Installing Windows Xp without cd rom

[rockstarbus]

Refer to previous post, #4. I have tried that, more than once. Its not working. I have an internal adapter like you referanced, & an external. Have tried it with both. I really fell like I am missing something here. I have heard people refer to patches when doing this type of install. Any ideas?

Sorry about your car. Exhaust leaks suck. If you lived here, I would fix it for you. Oh well.

[Modly]

I could fix it too, I just don't feel like welding upwards Too many burns and cuts on my hands and arms already.

I'm not familiar with the 18s, but in the BIOS does it mention the hard drive being there? If you installed an OS on a 28, and it didn't boot the 18 it sounds like something might be wrong with the 18. Check out your boot list in the BIOS too.

[gravitar]

By the way Gravi, is it COLD up there yet? 89 here today, BUT I HAVE TO WORK ON CRAPPY BUSES!!! So that negates the nice weather...

sc**w you man, it was snowing/hailing earlier today

i'd work on the crappiest bus in that weather than the nicest bus in the lousy weather we have up here!

[gravitar]

I agree with Modly... You'll need a CD Rom... I don't think you will get the BIOS to recognize the USB for booting purposes. Another thing you might try... Some Toughbook BIOS's allow for network boot. You might look to see if that is an option for you.

Side note: what's up with the network boot option? how do you set up a server to give it what it needs to boot up? might be a good thing to have available just in case

[gravitar]

I agree with Modly... You'll need a CD Rom... I don't think you will get the BIOS to recognize the USB for booting purposes. Another thing you might try... Some Toughbook BIOS's allow for network boot. You might look to see if that is an option for you.

You know.. I always just assumed that USB drives were only recognized in windows. but then one day I left a thumb drive in the computer and ran ghost (in a straight DOS environment). To my shock and amazement, ghost fully recognized the USB stick! No foolin'.. I was able to save a hard drive image to it! (slow as molasses though) I'm not sure this has been taken advantage of by anyone else, but the capability exists nonetheless.

[gravitar]

I'm not far from gravitar, and it was fairly chilly today... In the 40's all day, and rainy. I still have an exhaust leak in my ex-cop car, so I have to drive around with some windows down.

Back to your problem.

Got a desktop that can run windows?
http://addonics.com/products/io/aa25ide35.asp

Cheap adapter, throw it in your desktop, install windows on the desktop onto the drive, and install it in your toughbook. It will work, as long as you have an IDE drive.

I would recommend one of these adapters to ANYONE that does any work on laptops. It makes life SO much easier when you can attach all the resources of a desktop system to your notebook drive!

[Modly]

Gravitar, we're gonna get some full on snow this weekend from the sounds of it. Time to start wearing a real coat I suppose

As for network boot, I've really got no clue how to do it with windows. Back in the day I used to do it with Macs just for fun, but those were pretty easy if you had the dedicated computer setup. Kinda interesting running an OS on something without a hard drive even installed.

[gravitar]

To all you non-Michiganians, let me put this in perspective.. Just 3 short weeks ago, it WAS 90 here! My wife and kids were swimming in the pool and frolicking around the yard in shorts and t-shirts. (I was in missouri at the time, where it was COLDER) Heck just last week it was 60s-low 70s. And now.. SNOW. I swear, if it wasn't for (what's left of) the auto industry, NOBODY would live here!

[Toughbook]

I would say pony up the duckets for a CD-DVD drive and install it the right way. This is starting to sound like the guy who wanted to wire his hard drive up without the caddy.

[tough-2-go]

You don't need a Panasonic drive to boot of the USB on the CF18. We use an addonics drive and it works just fine. Also the teac USB floppy seems to work on all USB bootable toughbooks.