Can I Install XP With No CD-Rom Drive???????

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damienb

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Hi all,
Ive been given this reasonably old Dell PC, its capable of having XP but it only has a floppy disk drive. There is a space for CD-Rom drive but it has to be a slimline one, like one in a laptop. Is there any way that I can install XP on it without speding money on buying a CD-Rom for it???

Damien
 
Of course, but getting your hands on a copy of XP on floppy is going to more trouble then it's worth. A used CD-rom drive a your local pc shop won't cost $20.00. It will install XP in a tenth of the time it would take to do it by floppy.
 
If you have the ability (takes a bit of computer knowledge) you could try a network/remote install.

http://unattended.sourceforge.net/

Failing that, You may be able to connect your disk directly to a PC and copy the installation files to it or install it from there.
 
I am quite tech-e but ive never set up a network before? is it hard? ive got my own working laptop here that does have a cd-rom drive. are you saying that i could network the two together and use the drive in my laptop to install os on the dell pc?? how would i go about doing that? do you know?

Damien
 
open up the machine plug a temp cd rom drive in make sure you don't short something out
like lay it on a piece of cloth ,rubber mouse pad
load xp and remove the cdrom drive
or take out the drive put in another machine copy xp install to a partition on drive
get a boot disk
after you put the drive back use the boot disc to find the install files load xp
MS web site has all info needed for network install
nic must be bootable with pxe software
 
that seems a little over my head mate. i'll be honest, im and audio visual engineer and i know a fair bit about pc's like how they work and how to forat and install stuff but im not an IT engineer so i dont know everything. that just seems a bit out of m league, sorry. is there no simpler way?

Damien
 
can anyone help me?? i bought a copy of xp pro and office 2003 off ebay. it looks like ive been stitched up tho. i know the office 2003 works but the key ive been given for xp doesn't. any odeas on what i should do? does anyone know a valid key????

Damien
 
don't ask here for keys
thats illegal
if its a good retail disc microsoft will give you another key
there are numbers on disc call and give them to tech he will assign new key
if oem your out of luck
first most oem's on ebay are illegal but with the rules the way they are you can sell an unopened package with hardware to comply
ther is no support from MS on oem
just buy cheap cdrom and do what I suggested
 
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