How to boot from a network without a floppy or CD-ROM drive?

[biglaw11]

Hey guys,

I just got an IBM X21 laptop and since it's so thin and light, there are no cd-rom or floppy drives. I want to install Windows XP on this and I'm wondering does anyone know how to boot off a network so that I can install Windows XP. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!


-biglaw11

 

[Woodchuck2000]

Network booting requires a card that supports PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment, pronounced pixie) which is a very simple protocol allowing a PC to obtain an IP address and download basic protocols to allow further communication.

You need a client network card that supports it, and a PXE server on the network. Win2K Server has a builtin PXE server, and there are several free ones for linux.

While we're on the subject, has anyone ever managed to get a machine to boot into dos with a PXE client?

 

[Lithium381]

i thought you needed a network card with a boot-chip(i know there is a more technical term, but i can't remember it), and then in the bios, set your boot order to LAN/Network first, and then after that i'm not sure, you have to run it to some special server, i've never done it, but i read about it a while back...good luck setting this up!