Is there a way to say make a spare IDE hard disk boot like the windows xp cd to install windows to another hard drive?

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short answer...

no

You can make a MSDOS hard disk sytstem which is run winnt (don't forget to load smartdrv). I don't see any restrictions

edit: winnt instead winnt32 of course

Yes. It must boot to DOS prompt. Copy I386 contents to it.

In AUTOEXEC.BAT run WINNT.EXE in I386 directory to begin installation.

Older hard drives are particularly suitable for this, they don't need to be over 1Gb.

Edited March 5, 200620 yr by LLXX

short answer...

no

That should really be:

WRONG answer...

no

Of course it is possible, though it is much more difficult than simply having DOS and launching WINNT.EXE.

(NOT WINNT32.EXE, for which you will have to install a minimal Windows 9x at least)

Here is a hint of one way:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=61384

the other way is using a bootloader like GRUB/Syslinux or IELDR/Avlgomgr to boot from a .ISO on the hard disk:

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=8955&hl=

http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?showtopic=15994&hl=

jaclaz

Edited March 5, 200620 yr by jaclaz

ISOEmu doesnt load the xp cd image it comes up with an error. I know about the dos way but I want the drive I install windows xp to to be considered drive C