How do I make XP or 2k3 install from the drive it will be installed to? for example if I copy the i386 folder to c:\i386, how to I start the install from that folder to install to drive c: ?

After formatting your hard disk, copy the i386 folder, then run winnt32.exe or winnt.exe

Use winnt.exe if you boot from a DOS or Win98 floppy.

Winnt32.exe only works from WinXP or if you boot from a WinPE or BartBE CD.

winnt32.exe /unattend1:C:\local\unattend.txt /s:c:\local\source\i386 /udf:%computername%,Z:\Control\unique.udb /syspart:c: /tempdrive:c: /debug4:c:\local\debug.log /noreboot /copysource:lang /dudisable

If i boot to winpe or bartpe, will that enable me to format the disk to NTFS, instead of a dos boot disk formatting as FAT32? is there a way to format as NTFS and copy the files over in pure dos, or not pure dos, just booting from a floppy disk instead of a cd?

I rather stick to gosh secret to reduce the size of source. Bootsector copy and there you go...