Best way to install Windows on a PC with no optical drive?

[cdmccool]

I have a second computer with an optical drive that I can use. I already tried booting from a USB drive, and I couldn't get it to work. I also tried to swap the optical drive to the first PC, but there are no power connections for a regular DVD drive.

I think I might try to power the DVD drive with the second computer, and connect the SATA to the first computer. Would that work?

 

[Aberforth]

Originally posted by: cdmccool
I have a second computer with an optical drive that I can use. I already tried booting from a USB drive, and I couldn't get it to work. I also tried to swap the optical drive to the first PC, but there are no power connections for a regular DVD drive.

I think I might try to power the DVD drive with the second computer, and connect the SATA to the first computer. Would that work?

Yes

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Aberforth

Originally posted by: cdmccool
I have a second computer with an optical drive that I can use. I already tried booting from a USB drive, and I couldn't get it to work. I also tried to swap the optical drive to the first PC, but there are no power connections for a regular DVD drive.

I think I might try to power the DVD drive with the second computer, and connect the SATA to the first computer. Would that work?

Yes

siamese pc.

nifty

 

[Raduque]

What kind of freaky computer doesn't have molex connectors?

 

[postmortemIA]

Dell - some come only with SATA power connectors... I wouldn't be surprised that others do it too.

 

[tcsenter]

Take hard disk from no-optical PC and install as primary drive in yes-optical PC (remove existing hard drive). Install Windows, use Sysprep to reseal the image, then put the drive back in the no-optical PC.

 

[cdmccool]

Originally posted by: Raduque
What kind of freaky computer doesn't have molex connectors?

It's one of those ultra small form factor Lenovo ThinkCentre computers. I'm not sure what kind of connector is used, but it doesn't fit anywhere on the back of a standard DVD drive.

And I can't get the hard disk out of it either, so I would still end up doing the siamese thing with the Lenovo powering the hard disk while it's connected to the second computer.

 

[QuixoticOne]

IIRC you can just create C and D partitions on the hard drive you want to install to,
copy the contents of the Vista install CD to D: (i.e. some partition you won't format / delete when you install Vista on the C partition of the same physical drive), and then run D:\setup.exe or whatever it is from DOS/XP/whatever running from C:. It should be able to install on C: from the setup files on D: without ever needing the original CD.

At least that is the way it worked with XP, and I don't recall that it is different about Vista. Certainly I've installed from a backup copy of a original vista disc at times, so there isn't anything really "copy protected" about the disc itself that it needs to see during installation.

After installation you can just delete the installer files you copied to D:.

Check your BIOS setup options, or maybe update your BIOS. It SHOULD be possible to boot from an external USB CD/DVD or hard disc.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: cdmccool
I have a second computer with an optical drive that I can use. I already tried booting from a USB drive, and I couldn't get it to work. I also tried to swap the optical drive to the first PC, but there are no power connections for a regular DVD drive.

I think I might try to power the DVD drive with the second computer, and connect the SATA to the first computer. Would that work?

Google is a good way to find answers to technical questions. I googled "install Vista from USB" and found this:
http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DA410C7F7E038D!1665.entry

That should solve your issue if you follow those docs with a 4GB USB stick. Most machines can boot from that, if properly prepared. If you'll elaborate on what you did previously with USB hardware, that would be helpful.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: cdmccool
It's one of those ultra small form factor Lenovo ThinkCentre computers.

I doubt you're installing Vista on one of these.

 

[redbeard1]

A lot of new computers are not coming with molex connectors, as there is no PATA connectors on the motherboard. Without the option to hook up an IDE drive, the manufacturers think that you don't need that style power connector.

Sata power to molex

 

[QuixoticOne]

I just can't believe that the SATA connectors / cables are so ABYSMALLY bad. The MOLEX was a pain to remove / insert, but at least it basically NEVER broke or accidentally came off.
SATA connectors break or come off at the slightest sneeze unless you have particularly well designed ones. Pathetic, just pathetic.

 

[boomhower]

I installed Vista with a flash drive on my X61 using Kurt's method and it worked great. It's amazing that you can install Vista in 15 minutes but have to spend 2 hours getting all the damn updates installed.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: boomhower
I installed Vista with a flash drive on my X61 using Kurt's method and it worked great. It's amazing that you can install Vista in 15 minutes but have to spend 2 hours getting all the damn updates installed.

Or just set them to automatic and spend no time doing it.

 

[cdmccool]

Originally posted by: dclive

Originally posted by: cdmccool
I have a second computer with an optical drive that I can use. I already tried booting from a USB drive, and I couldn't get it to work. I also tried to swap the optical drive to the first PC, but there are no power connections for a regular DVD drive.

I think I might try to power the DVD drive with the second computer, and connect the SATA to the first computer. Would that work?

Google is a good way to find answers to technical questions. I googled "install Vista from USB" and found this:
http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DA410C7F7E038D!1665.entry

That should solve your issue if you follow those docs with a 4GB USB stick. Most machines can boot from that, if properly prepared. If you'll elaborate on what you did previously with USB hardware, that would be helpful.

I had that page bookmarked. I still couldn't get it to work.

Anyway, something really weird happened. I powered the optical drive using the second PC and connected it to the Lenovo. I deleted both partitions, created a new one, and formatted it. Then, when I restarted the computer, it says "BootManager not found...Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart" and it won't go any further.

Edit to clarify: Even a Windows installation in progress it won't go any further. I can boot from the installation disc, but the first time it restarts the computer, I get stuck at that screen and cannot go any further.

 

[cdmccool]

Originally posted by: tcsenter

Originally posted by: cdmccool
It's one of those ultra small form factor Lenovo ThinkCentre computers.

I doubt you're installing Vista on one of these.

Why not?

 

[tcsenter]

The average slim chassis Think Center is half-between a thin client and desktop PC, hardware-wise. While Think Centers come in more powerful configurations, they are very pricey compared to their standardized desktop counterparts. e.g. the Think Center M57e brings a Celeron 420, 1GB RAM, and integrated GMA 3000 graphics for nearly $700. That's sub-$500 territory for standardized desktop.

My guess is, this is one of the no-frills models that didn't even come with an optical drive. If so, XP is probably the safer choice, particularly if its a couple years old.

 

[cdmccool]

Athlon X2 BE-2350
1GB RAM
Radeon X1250

$255 and change, new.

 

[cdmccool]

Ok, I thought I formatted the entire hard drive. From the windows installation, it showed two partitions. I deleted them both, and created one partition and formatted. However, that "Bootmanager not found" thing is confusing me, and it also still shows "Press F11 to enter Rescue and Recovery". This must mean that there is a hidden partition right? I ended up putting the hard drive in my second PC, and trying to install Windows that way, so it must be something on the hard drive.

Would Boot n' Nuke take care of any hidden partitions?

Also, when I install Windows by putting the hard drive in the second PC, when do I switch the hard drive back to the Lenovo? It seems like, since the two computers use different hardware, you would want to switch it back over before the installation completes and installs drivers for the wrong hardware. Do I do this after the first restart?

Thanks for all the help.

 

[tcsenter]

The recovery option during boot is BIOS-based, therefore will never go away.

 

[cdmccool]

Originally posted by: tcsenter
The recovery option during boot is BIOS-based, therefore will never go away.

I thought the BIOS was stored in memory on the motherboard itself, right?

I took the hard drive out of the first computer, and put it in a second computer and was still getting the recovery option.

 

[tcsenter]

OK, use the drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility to write zeros to the drive (a.k.a. zero fill, erase, or wipe disk). That will get rid of any special OEM partitions, boot records, or dynamic overlay software.