how to do a fresh install of windows xp without internal cd drive?

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

it says no bootable devices

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

I've never tried this, but would it be possible to just put a image from a xp cd (download the image in a torrent) and copy it to a usb (4-8 gig usb) then boot from the USB?

or wait..I think you'd need to do somthing else to make that work...Ima check out lifehacker

 

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

why can't you have 2 installs on one hd? That's why they have partitioning.. If you meant to say on the same partition (I've seen it happen) then I understand.

i assumed he was talking he about 2 intalls on 1 partion. as i had that issue years ago when i was learning to format/reinstall windows.

he can have 2 different windows in 2 different partitions but truthfully i find no point in it. just wasting space. now if you did 1 windows and the other linux yes, just not 2 windows.

 

[_DjScrew_ 5,000+ posts]

When I started all over on my PC I just formatted the hard drive and installed windows with the CD. Since your CD-Rom doesn't work you can go into CMOS and hav your laptop boot from the USB drive. When I did mine it wiped everything.

just and FYI, CMOS and BIOS are 2 different things.

http://www.infopackets.com/news/hardware/2002/20021231_difference_between_cmos_and_bios.htm

 

[_DjScrew_ 5,000+ posts]

I've never tried this, but would it be possible to just put a image from a xp cd (download the image in a torrent) and copy it to a usb (4-8 gig usb) then boot from the USB?
or wait..I think you'd need to do somthing else to make that work...Ima check out lifehacker

nope, you'd have to make that drive bootable with some utility. If you just drop the files on there it won't know what to do with it.

OP: what are you boot options in the BIOS? - NVM you posted that. choose usb hdd as scooby said.

 

[Doola36 10+ year member]

just and FYI, CMOS and BIOS are 2 different things.
http://www.infopackets.com/news/hardware/2002/20021231_difference_between_cmos_and_bios.htm

I understand that they are two different things but IIRC you have to be in CMOS to change the boot order.

 

[Scoobydoo 5,000+ posts]

I understand that they are two different things but IIRC you have to be in CMOS to change the boot order.

you need to be in the BIOS to change boot order

CMOS stores the config set in the bios

I've never tried this, but would it be possible to just put a image from a xp cd (download the image in a torrent) and copy it to a usb (4-8 gig usb) then boot from the USB?
or wait..I think you'd need to do somthing else to make that work...Ima check out lifehacker

you can make a bootable flash drive, but it would probably just be easier if he bought a new optical drive for the laptop

you can also install windows over a network

 

[jer_stud56 10+ year member]

http://www.syschat.com/install-windows-xp-without-floppy-cd-463.html

There.

 

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

when I put it to boot with USB HDD to try and get the external cd drive to work it says "no bootable devices -- pres F1 to continue or F2 to reboot