how can i install an OS without a bootable cdrom and no floppy

[sadb0i]

if i dont have a bootable cdrom nor a floppy drive will i be able to install windows? and how?

thanks!

 

[wfbberzerker]

go to best buy, or any other major computer supply retailer, and purchase a floppy drive. your os should have a boot disk to load from, which loads the cd-rom drivers. then you should be able to start your install off of the cd-rom while in dos.

 

[alanwj]

Is there some technical limitation that prevents you from putting in a floppy? You could get a stock 3.5" for $5 - $10.

 

[vbrtrmn]

You may be able to do a network install, depending on what kind of BOIS you have. I've personally never done this, but my Tyan Tiger 100 BIOS has a Boot from Network option, so I guess it is possible.

 

[cloudchief]

Is this a laptop? If it is this is what I had to do to a laptop for some one.
The hard drive was removable, so I got an adapter so I could plug it into regular Ide channel
Formatted it with system files and copied the win98 install directory onto it. Reinsalled into the laptop, the drive booted and I installed Win98 from the directory.

 

[shathal]

Relatively easy (either way you'd need access to a CD-ROM though).

(if you're using a Win9X / ME based system).

* Copy all the contents of the Win95 / Win98 / Win9X (for ME) directory onto a directory on the target HDD. Finally, SYS (that is - make bootable / copy system files) the HDD. Put HDD into target computer & boot up.

Go into <Cab-directory> and run SETUP /IS (that skips SCANDISK - which requires HIMEM.SYS to be loaded.

Hope this is of some use.

Otherwise, if you can't cheat this way (i.e.: laptop with no FDD or CD-ROM) you're pretty much shafted one way or the other. A PXE-installation (that is, over the Network, via a PXE server) is about the only possibility in such cases.

Hope this helps .

 

[sadb0i]

yea its a laptop...

 

[shathal]

Absolutely no chance of getting a CD-ROM or a Floppy in? How about Parallel port CD-ROM?

Otherwise, you'd need a NIC and setup a PXE server ... you NIC would require a BOOT ROM for that, but should be OK, as most NICs (for desktops/laptops) should have those nowadays...

I think parallel port CD-ROM might be your best bet...

 

[sadb0i]

my bro has this floppy drive that he uses with his video camera...he like saves pictures to floppies and stuff with it...willi be able to use that? like with a pcmcia card?