Installing XP from another Partition or Drive

[darkrats]

Current process:

1. Copied all files from my XP disk to a folder on D drive called "winxp".
2. My file system is FAT32. And I have a floppy drive in my computer.
3. Put in a Windows 98 bootdisk, reboot into DOS, format C drive, run
"smartdrv.exe".
4. Type - d:\winxp\i386\winnt.exe - to begin the install from D drive.

Questions:

1. How can I install XP from D drive if my computer does not have a floppy?
2. What if my file system was NTFS? Would this effect installing from D
drive?
3. If there is a way to install from D drive (without a floppy) can I still
format C drive first?

Any other hints about installing XP from D drive on a computer without a
floppy would
be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Darkrats.

WHY are you trying to do this the hard way? What are you trying to
accomplish?

The easy way to install WinXP is simply to boot from the WinXP CD-ROM. It
has all the tools you need, including repartitioning (if you like) and
reformatting (if you like) your hard drive. No floppy is required at all.

And, unless you plan to run Win9x/ME on this computer, use NTFS all the way.

RC

 

[darkrats]

I understand what you say.
But on an older machine, I've found XP installs faster from the HD than the
CD drive.

If you know of a way to install from the HD without a floppy, I'd sure like
to hear it.