Installing XP Pro without booting from CDROM.

[Pex]

A computer needs xp pro on it but the BIOS doesnt support booting from cdrom. I'v always booted from cdrom for installing XP. The user wanted a clean format and fresh xp pro instal. i had to use a boot disk to format. i cant seem to get xp installing from DOS...always get the standard "this program cannot be run from DOS."

can it be done without installing 98 first and then upgrading or without flashing the BIOS?






edit: nm i can just download the start-up disks from m$.com





any other way though?

 

[johnjkr1]

how can he not boot from cd? all computers back 4 years plus can boot from cd. You could also make the setup floppies from the xp cd under bootdisk.

 

[Pex]

whenever i tried to boot from the rom, it said "Boot from cdrom: failure."


either the BIOS sucks or the cdrom was dead. but it worked with a test disk.

 

[Gerardjg]

Make a folder on the hard drive called I386 copy the folder I386 from the xp install cd onto the hard drive
When that is done and assuming your hard drive is C run the following
c:\cd I386
I386:\I386\winnt

I am a little rusty on my DOS commands but winnt.exe is the ext to run from the folder on the hard drive

Winnt.exe is the extension in the I386 folder to begin the install


Or you can get a boot disk from bootdisk.com that will give you CD rom support and install it normaly but the above method is faster

 

[dman]

Download an updated bios for his MB that supports CDROM booting. You might have to open the case to find the make/model of the board though. I've run a cross a few PII boards that didn't support it with the original bios but they all did after a flash.

 

[Lmronby]

Try these. I did it this way once, the file makes about 5 floppy disks. Worked like a charm.

Boot floppies for XP Pro

Boot floppies for XP Home