Install windows by copying install files.

piotke · 12th February 2009, 00:02

I here have a portable that cannot boot from USB, and has no optical drive. But I want to install windows XP.

What I did, is using a bracket simply connected the hard disk to my PC, and then installed the Windows on that drive. Put it back in the portable, it starts, but then hangs on a black screen. I guess some default drivers not ok.

Any solutions ? I was thinking of copying all the files from the CD to the hard disk and then launch installation from the portable. But how

piotke · 12th February 2009, 00:11

I'll also try a sysprep tomorrow;

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

jmke · 12th February 2009, 09:13

most likely device driver issue; storage controller.
what kind of laptop is it?
on what kind of system are you "preinstalling" the XP?

is there a floppy drive available?

piotke · 12th February 2009, 09:30

There is no external drive.

Installing on a E5200 + nvidia chipset board, and want to use it on a P3 based portable. 7 year gap

jmke · 12th February 2009, 09:49

do you still have a driver CD of this laptop? what kind of portable?

piotke · 12th February 2009, 10:08

Dell C400. Drivers can be found on the dell site, that's not the problem.

jmke · 12th February 2009, 11:13

install all those drivers on the XP system before you move it to the C400

piotke · 12th February 2009, 12:02

Doesn't do the trick.

Extra question. How can I install dos on the harddisk and make it bootable. Only dos. So that I can copy the data folder from he cd and launch so the installation.

jmke · 12th February 2009, 12:14

Format the laptop HDD as FAT16/32 in Windows XP

Do you have a floppy drive in your main PC?
http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
create 98SE bootdisk floppy;

on your main PC, disconnect all HDD drives except lappy HDD, reboot your machine with the 98SE floppy. Do a "sys C:" at the command prompt, this will copy the DOS system files to your HDD an make it bootable;

afterwards you can reconnect all other HDDs reboot in XP and copy the i386 folder from your XP cd

piotke · 12th February 2009, 12:20

don't have floppy either. Will try with windows 98 CD

12th February 2009, 00:02	#1
piotke [M] Reviewer Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,910	Install windows by copying install files. I here have a portable that cannot boot from USB, and has no optical drive. But I want to install windows XP. What I did, is using a bracket simply connected the hard disk to my PC, and then installed the Windows on that drive. Put it back in the portable, it starts, but then hangs on a black screen. I guess some default drivers not ok. Any solutions ? I was thinking of copying all the files from the CD to the hard disk and then launch installation from the portable. But how __________________ .

12th February 2009, 00:11	#2
piotke [M] Reviewer Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,910	I'll also try a sysprep tomorrow; http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577 __________________ .

12th February 2009, 09:13	#3
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 72,434	most likely device driver issue; storage controller. what kind of laptop is it? on what kind of system are you "preinstalling" the XP? is there a floppy drive available? __________________ Future Geek Dad

12th February 2009, 09:30	#4
piotke [M] Reviewer Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,910	There is no external drive. Installing on a E5200 + nvidia chipset board, and want to use it on a P3 based portable. 7 year gap __________________ .

12th February 2009, 09:49	#5
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 72,434	do you still have a driver CD of this laptop? what kind of portable? __________________ Future Geek Dad

12th February 2009, 10:08	#6
piotke [M] Reviewer Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,910	Dell C400. Drivers can be found on the dell site, that's not the problem. __________________ .

12th February 2009, 11:13	#7
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 72,434	install all those drivers on the XP system before you move it to the C400 __________________ Future Geek Dad

12th February 2009, 12:02	#8
piotke [M] Reviewer Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,910	Doesn't do the trick. Extra question. How can I install dos on the harddisk and make it bootable. Only dos. So that I can copy the data folder from he cd and launch so the installation. __________________ .

12th February 2009, 12:14	#9
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 72,434	Format the laptop HDD as FAT16/32 in Windows XP Do you have a floppy drive in your main PC? http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm create 98SE bootdisk floppy; on your main PC, disconnect all HDD drives except lappy HDD, reboot your machine with the 98SE floppy. Do a "sys C:" at the command prompt, this will copy the DOS system files to your HDD an make it bootable; afterwards you can reconnect all other HDDs reboot in XP and copy the i386 folder from your XP cd __________________ Future Geek Dad

12th February 2009, 12:20	#10
piotke [M] Reviewer Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,910	don't have floppy either. Will try with windows 98 CD __________________ .

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