Install XP from via network boot

[TyPR124]

How can I do this (if it's even possible)? My BIOS has a network option in
the startup order, so I assume its possible one way or another... I've read
some about PXE, but I don't completely understand it. Also, I can't use a CD
or Floppy (I don't have a floppy drive, and for some reason it refuses to
boot via CD). I do have XP running on another computer already.

And the reason I want to know is because I want to format/partition my HD,
but since I can't boot from the CD, I have to start the setup in Windows 2k
(already installed) and then reboot and boot the XP installation from the
HD...

 

[Shenan Stanley]

How can I do this (if it's even possible)? My BIOS has a network
option in the startup order, so I assume its possible one way or
another... I've read some about PXE, but I don't completely
understand it. Also, I can't use a CD or Floppy (I don't have a
floppy drive, and for some reason it refuses to boot via CD). I do
have XP running on another computer already.

And the reason I want to know is because I want to format/partition
my HD, but since I can't boot from the CD, I have to start the
setup in Windows 2k (already installed) and then reboot and boot
the XP installation from the HD.

RIS.
BDD.

Of course - I doubt a home user would have those options.

Why can you not boot from CD? Is that option not available in the BIOS?

 

[TyPR124]

RIS.
BDD.

Of course - I doubt a home user would have those options.

Why can you not boot from CD? Is that option not available in the BIOS?

Well I'm not sure why it won't boot from the CD, put it in, checked the BIOS
order, restarted... just won't boot. But when I get into Windows it will read
the CD perfectly fine...

So anyway, if I could get ahold of one of those, then it should be at least
semi-straitforward?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

RIS.
BDD.

Of course - I doubt a home user would have those options.

Why can you not boot from CD? Is that option not available in the
BIOS?

Well I'm not sure why it won't boot from the CD, put it in, checked
the BIOS order, restarted... just won't boot. But when I get into
Windows it will read the CD perfectly fine...

So anyway, if I could get ahold of one of those, then it should be
at least semi-straitforward?

Are you a computer systems administrator? If so - possibly.

Do you even get a message about "Press any key to boot from CD"?
Does the CD boot in another machine?
Do you have any external USB CD drives or Floppy drives?

Can you not perform an upgrade of your Windows 2000 install?

 

[TyPR124]

Are you a computer systems administrator? If so - possibly.

Do you even get a message about "Press any key to boot from CD"?
Does the CD boot in another machine?
Do you have any external USB CD drives or Floppy drives?

Can you not perform an upgrade of your Windows 2000 install?

Yes I'm the admin. I don't get anything that says anything like that (though
before when I could boot from a diff CD it gave me that). Now it sounds like
it's trying to read but then just stops and goes to the normal boot.

I can't boot from a USB, and I don't have a floppy drive. And I wanted to go
from 2000 to XP directly but it said the version I had couldn't be upgraded
so I had to do a new install... that and I want to format my HD...

Anyway, in my searching, I found a trial of something called Network Boot
Tools, but the full version costs 150$, so I'm waiting to download the trial
now...

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Yes I'm the admin. I don't get anything that says anything like
that (though before when I could boot from a diff CD it gave me
that). Now it sounds like it's trying to read but then just stops
and goes to the normal boot.

I can't boot from a USB, and I don't have a floppy drive. And I
wanted to go from 2000 to XP directly but it said the version I had
couldn't be upgraded so I had to do a new install... that and I
want to format my HD...

Anyway, in my searching, I found a trial of something called
Network Boot Tools, but the full version costs 150$, so I'm waiting
to download the trial now...

You must have an OEM version of Windows XP.

It really sounds like something is wrong with either your CD drive or the
CD. That's why I asked if that CD booted on another PC?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Yes I'm the admin. I don't get anything that says anything like
that (though before when I could boot from a diff CD it gave me
that). Now it sounds like it's trying to read but then just stops
and goes to the normal boot.

I can't boot from a USB, and I don't have a floppy drive. And I
wanted to go from 2000 to XP directly but it said the version I had
couldn't be upgraded so I had to do a new install... that and I
want to format my HD...

Anyway, in my searching, I found a trial of something called
Network Boot Tools, but the full version costs 150$, so I'm waiting
to download the trial now...

If it will boot on another computer - can you make a copy of it and try
using the copy?

 

[TyPR124]

If it will boot on another computer - can you make a copy of it and try
using the copy?

It does boot on the other computer, and I've tried making copies upon copies
of it (I seriously think I wasted 10 CD's trying to figure out how to copy it
to get it to boot). So I'm pretty sure there's nothing I'm gonna be able to
do about the CD...