Install Windows Without CDROM or Floppy

[tim_milstead]

My friend has a Dell laptop without CD or floppy drives. It has a 2.5"
drive that I can connect to my computer using a USB adaptor.

It needs Windows reinstalling on it (2000 not XP but that's not
important - I am running Windows XP). I am guessing the only approach
(other than PXE) is to copy the Windows CD onto the hard disk, boot it
to DOS and run the setup program from there.

The only problem is getting that hard disk to boot once it is back in
the computer. I have no way of doing fdisk /mbr (on NT equivalent) to
the 2.5" disk to make it boot. Windows software does not seem to have
this capability - I have to boot using a Windows Floppy Disk and that
does not have fdisk on it.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tim.

 

[Kelly]

Attach an external CD/DVD drive ...
--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

Is it October already? Either way, Happy Birthday if today is your
birthday!

 

[Patrick Keenan]

My friend has a Dell laptop without CD or floppy drives. It has a 2.5"
drive that I can connect to my computer using a USB adaptor.

It needs Windows reinstalling on it (2000 not XP but that's not
important - I am running Windows XP). I am guessing the only approach
(other than PXE) is to copy the Windows CD onto the hard disk, boot it
to DOS and run the setup program from there.

The only problem is getting that hard disk to boot once it is back in
the computer. I have no way of doing fdisk /mbr (on NT equivalent) to
the 2.5" disk to make it boot. Windows software does not seem to have
this capability - I have to boot using a Windows Floppy Disk and that
does not have fdisk on it.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tim.

the laptop will have either a docking station with CD, or USB ports to which
you can connect an external CD drive. That's probably the best approach.

HTH
-pk

 

[tim_milstead]

the laptop will have either a docking station with CD, or USB ports to which
you can connect an external CD drive. That's probably the best approach.

HTH
-pk

Unfortunately the machine does not support USB cdrom or USB floppy at
boot or DOS. It does have an IDE port at the back but the person has
lost the CD drive.

Hence the question.

 

[John John]

My friend has a Dell laptop without CD or floppy drives. It has a 2.5"
drive that I can connect to my computer using a USB adaptor.

It needs Windows reinstalling on it (2000 not XP but that's not
important - I am running Windows XP). I am guessing the only approach
(other than PXE) is to copy the Windows CD onto the hard disk, boot it
to DOS and run the setup program from there.

The only problem is getting that hard disk to boot once it is back in
the computer. I have no way of doing fdisk /mbr (on NT equivalent) to
the 2.5" disk to make it boot. Windows software does not seem to have
this capability - I have to boot using a Windows Floppy Disk and that
does not have fdisk on it.

You basically have it figured out. Get a Windows 98 startup disk
(bootdisk.com has them) and prepare the drive using that. Format the
drive FAT32 (you can convert it after Windows is installed) and make the
drive bootable by transferring the system files to it (a:\format c: /s)
and then copy the files to the drive, you have to copy the W98/DOS boot
files for the computer to boot and you have to copy the i386 folder to
carry out the installation. There are plenty of step by step guides on
the net showing you exactly how to do this, these may be helpful.

http://www.defectivekit.net/2007/02/guide-install-windows-without-cd-rom-or.html
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=U...aptop+without+cdrom+or+floppy+drive&x=86&y=12

John

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

On *your* computer, can you access the 2.5 drive using a Win98 boot disk?

 

[Kelly]

USB CD/DVD Rom - Place the CD in and hold down the shift key.
As for fdisk, download a better boot disk - http://www.bootdisk.com/

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

Is it October already? Either way, Happy Birthday if today is your
birthday!

 

[tim_milstead]

You basically have it figured out. Get a Windows 98 startup disk
(bootdisk.com has them) and prepare the drive using that. Format the
drive FAT32 (you can convert it after Windows is installed) and make the
drive bootable by transferring the system files to it (a:\format c: /s)
and then copy the files to the drive, you have to copy the W98/DOS boot
files for the computer to boot and you have to copy the i386 folder to
carry out the installation. There are plenty of step by step guides on
the net showing you exactly how to do this, these may be helpful.

http://www.defectivekit.net/2007/02...search?ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&cop=mss&p=instal...

John

John,

Thanks for the info. I'll look for a boot disk, but as Gary has
spotted the 2.5" disk is connected to my computer via USB and is
unlikely to be available when I boot using a Windows 98 boot disk.

I am really looking for a way of preparing the disk from Windows. I
suspect this might be impossible because I get the feeling it is
impossible to do a fdisk /cbr e: equivalent from inside windows.

Tim.

 

[John John]

John,

Thanks for the info. I'll look for a boot disk, but as Gary has
spotted the 2.5" disk is connected to my computer via USB and is
unlikely to be available when I boot using a Windows 98 boot disk.

I am really looking for a way of preparing the disk from Windows. I
suspect this might be impossible because I get the feeling it is
impossible to do a fdisk /cbr e: equivalent from inside windows.

Tim.

You can try the Motto Hairu (AKA Panasonic) DOS USB drivers and see if
they will allow you to prepare the disk from a DOS session. Or get a
2.5 inch to 3.5 inch IDE Adapter and stick the disk on the IDE
controller in your desktop, you can buy these adapters for a couple of
dollars.

John