Harddrive Windows XP installation - no floppy/CD drive

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From the computer of: William_Wilson (107 recipes)
Created: May 02, 2005

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This method costs about $20, but is guaranteed to work every time.

- put the harddrive into desktop PC (buy laptop to IDE converter, suggested: www.tigerdirect.ca)

-format the drive to FAT32 (you can always switch it to ntfs later, with a prog such as partition magic)

- Copy I386 folder from WinXP cd onto the laptop harddrive

- put smartdrv.exe in the root directory (speeds up dos transers)

- install dos 7.10 on drive (free download, but I suggest putting your laptop harddrive in IDE 1 to be sure of it's detection on startup)


- put the harddrive back in the laptop

-When you turn on the laptop DOS should load, otherwise select it from the list

- run smartdrv.exe (type C:\smartdrv.exe at command prompt)

- run 16bit Windows XP installer (type C:\I386\winnt.exe)

- now let the laptop sit! Even if it appears to stall, it will continue, some older harddrives do not spin very fast and need time to load (5-10min is not an unreasonable wait *with smartdrv.exe installed, expect longer without it!

- follow the Windows installer directions!
(Total time, depending on computer speeds: 1-2hrs - though most of this is waiting for Windows XP to install)

*you will now have dos and windows on the drive, you can remove dos, or leave it, it is up to you!!

**The best part about this installation method is it is much cheaper than buying an external drive, as long as you have access to a desktop computer.

***Any questions or comments about this installation method can be sent to: william_a_wilson@hotmail.com

Hope this helps solve your driveless installation problems!!!