Will a laptop with a boot issue boot from a USB CD drive??

UOcUK Poopscoop · 22 Oct 2006 at 18:08

Basically been handed a Dell Latitude L400 with a boot error while starting Windows 2000 Pro of:

STOP: 0x0000007B blah, blah....

Inaccessible Boot Device.

Looks like it could be a boot sector virus/ HDD problem/ registry problem.

To look into it I need to be able to boot from an external CD drive.

Will a lappy boot from such a device as the owner doesn't want to shell out for one and it not do the job?

In Bios there is an option to boot from "Removable Devices"

Or...........

I have a 512 USB MP3 player that can act as a data storage device (I think), could I boot from that in some way??

Any help appreciated!

VeNT · 22 Oct 2006 at 18:14

windows install screwed, reinstall, some laptops WILL boot from external, or USB sticks
some won't

UOcUK Poopscoop · 22 Oct 2006 at 18:15

VeNT said:
windows install screwed, reinstall

No CD drive though, hence asking if it will boot from a USB CD Rom? Assume it will but don't want to waste someone elses money.

Beaten by your Ninja edit.

Second edit:

Could I put a full install of Win 2k on pendrive and install from that?

VeNT · 22 Oct 2006 at 18:26

UOcUK Poopscoop said:
No CD drive though, hence asking if it will boot from a USB CD Rom? Assume it will but don't want to waste someone elses money.

Beaten by your Ninja edit.

Second edit:

Could I put a full install of Win 2k on pendrive and install from that?

ie load the iso image from a windows2000 cd onto the pendrive? iirc theres a way of doing that so yes