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Install O/s onto new HDD from USB key
The DVD drive on my Inspiron 630M has packed up and my HDD needed to be replaced, which I have done. Because the DVD drive isn't working I assumed I could install my O/s using a USB key onto which I have copied the O/s.
I have changed the BIOS boot up sequence to use the USB device first and even flagged all other bootable devices to not bootable.
When I attempt to boot up I just get a black DOS screen saying there are no bootable devices or there is a missing operating system.
I am assuming the problem lies in the fact that there are no drivers on the HDD to use a USB key, but if anyone knows better or has any advice then that would be great.
I have also copied the Dell MediaDirect files onto the USB as I believe this needs installing prior to the O/s, but again it doesn't seem to read from the USB device.
Thanks in advance
Message Edited by mikeymay on 07-25-2008 09:08 PM
Thanks Tommy
Just had a quick scan and to be honest some of the tech speak looks a bit beyond me.
If there is a laymans description of what I need to do I think I could deal with that.
Am going out for the day now, but I will have a go tonight....wish me luck!!!!
tommyo1954
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Posted July 26th, 2008 12:00
You're welcome.. That lingo was over my head too; I've never tried to make a USB flashdrive bootable. What very little I know is that I think the flashdrive needs to be formatted somehow to make it bootable.
I'm hoping someone will read the thread here and jump in and help you; it's all new to me too. I have about 4 of these flashdrives, but have never needed to make one bootable... I just use them to shuffle files between two computers. And also when I do a reinstall of Windows XP Home, I load my necessary drivers on one so that I have the drivers all ready to install when I need them after the reinstall.
There was numerous websites that came up when I did a search on google for "make a USB flashdrive bootable". But like I said, it was way over my head, lol....
Hope you can figure it out; good luck my friend...:smileyhappy:
Hydralisk00222
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Posted July 26th, 2008 15:00
If you have a flash drive that is 2GB or larger and access to a Vista PC, you can plop down a bootable copy of WinPE onto your boot disk. You should have plenty of space to copy the I386 folder somewhere on the USB disk so you should be good to go.
Remember to grab the cdkey from I386\WINNT.SIF file.
Message Edited by Hydralisk00222 on 07-26-2008 12:08 PMtommyo1954
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Posted July 26th, 2008 16:00
Thank you Hydra for that; I knew someone with experience would jump in... Thanks!!:smileyhappy:
Thanks Hydra
Again, I am a little lost by the tech speak, but I understand your post to suggest using the USB device as a boot source. I want to use the USB device to install XP onto a new/formatted HDD that I have installed into my laptop. Once XP is installed I want the normal boot process to take place from the HDD.
When/If I can install XP from the USB I am going to change the boot sequence in the BIOS back to HDD being the primary boot source.
Apologies if I have misunderstood your post but this sort of things isn't something I'm good at.
Thanks
Michael
tommyo1954
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Posted July 25th, 2008 20:00
http://gocoding.com/page.php?al=petousb
Some info here in regards making the USB drive bootable.