Installing XP on USB HDD

[duncmac]

Hi All

I've got an old laptop (dell c400 866mhz P3) and its got not floppy or optical drives, it cant boot from usb and I dont have the special cable needed to attatch external drives.

But I've got a external 2.5 disk enclosure so I can connect to the laps hdd this way.

Question can I install an operating system on this disc using this connection.

How???

Thx for any advise

 

[casper114]

I'm not sure how your connecting to the hard drive exactly, could you explain a little more

 

[crizzar]

Originally posted by: duncmac
it cant boot from usb

you just answered your own question, if booting from an external device isn't an option in bios, you're not going to be able to pull that off I don't think

 

[bsobel]

Hook up the drive externally to another system. Format it with FAT and bootable, and copy the i386 directory from the XP cd over. Then boot to dos with the drive back in the laptop and run setup.

Bill