Install xp - no floppy, no cd-rom drive!

stuey

ok i need to install xp onto a pc, but i have no floppy drive or cd rom drive, is there someway i can install xp?

I was thinking of copying the i386 folder from the installation to the drive (fat32)
and then running winnt.exe from insdie the i386 folder to launch the setup

but the real question is how do i run winnt.exe when i have nothing to boot from?

is there some sort of boot file i can put on the root of the drive that the pc will boot from and lauch winnt.exe

cheers

SouperComputer

one half-assed way to do it is to perform the 1st part of setup on another computer. Ie the copying of setup files part. When it reboots, pull the HD out and place it in the machine you need to install windows on. Of course you will still need the i386 folder to continue setup.

stuey

genius, i'll try that

stuey

she blue screened on me when i tried to boot!

smeggle

Which obviously means the other pc has a cd-rom drive - why not just put that into the pc devoid of the drive/install the os and then put the cd drive back in the other machine?

Soundman

Could you not just take the HDD out of the other machine, put your blank/formatted HDD into said machine and install on that. Then once installed just put your HDD back into the original computer?

AnCapaillMor

I think the only way moving the hd will work is if you copy it on a system that has an identical board. I've tried 2 or 3 times moving a hd after an upgrade(i hate installing windows) and i always got an "incessible boot device" BSOD.

Oriel

smeggle has it.