How would you go about installing an operating system without a CDROM?

[Dan M]

I've been trying for some time now and getting nowhere. I figured I could install XP with a network bootdisk - no dice, setup.exe cannot be run in dos.

I have a floppy drive (finally) on the machine, but no cd-rom. I can, however, access a cd-rom on my lan. Is there any way to boot from a network cd-rom?

[3.4 slow to go]

get yourself a copy of windows 3.1 ( on floppy, like 4~5 disks) and have at it ;)

what's up w/the no cd-rom???

hell, it took me about 45min to get my new computer to recognize my old one & x-fer files over a network cable :mad:

[HAZ-Matt]

Yeah, I think the work around for that problem is to get a CDROm drive in that machine [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Dan M]

I would have, thats one of the first things I tried. It won't boot from a usb or serial drive and that's the only way one can be connected as far as I know. This is a tablet pc, by the way, makes it tricky. This website might prove to be very helpful, though, if anyone else is having my problem: http://www.easydesksoftware.com/I386.htm

It was all downhill once I got the hard drive to format/partition more than 8mb.

[12secondv6]

Originally posted by DrSquirts:
Is there any way to boot from a network cd-rom?

Yup, kick it really hard!

Hence.... giving it "the boot"

[ThatsMeGC]

Borrow a cd-rom from someone or go get one. I'm sure you can find a normal cd-rom under $20.

[1DangerousV6]

yup..i've always got a start up floppy around [img]smile.gif[/img]

[shock_core]

its called, buy a new computer you cheap sob [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] j/k

Lol, uhm but seriously... the only operating systems that i know of that you can install with only floppys, are Win 95 and anything below that :\

[C.O.Jones]

Originally posted by ThatsMeGC:
Borrow a cd-rom from someone or go get one. I'm sure you can find a normal cd-rom under $20.

:cough:dumbass:cough:

Check out his post above.

Everyone:
It's a tablet pc. He can only hook up a CD ROM via usb/serial. Unfortunately xp will not allow him to install from a usb/serial port (does not recognize it).

Now, try some USEFULL suggestions.

[C.O.Jones]

Get your hands on an XP OEM bootdisk. My friend gave me one once, and it saved my life. The HDD crapped out (had a bad svchost.exe) which caused it to constantly reboot after hitting the login window. I had important files on the thing, but couldn't get the laptop to a point that I could pull data off onto a USB key (odly enough XP doesn't like DOS)...
I couldn't mount the HD in another machine because again it was a laptop and I didn't have any adapters.

This OEM bootdisk allowed me to boot up into XP running solely on the CD. It brought up a "lite" XP is the only way I can put it. I was then able to use a DOS window and Xcopy files to my USB keys which were recognized.

[Tyler]

dude cd rom drives cost like 10 bux

[C.O.Jones]

Originally posted by Tyler:
dude cd rom drives cost like 10 bux

:cough:dumbass:cough:

Check out his post above.

Everyone:
It's a tablet pc. He can only hook up a CD ROM via usb/serial. Unfortunately xp will not allow him to install from a usb/serial port (does not recognize it).

Now, try some USEFULL suggestions.

[chas]

remove hard drive. install in another computer. you will likely need a notebook drive adapter to get the 2.5" drive to connect to your 3.5" computer.

can xp install to (not from) a firewire drive? put the drive in an external case and install to it from another computer.

alternatively, can the tabletpc operate in a 'target mode'? does it act like a disk drive if you plug it into a pc and perform some magical command?

[chas]

oh yeah, and you might try looking at the network boot disks on this website: http://www.bootdisk.com

[Tyler]

Originally posted by C.O.Jones:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tyler:
dude cd rom drives cost like 10 bux

:cough:dumbass:cough:

Check out his post above.

Everyone:
It's a tablet pc. He can only hook up a CD ROM via usb/serial. Unfortunately xp will not allow him to install from a usb/serial port (does not recognize it).

Now, try some USEFULL suggestions. </font>[/QUOTE]hey ******* back off. get your panties out of a knot would ya.


I guess i should apologize because i dont feel like reading all the freak'n posts. damn, if it was mentioned in the first post i would have known.