Windows XP: Installing from Harddrive

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From the computer of: seamonkey420 (132 recipes)
Created: Aug 19, 2004

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This is another install recipe for Windows XP. Requirements: Windows 98SE Boot Diskette w/smartdrv.exe, Windows XP saved to harddrive (have a seperate FAT32 partition where XP install files are saved).

This recipe describes how to install windows xp from harddrive.

1. First, you need to copy your Windows XP Setup CD contents to your harddrive. NOTE! I recommend saving the xp install files/folders to a seperate partition than where your going to install xp to (ie. have setup files at d:\winxp\ and then install xp to c:\ drive)

2. Now, you will want to boot your pc with the windows 98 se bootdisk with smartdrv.exe on the floppy (increases data transfer speed by ten-fold in dos!). You do not need to boot with CD support since we're installing XP from the files on your harddrive (in my example, D:\winxp\)

3. Once you get to the command prompt, you can format the partition where you are installing xp if you want (ie in my example, the c:\ ) by typing: format driveletter: replace driveletter with the drive (ie format c: in my example). And go through the prompts.

4. Once that finishes, change drives to the drive with XP on it.
In my example: D: then enter.
THen: CD WINXP (change directory to winxp folder) and enter

Now i will want to enable smartdrv, just type: smartdrv and then type it again. THe second time you type it and hit enter it will show the status of the drives and cache'ing.

5. Now, change directory to the i386 folder, by typing: cd i386 (this folder's full path in my example would be D:\winxp\i386\).
Then type winnt to start the installation.

Just install XP like normal.

So now your probably asking yourself, why would i do this or need to know this? Well, i re-install my OS quite a bit. I get bored or it gets too cluttered so i just format and re-install. I don't really have to backup my files either since i have my "my documents" folder located on a seperate partition (got two harddrives: hd1: c: (winxp files, program files) d: (pure program files only) hd2 m: (my music, games) j: (my documents folder) r: (ripping folder)

Hope that helps someone. :-)