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Install Windows without CDROM/Floppy?

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  • Install Windows without CDROM/Floppy?

    Hey there. My father has a cheap "Internet" computer with no cd-rom or floppy drive, but a 10gig internal harddrive with linux on it. It has 3 usb slots and an ethernet port, nothing else.

    Is there a way to install windows through an external usb cd-rom?

    If not, how can I install windows?

    Thanks in Advance
    Matt

  • #2
    Just connect a USB CD-ROM and start from there.
    My Machine

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    • #3
      umm, you got a tricky question there:o

      how about, creating a partition (say, F:\ in your case) ((or hd04, or whatever) copying the windows CD to that and installing windows from the partition?

      I presume the partition would need to be formatted FAT 16 or 32 in order to be of any use.

      Only other method I can think of is to set up another PC and FTP the installation from it.

      Unless, you can find a USB CDROM driver for DOS that works with the external USB drive.

      interesting question, please keep us informed of your progress.
      The reason a diamond shines so brightly is because it has many facets which reflect light.

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      • #4
        Mr. C, as far as I know that will only work for win9x...I was sorely disapointed to learn that I could not copy the windows dir (or the I386 dir on win2k and XP) from the cd to the HDD and install it from there...it was my prefered manner to install windows

        if I am wrong and win2k or winXP can be installed from the HDD, please let me know how...


        optimus, hooking up a USB CD-ROM should allow you to install it, but you may need some boot floppies if your BIOS wont let you boot off the CD. You can also do a network instal but I don't know how to set it up...but that would require that you have another PC in the house and a home LAN

        which windows are you hoping to instal?

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        • #5
          To make things easy, actually use a CD. Just borrow a CD drive from another PC, rip the computer open and just hook up a CD drive temporarily. If it's only got a HDD in it then there's at least one free IDE port for the CD to attach.

          Any other way will basically either take time, or you'll need a good idea of what you are doing. Using a temp CD drive is probably the best way to go about it.

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          • #6
            no intention of changing topic here, but who has some USB drivers for DOS?

            Beefy, you are using the noodle now - IF we can get the machine to boot from a CDROM that never existed in any form before?

            Like I said, interesting question!

            I'm guessing, this is one of those super-low-priced PC's from everyone's favorite retailer starting with a "W" and ending with a "al-mart"?
            The reason a diamond shines so brightly is because it has many facets which reflect light.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Mr. C
              no intention of changing topic here, but who has some USB drivers for DOS?
              I think I've seen them around somewhere....I'm sure you can find them with a quick google search

              EDIT: didn't take long at alll to find a link
              http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=10215

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              • #8
                I can't take apart the case without breaking it, so using a temporary internal drive is pretty much out of the question.

                About the dos driver thing, how would I get into DOS to install the drivers?

                The only thing I can think of If a plain usb drive wont work is to install windows xp (dont think it boots into dos at all) by usb drive through WINE?

                I haven't ever used Wine before, but I guess there's always time to learn new things.

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                • #9
                  minibubba you are 'da man!

                  quick answer to my question, and perhaps becoming the saviour of optimus's fathers system in one fell swoop :D

                  I give you triple-word score for that entire post, including quote.
                  The reason a diamond shines so brightly is because it has many facets which reflect light.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Mr. C
                    minibubba you are 'da man!

                    quick answer to my question, and perhaps becoming the saviour of optimus's fathers system in one fell swoop :D

                    I give you triple-word score for that entire post, including quote.
                    ***minibubba bows and says : "Thank you...Thank you"***

                    lol, I new I had seen them somewhere before...and now that I found that Inq. article i even remember reading it there...thanks be for almighty Google

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                    • #11
                      Amen
                      The reason a diamond shines so brightly is because it has many facets which reflect light.

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                      • #12
                        lol, minibubba, while that driver is immensly useful, how do I get to dos to install the driver...?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          That is where creating a FAT partition comes into play.

                          DOS would be installed there - then, that partition would be used to install Windows to the drive.

                          A bit of an in-depth undertaking, no doubt.

                          I'd definitely do a bit of research before proceeding.

                          Somewhere, I'm sure there is a Linux utility capable of creating the FAT partition. Perhaps already within your Lindows?
                          The reason a diamond shines so brightly is because it has many facets which reflect light.

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                          • #14
                            It isn't a walmart pc running lindows.

                            It's an Refurbished Intel Dot.Station running debian.

                            So...i don't know how I'd partition the drive, therefore not being able to get into a DOS prompt.

                            I'm not sure that approach is going to work...

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                            • #15
                              would a usb floppy drive be useful in this situtation? I somehow don't think so...you can't even boot off it can you? would it be possible to boot off a USB CD-ROM? I don't think it is...I'm just speaking out load...so to speak ;)

                              at least being able to boot off a floppy would make this soo much easier...

                              EDIT: a bit off topic, but I found this boot disk while searching for a solution, unfortunately i don't think it will help this problem much but some of you may find it useful:

                              Bart's Network Boot Disk

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