How to copy XP install folder to FAT32 partition and install from HD???

[fluxcapacitorMB]

Back when I was using Win98SE and reformatting like once every 3 seconds, I used to do a "OEM Win98" install. I would boot from a Win98 floppy, start fdisk, and create my partition(s). Then using the command prompt, I would create a "win98" folder on the HD using the "md win98" command. Next was copying the Win98 folder off CD contents to the one I created on the HD. Then you could run setup.exe right from the C drive and install Windows from there. Setup would obviously run much, much faster but also w/ Win98 it was not uncommon to get "Please insert your Windows CD" style messages when installing drivers or whatever. All in all a much, much better method IMO.

Which leads to me my reason for writing this thread. I figured this install method would be possible for an XP Pro install but after working around several issues I could not complete setup and am hoping you all can help me out. What I did was using a win98 disk, first I booted to a command prompt. Then using fdisk I created a 1GB partition on my 120gb wd se and formatted it in FAT32. Then I created a directory called i386 on that partition. Then I put the command prompt in the i386 folder on my win xp cd and using the command "copy *.* c:\i386", I copied that to the folder on the c drive. Then I rebooted just using a win xp formatted ms-dos start up (so win xp setup wouldn't see the win98 disks RAM drive it automatically creates) and ran "smartdrv.exe" off the win98 boot disk. I did this because the first attempt at running win xp setup (now at c:\i386\winnt.exe) told me that running setup w/out smart drive would decrease performance. Anyhow, xp setup allowed me to create my NTFS partitions and copy the setup files accordingly, and went through its first reboot. Then setup boots off the HD (now the D drive because remember my C drive is my i386 location) but when the setup screen comes on (you know where it first "looks like" Windows in 640x480 res) it told me it couldn't find the file "asms"--which actually is a folder on the win xp cd within the i386 folder.

So, more than anything, I suppose my question is this: Does using the *.* copy command at the DOS command prompt actually copy EVERYTHING from one place to another, or are the files on the win xp cd that DOS can't see and thus won't copy, i.e. making the folder on the HD unusable for setup? If it doesn't, is there some DOS compatible program I can use for this?

 

[Smilin]

No, it won't copy subdirectories that way. There aren't that many so you could do it by hand or use xcopy with the /S switch. You could also just boot with the XP CD and be done with it.

 

[Doh!]

Running smartdrv.exe while installing from HD won't do any good. It's needed if you're installing from the cd manually by starting winnt.exe.

 

[fluxcapacitorMB]

Cool, thanks for the reply. I figured I could do that but hadn't tried it. Two more questions though.

First is when using the command "dir" in DOS to list the files--it lists them way too fast! Is there a way to "browse" through the list because the arrow keys and page up/down do nothing.

Next is about creating that FAT32 partition--is there any way to give it any drive letter I want or it has to be C or D because fdisk only lets you create the standard primary or secondary? Would Partition Magic get around this?

 

[farscape]

dir/p
Will allow you to scroll one page at a time by hitting enter. Will also give you file info/dates/size.

dir/w
Will give you a list of files but they'll all scroll by just like in the dir command. I think that you can combine them together and you'll get wide and pause (dir/w/p).

 

[lowtech1]

dir /p

dir/w

or

dir /?

 

[JackBurton]

Ok man, I'm going to make this REALLY easy for you. If your MAIN goal is to keep XP from asking for the XP CD when doing something that requires data off the install CD, do the following:

1. Boot from the XP CD and install the OS as normal (you can use FAT32 or NTFS, I would HIGHLY recommend NTFS though).
2. Once the OS is installed, create the directory c:\XP and copy the content of the i386 directory on the CD to the XP folder that yo just created.
3. Run regedit and got to -

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

In Setup change the SourcePath to c:\XP\.

Now whenever something needs the Windows XP CD it will go to the c:\XP directory. 😉

 

[fluxcapacitorMB]

OK, cool. There's also an option available in the group policy editor but that doesn't stop it from asking when you run "sfc /scannow".