Installing Windows XP from HD without floppy drive, CD-ROM, or USB

D

Dan N

Hi guys,

I found this group from some Google searches, so I was wondering if you
could help me out.

I have an old Sony Vaio PCG-V505ACP with a dead CD-ROM drive. The
drive cannot be replaced (it is proprietary), there is no built-in
floppy drive, and the laptop cannot boot any USB devices (I've tried
USB floppy and DVDRW drive). I just bought a Sony PCMCIA CDRW drive
that was recommended to me by Sony Tech Support, but didn't work. Now
I'm also out $65.

I have a notebook-to-IDE adapter where I can hook up the HD to my
desktop and format, partition, and transfer any files to the notebook
HD. I have nearly exhausted all my options, so I would like to try the
following:

1. Hook up notebook HD to desktop, create three partitions for the
bootable DOS partition, WinXP install files, and a partition where
Windows XP will be installed to.
2. Install some version of DOS (or something bootable) on first
partition, this is where I need help
3. Copy WinXP files from CD onto second partition
4. Connect notebook HD back into notebook
5. Boot up DOS, go to second partition and run \i386\winnt.exe
6. Finish installing Windows XP!

Can anyone help me with step #2? I have no idea where to find an old
copy of DOS, or how to reformat a partition to make it like a boot
disk. Any suggestions will help, I really could use anything right
now.

Thanks,
Dan N
 
M

Marian Gutu

Hello,
I asume the laptop has a network card with PXE capabilities.. why don't you
boot frm the network?


--
Marian Gutu

MCP, MCSAs, MCSEs
Be nice, society already sucks!

May the Force be with you!
http://www.google.com
 
D

Dan N

I was thinking about that, but I've never installed from the network
before. Do you any tutorials/instructions on how to do it?
 
H

HeyBub

Dan said:
Hi guys,

I found this group from some Google searches, so I was wondering if
you could help me out.

I have an old Sony Vaio PCG-V505ACP with a dead CD-ROM drive. The
drive cannot be replaced (it is proprietary), there is no built-in
floppy drive, and the laptop cannot boot any USB devices (I've tried
USB floppy and DVDRW drive). I just bought a Sony PCMCIA CDRW drive
that was recommended to me by Sony Tech Support, but didn't work. Now
I'm also out $65.

I have a notebook-to-IDE adapter where I can hook up the HD to my
desktop and format, partition, and transfer any files to the notebook
HD. I have nearly exhausted all my options, so I would like to try
the following:
Click to expand...

[...]

Before you go to the trouble of installing XP on a crippled computer, best
to check whether XP will even RUN on the proposed target.
 
D

Dan N

Thank you very much guys, I am sure tht Windows XP will run on the
laptop as that was the previously installed OS.
 

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