install OS without a cdrom?

[jaclaz]

Actually horsecharles I was talking to Jaclaz and the method he used in his link.

@bullet

Yes, I actually was referring to horsecharles' one.

As I see it, since the laptop has no USB, the solutions can be ANY of the suggested ones:

1) FASTER, but PRICEY:

buy an HD adapter, mount the laptop HD on your workstation, transfer data.

(horsecharles' and mine)

2) LONGER, but FREE:

get a a network bootdisk

find an appropriate driver

connect through PCMCIA nic to network

copy files to HD

(bullet's one)

3) FAST, but QUITE PRICEY

buy a PCMCIA CD-ROM, like this for example:

http://www.psism.com/cde2440.htm

(it does not need to be a SCSI PCMCIA + SCSI CD-ROM , which will be MORE expensive)

Or, if you already own an external USB drive or CD rom, you can buy a PCMCIA USB adapter.

(Astalavista's one)

Jaclaz

[Astalavista]

too bad u dont live in the states u can just go buy one at office depot, compusa, circuit city, micro center and etc. and return it the next day.

hey do u hv a walmart or kmart in london?

[arablizzard2413]

OK wait... If these laptops have no cd-rom then they have a floppy drives? (that was never mentioned) Most laptops that meet the requirements for Windows XP already have a cd-rom drive (unless it is one of the "slim" laptops that are supposed to be very light), and wouldn't require such effort. Seeing how the laptop does not have a usb port, that seems to make it less likely that installing Windows XP would be sucessful because those ports came standard on laptops manufactored after the release of Windows 95B (only sold on new computer systems), I have a Tosiba Satellite 350C (at least I think that model number is right...) and it bearly meets the system requirements with a 233mhz Pentium and 64 megs of ram and has a usb port and cd-rom already on it. Make sure these cmputers can actually handle the OS requirements first.

If those laptops do not meets the requirements for Windows XP, then Windows 98 would be a better choice because (if you have 50 or so floppy discs) then you can actually copy the installation files onto floppy discs and run it from those. I wouldn't suggest Windows ME, I've always had nothing but problems with it.

You also said that you'll be giving these laptops away to some other people; in order for this to be good and legal, you need to give them the os istall disks as well as the manual/sticker that has the serial number on it (you do not keep the copy of the os and cannot have a copy of the same installation installed on any other computer).

Also note: Windows 98 and ME can have their installations run from a formatted hard drive, but Windows XP isn't as easy.

[<SparTacuS>]

Slow but Cheap,

Get DOS boot disk and partition your drive to allow you a partition to "dump" a flat of your OS CD - Now you just need a method to do that.

Option 1 - Laplink & cable. Laplink and similar freewares allow you to connect 2 pcs using an adapted Parallel cable (very slowly, allow several hours to copy a 98 CD). They run from a boot floppy so you dont need an OS installed on your laptop.

Option 2 - just use a crossover network lead with the above software (depending on which one you get hold of.

I have salvaged several aged laptops using these methods.

[trickytwista]

been trying this \\net use z: <computername>\<sharename> ..i have shared the windows setup folder and enabled printer n file sharing also mapped the shared folder as letter Z...used a universal network boot disk which was suitable 4 the laptop NIC (Intel Pro 10/100) and still cant access the shared folder unless i am typing it wrong somehow? at the prompt is says D\NET if that helps... from the network card i can ping the desktop fine so dunno what the heck is goin on...is it becos i is crap?? lol......cheeers lads...gaz and thax 4 all previous posts 2 try help but it was gettin well hectic so keep tryin different methods

[tjhart85]

Try

\\net use z: <computername>\<sharename> /USER:<USERNAME> <PASSWORD>

That could possibly solve your problem of connecting to the shared drive. I don't know what D/NET means.

I have done this many times in the past, and it always went off without a hitch for me.

Here's an idea, do you know of anyone who has a copy of Windows 3.1 on floppy? You could install the OS and try connecting to the share from there (I have no experience with 3.1 so I don't know if this is easier or harder than the DOS method) and install WIN98 from 3.1