Installing XP without a CD Drive!!!

[Asteroid-Man]

OK guys, here's the deal. I got a second hand laptop and the dvd drive won't spin. Now I'm faced with these options:

1. Installing manually with the Hard Drive (This is what I want help for)
2. Installing VIA USB DVD Drive
3. USB Drive
4. Replacing the DVD Drive

I don't have a USB DVD drive but I'm going to borrow one off of a friend tomorrow if I can't do number one. If that doesn't work I'll buy number 3. If that doesn't work I'll have to replace the DVD drive which is hard since I can't open the laptop cause one of the screws is messed up.

So my question is, has anyone installed/reformatted windows XP by manually using the C:\ drive?

 

[Asteroid-Man]

Wait, can I take out the hard drive, put it in my tower and go from there?

 

[Kable24]

do it from the usb powered dvd drive.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

will it work for sure?

 

[Kable24]

That's how we install a fresh XP image on all of the laptops where I work. When you go to start up your laptop keep hitting f12 or whatever key is used to be able to select what device to boot from. And then pick USB device. it should go through the install process for you then.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

Oh ok, cool thanks. Also, will I be able to replace the internal cd drive with any other laptop cd drive?

 

[Kable24]

What's the brand and model of the laptop?

 

[Asteroid-Man]

HP Compaq NX9010

 

[Kable24]

Oh ok, cool thanks. Also, will I be able to replace the internal cd drive with any other laptop cd drive?

it depends. Some are easier to switch out than others, but you should be able to remove the drive bay and put a cd drive back in from any brand. We deal with Dell's here at work and they are pretty easy to switch out parts.

 

[Malice]

I will honest from my aspect.
I have not done it personally...except I have installed using a Network Share...
That requires you build a floppy drive boot disk to have the network drivers and the install script...assuming you have a floppy drive