installing an OS with now CD/floppy drive

[Mooncow]

ok baisically, i've managed to take out the laptop hdd, and connect it to my main PC using a converter cable.
the PC detects this at startup and in the BIOS, but it won't boot windows (it keeps looping at the "loading XP" screen.

If i take out the laptop hdd it boots fine. I'm thinking if i can get this to work, i will be able to copy the install files and then load an OS onto it from the laptop..

but any ideas how to get my PC to boot with it attached? thanks!

 

[Automata]

ok baisically, i've managed to take out the laptop hdd, and connect it to my main PC using a converter cable.
the PC detects this at startup and in the BIOS, but it won't boot windows (it keeps looping at the "loading XP" screen.

If i take out the laptop hdd it boots fine. I'm thinking if i can get this to work, i will be able to copy the install files and then load an OS onto it from the laptop..

but any ideas how to get my PC to boot with it attached? thanks!

I don't quite understand what you are trying to do. Do you mean you want to run the install from the desktop? Or move over files for the install? Cause I really don't think that will work. Is there a reason that you can't install it on the laptop?

 

[ErikD]

You have them marked as Master and Slave properly? Have you tried a USB enclosure?

 

[Jon]

Sounds to me as though you're wanting to install Windows on that hard drive using a desktop, then put the drive in the laptop and expect it to work. Good luck because that's asking for nothing but trouble with no return.

You're going to need a CD/DVD-ROM drive or enable network boot on the LAN (should be available) and read up on PXE network installs.

 

[ErikD]

I took it to mean he was looking to copy the Windows CD over to the laptop HD, and then run the install from the HD in the laptop.

 

[TheCheat]

I'm not really an expert when it comes to doing things like this, but wouldn't you loose all the data when the setup formats the hard drive?

Unless you created two partitions, but even then im not sure it'd work.

 

[ErikD]

I'm not really an expert when it comes to doing things like this, but wouldn't you loose all the data when the setup formats the hard drive?

Unless you created two partitions, but even then im not sure it'd work.

It does work. You can run an install from different sources, it doesn't matter if you run from a CD, DVD, network, or local HD. As long as you have access to kick off the process.

 

[Automata]

It does work. You can run an install from different sources, it doesn't matter if you run from a CD, DVD, network, or local HD. As long as you have access to kick off the process.

Cool, that means I learned another thing today. I should get all the versions of Windows XP and Vista, create seperate partitions and create a bootloader that lets you choose what version you want to install. Bang, no discs...lol It would make my life as an IT pro a little easier...can never find the discs I need...