Install XP without CD drive or USB

[stoobar]

So i have a laptop that has no CD drive and cannot boot from a USB drive/key. I need to install windows on this machine. What im looking for is a way to do this preferrebly using the network boot option.

Does anyone know of a method to use a pc on my home network to act as a deployment server to allow a network installtion of windows onto this laptop?

 

[ns400r]

http://www.lockstockmods.net/2008/04/25/install-windows-over-network-with-pxe/

 

[.walls]

if you cba doing that (or as I have found on some older laptops you can't use PXE)...

1) remove laptop HDD
2) connect to main pc using 2.5 --> 3.5 convertor
3) copy i386 folder from install CD to $ROOT_OF_LAPTOP_HDD
4) disconnect all other HDDs
5) insert install disk and start install
6) at first reboot, instead of rebooting, remove hdd and place back in laptop
7) when it asks you to insert install disk, point at c:\ (several times) - it finds i386 and installs Windows.

Job done.

PXE is easier once you know how to do it though.