Bodging an XP install onto another computer via HDD transplant.

Ultra_Extreme · 27 May 2006 at 18:00

I know this is not ideal, ive never attempted it before either. Problem is a have a bothersome lappy (see other thread lol) and cannot get it to boot from CD drive at all. thus i want to put XP on the HDD while on another computer (obviously using the appropriate registration codes, put down them ban hammers). Now while this will undoubtedly cause some driver conflicts XP should on the whole still boot right?

also how can i do this with a USB HDD? will the windows setup allow it? anyone done this before?

Ultra_Extreme · 27 May 2006 at 22:50

Caged said:
Best bet is to go for a network install.

oooooo

right this is one thing ive always wanted to do but have eff all idea of how. If you explained it i'd owe you a pint! and if your lucky a hug too lol

Ultra_Extreme · 28 May 2006 at 12:04

Caged said:
Best bet is to go for a network install.

can anyone help on this? struggling tbh, have hooked it up to my router and it actually seems to be recognising stuff but then it says bootfile not recieved. I need to know how to assign it a bootfile? put it in a specific folder that it checks? and what bootfile? will an image work? help this is all greek to me! (kicks himself and wishes he's attended the networking seminars at uni!)

Ultra_Extreme · 28 May 2006 at 12:18

Ultra_Extreme said:
can anyone help on this? struggling tbh, have hooked it up to my router and it actually seems to be recognising stuff but then it says bootfile not recieved. I need to know how to assign it a bootfile? put it in a specific folder that it checks? and what bootfile? will an image work? help this is all greek to me! (kicks himself and wishes he's attended the networking seminars at uni!)

Im assuming i have to set a computer up to act as a DHCP server somehow and thus provide the correct boot info. Man all this info on the net and no one gives any plausible advice on this!

Ultra_Extreme · 28 May 2006 at 14:19

no no floppy. I can seem to boot from usb however i cannot seem to get any form of dos mode booted so that i can run the setup files that i have copied to the HDD.

TBH its looking like the IDE controller is shot. Doesnt seem to see the CD drive and it clicks when activated, it reads and tests the HDD fine however the HDD LED does not show lights consistent with activity. Also for some reason it will not boot to any other media with the HDD activated in bios, as soon as i disable it or set it to something incorrect like CD-ROM my pen drive (with the HP bootloader) boots.

Fricking wierd tbh

EDIT: oh and HDD is fine have run all tests in a caddy under XP

Ultra_Extreme · 28 May 2006 at 14:33

M0KUJ1N said:
Hmm well only other suggestions that you havent tried already are to boot from a USB floppy drive/ CD drive or to take the HD out, start the installation on another machine, do the first stage of the install (i.e. up till the first reboot). Hardware detection isnt done until mini-setup so this should work.

Yeah i thought about that last bit, not sure if win xp allows installation onto USB media, tried earlier and got an error (cannot complete as this computer will not be able to access files) but then the comp i tried it on is an old K6 lump from 1902 and may not have legacy USB boot support (altho does the XP setup loader install the USB drivers?)