Installing XP without a CD Drive

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Guest

Hello,
I am planning to re-format my hard drive due to many problems with my
computer and install XP again from scratch. The problem I have with my
computer is related to CD/DVD drives, both external and internal. After
uninstalling Roxio and Sonic RecordNow, they don't show up in "My Computer"
and they don't function at all.

I was wondering if:
a. I could copy the files from the XP CP to a USB hard drive and install it
from that.
b. If someone could guide me through fixing the problem with the DVD/CD
drives.

I have all my files backed up on external hard drives and I just don't want
to format unless I know I will be able to re-install Windows.

Thanks to everyone for their help. If you need more specifics let me know.
 
Not showing up in my computer really has no bearing on reinstalling xp.Simply
disconnect all add on hardware (printers,networking cable,other
hds,etc),leaving
C: drive & cdrom or rw,install xp cd,boot to xp cd (set in BIOS for this if
needed
cdrom 1st boot device),if it boots to cd,select install xp,new
copy...Before looked
as though you were installing xp in windows explorer,not the way to do it.
 
You cannot Format your system disk within windows.
Insert your winxp cd and reboot your PC, depending on your PC you may have
to either press 'a key' to boot from cd, or amend your bios settings in
order to boot from cd
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
Remember to install chipset and other device drivers from manufacturers
sites and NOT winupdate
 
Andrew

You are a menace. Stop your irresponsible postings. You do harm not good.
 
Thanks for the tips.
I was planning on following the process you said and wasn't planning on
reinstalling XP through my CPU. I am just worried that since my CD-R is not
working and not showing up in my computer that it is completely dead (due to
software problems). I will try the fix provided by Peter and reply back
tonight.
Thanks a lot.
 
Scott said:
Hello,
I am planning to re-format my hard drive due to many problems with my
computer and install XP again from scratch. The problem I have with my
computer is related to CD/DVD drives, both external and internal. After
uninstalling Roxio and Sonic RecordNow, they don't show up in "My
Computer"
and they don't function at all.

I was wondering if:
a. I could copy the files from the XP CP to a USB hard drive and install
it
from that.
b. If someone could guide me through fixing the problem with the DVD/CD
drives.

I have all my files backed up on external hard drives and I just don't
want
to format unless I know I will be able to re-install Windows.

Thanks to everyone for their help. If you need more specifics let me know.
Click to expand...
Does the BIOS recognize the drives? If it does, then proceed with the
installation.
If it doesn't, you have a hardware issue that needs to be resolved.
Whether your current installation of XP sees the drive or not has no bearing
on whether
the BIOS can see it or not.

And, as other poster noted, you cannot reformat the system drive within
Windows. Windows
will not commit suicide.

Jim
 
how can i re-install xp from an external usb drive (usb key or external hard
drive) regardless of cd drive? lets say my cd drive melted down on my brand
new laptop and everything works great besides the unfixable cd drive, how can
i reinstall xp from an external drive? (and no i got no floppy drive either-
did that ever exist on laptops?)
 
zaggy said:
how can i re-install xp from an external usb drive (usb key or
external hard drive) regardless of cd drive? lets say my cd drive
melted down on my brand new laptop and everything works great
besides the unfixable cd drive, how can i reinstall xp from an
external drive? (and no i got no floppy drive either- did that ever
exist on laptops?)
Click to expand...

First - if it is brand new - hopefully you got the warranty and snap to the
fact you are better off getting it replaced.

Secondly - I assume this is an internal drive and - unlike every other
laptop and computer I know - somehow tied permanently to the machine itself
instead of being easily removed and replaced with an inexpensive new one.

Third - I assume that this laptop can boot from USB - in which case I
suppose you could just get an inexpensive external USB CD/DVD drive - but
from your example I suppose one should assume that none is available
anywhere - including the internet.

So then you need a copy of the Windows XP installation on an external USB
drive of some sort and you must have a way (somehow) of booting the system
to DOS or Windows PE and then you can access the installation medium on the
external drive and install from it.

Of course - if all of that ever came true - it is likely that all of the
world was previously destroyed by something and you are the last person on
the planet (you, your laptop and your copy of Windows XP on an external USB
hard disk drive that is) and you might be dead soon anyway if installing
Windows XP on this last laptop is your largest concern.
 
@ shenan stanley

indeed my situation is weird and the example i gave above (irreparable cdrom
story) is irrelevant, lets just say i am stuck in the desert with a laptop
and no cd drive, no floppy drive, only external HDD, required XP installation
files, and an internet connection. what was that about dos? how do i boot to
dos and when i did, how to initiate installation and will it install entirely
off external HDD?
 
actually i do have another laptop with me with a functional cdrom, i googlead
around abit and found something about moving HDD to another computer, install
xp, then transplant it back to its original computer, but first playing
around with some ntldr and hal.dll files, here is what i tried doing after
browsing some info;

Try 1; (read on forum to replace ntldr and hal.dll with same files from xp
cd, i guessed this is the hal.dl_ to be renamed)
1) move HDD from cd-disfunctional computer into cd-functional computer,
installing xp from cd till final startup to desktop
2) (backing up and) deleting the following files
c:\ntldr
c:\ntdetect.com
c:\windows\system32\hal.dll
3) booting to recovery console
4) copied
<cd>:\i386\ntldr to c:\
<cd>:\i386\ntdetect.com to c:\
<cd>:\i386\hal.dl_ to c:\windows\system32
5) renamed c:\windows\system32\hal.dl_ to c:\windows\system32\hal.dll
6) transplanted HDD back to cd-disfunctional computer, booted up
result: failed to startup

Try 2: (i read about someone having a problem with a missing ntldr file to
copy ntldr and ntdetect.com from xp cd)
1) deleted again c:\ntldr and c:\ntdetect.com (no need to backup as was
already backed up from try 1)
2) restored c:\windows\system32\hal.dll from backup
3) same
4) same besides hal.dl_
5) step 6
results; same

any help?
 
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