Can XP Drivers be loaded w/o floppy drive

[catilley1092]

I'm trying to install XP Pro 64 bit on my HP MS214 all in one, and these days, floppies doesn't come with computers. I know that there has to be a way, as some computers can be downgraded to XP (7 Pro or Ultimate) from the OEM.

Can I load these drivers any other way besides floppies (CD or USB flash drive)? And do I need to change any BIOS settings to do this? I tried once before, and had a hard time getting back to the BIOS settings to switch it back.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.:thumbsup:

Cat

 

[middlehead]

I don't think XP can read USB drives like 7 can; if you can't get a USB floppy drive, you'll probably have to integrate the drivers into an ISO with nLite or some similar deployment tool.

I've never had to try it, but I'm told it's not difficult.

 

[pcunite]

Slipstream the driver ...

 

[SimMike2]

Doesn't this HP computer come with Windows 7 preinstalled? If so, why would you want to go back to XP which is seven or eight years old? Seriously, Windows 7 is by far the best operating system Microsoft ever created.

 

[catilley1092]

Yes, it did come with Windows 7 64 bit preinstalled, I used the Anytime Upgrade option in the Start Menu for a quick 10 minute upgrade to Pro. This computer also dual boots with Mint 9 64 bit, on a 1TB WD Caviar Black HDD.

This desktop, for lack of better words, has become a second computer, a playtoy for me, since purchasing a far more powerful notebook recently. Also, I'm a TechNet Professional Plus member, this is why I have a huge abundance of OS's from which to tinker with. Between the two main OS's, I have a collection of 14VM's.

I just want to see what XP looks like on a modern PC, and have never used the 64 bit version. Plus, I've never totally broke away from XP (nor Win 2K, my first OS), frequently running them through a VM. I may consider leaving it there, as a tri boot.

But I do agree with you, Windows 7 is the best OS that MS has produced. It's just that I see older OS's as antiques, am disabled, have nothing but time to kill, and being a TechNet member allows me to learn, and keep enough XP OS's to evaluate.

Cat

 

[Chiefcrowe]

If i were you i'd leave the 7 install the way it is and run XP in a virtual machine.

 

[JWade]

i have atleast for the last 2 years loaded xp drivers via usb memory stick. from athlon xp systems to current modern systems.

 

[Nothinman]

I just want to see what XP looks like on a modern PC,

You're seeing it right now, it looks like a frustrating DOS installer screen that doesn't see most of your hardware.

 

[VirtualLarry]

i have atleast for the last 2 years loaded xp drivers via usb memory stick. from athlon xp systems to current modern systems.

Not the F6 boot-time drivers. Those can only be loaded from a floppy drive.

 

[Homerboy]

As previously mentioned, slipstreaming the drivers in is the only way.
Though honestly, I am missing the whole point here.. "to see what XP looks like on a modern PC"? It looks the same.

 

[mod81]

XP 64bit is not very well supported by most hardware vendors as it came out at a time when 64 bit was fairly new on the desktop and just before Vista showed it face so you may find getting device drivers a pain. I have ran xp on a dual 3ghz xeon box with 3 gb of memory and fast scsi drives and it does fly along quite well.
I thought you could load hard disk drivers off CD by pressing F6 when prompted during the setup process but it been a long time since i have tried so not 100% sure

 

[Homerboy]

XP 64bit is not very well supported by most hardware vendors as it came out at a time when 64 bit was fairly new on the desktop and just before Vista showed it face so you may find getting device drivers a pain. I have ran xp on a dual 3ghz xeon box with 3 gb of memory and fast scsi drives and it does fly along quite well.
I thought you could load hard disk drivers off CD by pressing F6 when prompted during the setup process but it been a long time since i have tried so not 100% sure

nope. Floppy only