network. took about 2 hours instead.
|
| Thank you - Randy

 

[Michael Cecil]

Any way to do it with Win PE? Had a case in point this morning - VP
secretary's laptop croaked big-time, would have been VERY convenient to be
able to pop in a USB key, boot, read the NTFS and copy 350 megs of stuff to
the network. took about 2 hours instead.

My WinPE iso is only 147 MB so it would fit on a larger USB pen drive. Be
interesting to try that out. I wonder if you could just create a WinPE
install directly into a pen drive like that? Hmmmm...

Why did it take 2 hours? If you had a WinPE CD, it should have worked
nearly as quickly as a pen drive.

 

[Randy Reimers]

2 hours or more - whenever I tried to copy through PE, had checksum errors
all over the place, tried to rescue the drive, was finally able to run
chkdsk, found 150+ bad clusters (can't remember right word), other
problems, laptop seemed to run very SLOW. I'm trying to get PE installed to
the 256meg jumpdrive now - backed up my existing information first.

Randy

 

[Randy Reimers]

I was totally unable to boot the drive past loading vgaoem.fon - corrupt
local files, no way to run Restore, Last Known, or anything.

Randy

 

[§kullywag©-]

I was totally unable to boot the drive past loading vgaoem.fon - corrupt
local files, no way to run Restore, Last Known, or anything.

Randy

A good way to get in good with the boss is a belated Christmas present
of "Drive Image" or other backup utility for his secretary.
2 hours to fix something is rediculous......... with proper back up,
the whole drive could have been restored in twenty minutes.

People will spend $$ for anti virus scanners to save them a trip to
the shop.......... but many have no clue as to how much money (and
time) proper backup could save them.



§kullywag©-

 

[Michael Cecil]

2 hours or more - whenever I tried to copy through PE, had checksum errors
all over the place, tried to rescue the drive, was finally able to run
chkdsk, found 150+ bad clusters (can't remember right word), other
problems, laptop seemed to run very SLOW. I'm trying to get PE installed to
the 256meg jumpdrive now - backed up my existing information first.

Well, if you were getting errors like that I don't think that booting up
WinPE from anywhere will make a difference. It sounds like a hardware
error but maybe it's something as simple as a bad data cable.