installing windows from an external hd?

[point decay]

i have a media center pc set up in my front room that needs a format & re-install but doesnt have dvd drive, is there any way i can copy the contents of my vista dvd to an external hd and have the pc install from that instead?. It'l save me hours of dismantleing and rebuilding if i can do it this way.

cheers

 

[point decay]

bump - anybody?

 

[DreXeL]

Why not just get a cheap external DVD drive?

 

[Deleted member 64478]

Why not just get a cheap external DVD drive?

This is what I would do, and then boot from it.

 

[point decay]

yeah i could do that, i could also dismantle the pc and fit the dvd writer that was originally in the case. but just to save hastle i wanted to know if i could do it this way.

 

[DreXeL]

Surely it's actually less hastle to just boot from an external DVD drive......

/shrugs

 

[point decay]

Surely it's actually less hastle to just boot from an external DVD drive......

/shrugs

definetly, just being tight after buying a new rig. one more reciept from OC might send the wife over the edge. just interested to see if its possible..

 

[kvfb97]

I had a quick Google and don't think this is possible. There is nothing on the internet about it!

 

[eXor]

It appears to be possible. Looks like it takes ages, though.

http://flimflan.com/blog/default,month,2006-12.aspx

 

[Deleted member 64478]

I think I would rather spend 13 quid on a reader or something or a writter just because they are cheap enough.

 

[point decay]

It appears to be possible. Looks like it takes ages, though.

http://flimflan.com/blog/default,month,2006-12.aspx

nice one, thanks