USB drive installation

[mudy]

Hi guys

I wanted to ask as to what are combination of commands that you can use with winnt32.exe or setup.exe to extract all installation files in a USB drive so that I can boot from that USB drive and install in a laptop which doesn't have a CD drive and no OS installed?? I know that it can be done and I have done it once but totally forgot how to do it!!! Any help will be much appreciated

thanks and regards

[jaclaz]

Hi guys

I wanted to ask as to what are combination of commands that you can use with winnt32.exe or setup.exe to extract all installation files in a USB drive so that I can boot from that USB drive and install in a laptop which doesn't have a CD drive and no OS installed?? I know that it can be done and I have done it once but totally forgot how to do it!!! Any help will be much appreciated

thanks and regards

Right question.

Wrong place to ask it.

We have a whole Forum for "installing Windows from USB", right here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/install-windows-usb-f157.html

with a number of different ways (and NO, a "plain" winnt32.exe won't work).

Easiest would be this one:

http://www.msfn.org/board/33-t120444.html

If you want to go your own way, you will have to re-start from the "historical thread":

http://www.msfn.org/board/25-t61384.html

jaclaz

[mudy]

Hi guys

I wanted to ask as to what are combination of commands that you can use with winnt32.exe or setup.exe to extract all installation files in a USB drive so that I can boot from that USB drive and install in a laptop which doesn't have a CD drive and no OS installed?? I know that it can be done and I have done it once but totally forgot how to do it!!! Any help will be much appreciated

thanks and regards

Right question.

Wrong place to ask it.

We have a whole Forum for "installing Windows from USB", right here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/install-windows-usb-f157.html

with a number of different ways (and NO, a "plain" winnt32.exe won't work).

Easiest would be this one:

http://www.msfn.org/board/33-t120444.html

If you want to go your own way, you will have to re-start from the "historical thread":

http://www.msfn.org/board/25-t61384.html

jaclaz

apologies for delay in replying to jaclaz and thanks very much for your info. But I have already found a way to install Windows XP SP2 with plain WINNT32.EXE option. if you require the method just let me know.

[jaclaz]

apologies for delay in replying to jaclaz and thanks very much for your info. But I have already found a way to install Windows XP SP2 with plain WINNT32.EXE option. if you require the method just let me know.

If it's "philosophically" different from this:

http://www.msfn.org/board/2-t121446.html

in practice:

• boot a PE of some kind from USB
  
• run winnt32.exe
  

It would be interesting, as well if you found something not already found/documented.

Let's make a deal:

you post a report of what you did and how you did it

And I promise I will refrain from telling you:

HA! that is method already documented here:

xxxxxx

even if it is.

jaclaz

Edited December 13, 2009 by jaclaz

[mudy]

well its nothing complicated and best part is i didn't had to format my usb hard drive. just used this command line winnt32.exe /syspart:[usd-drive-name] /tempdrive:[usb-drive-name] /norestart. thats it. but i did make sure that every folder related to xp installation was in a directory in the root drive. and the USB drive has to be a portable drive not a flash drive!!! not much of a documented method...!! i had done this 4-5 years back for one of my friend, wherein, he had broken his ide pin of his CD drive making it inoperable and to add spice on it - his computer had become completely infected with virus. so he asked me if i could fix his computer. I am not sure if i followed this exact switches or not but he did install the operating system in his computer and he is still running the same installation.... and this worked too!!

Edited December 13, 2009 by mudy

[jaclaz]

i just used this command line winnt32.exe /syspart:[usd-drive-name] /tempdrive:[usb-drive-name] /norestart. thats it. but i did make sure that every folder related to xp installation was in a directory in the root drive. and the USB drive has to be a portable drive not a flash drive!!! not much documented method.

Yep.

That's an offline "syspart" install.

As you pointed out it will only work on a device that is seen as "Fixed", i.e. a USB Hard Disk or a USB pendrive/stick that has had the "Removable" bit "flipped".

I don't think there are reports of using this method with the dummydisk.sys driver.

The main drawback of it is that the device is "dedicated" to the Windows install, unlike the other solutions in the dedicated sub-forum.

And of course I lied :

HA! that method is already documented here:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=18782

and it can cause problems with drive lettering.

jaclaz

Edited December 13, 2009 by jaclaz