How to install XP on TZ with SDD and HDD no DVD?

I have a TZ with SDD/HDD and no external drive.

My TZ runs japanese Vista. How can I install XP?

I do have an external harddrive.

thanks in advance

 

I dont have my tz yet but thanks to conics they installed the english vista for me =D but anyways aside from that I think you would need to buy an external usb dvd. I ordered my tz without ssd or a 1.5" hd or dvd drive only the 160gb 5400rpm 2.5" hd.

 

Yeah buying or borrowing an external CD or DVD drive is definetly an option.

What about making a bootable partition with the XP installation files on my external harddrive, is that a feasible option?

 

I assume that would work. After all, that's how recovery partitions work, in a way.

 

yes, you can put everthing from the XP cd to the external harddrive and boot from there.

Well that's how i installed my vista, but i think it should be the same for XP.

Also after you copied everthing and try to boot from the HDD directly, supposedly you'll come to this error "ntdlr is missing" or something similar.

What you need to do is go to the XP directory and go to the "Boot" folder, as far as i can remember there is a file called mkboot.exe or bootmgr.exe

run that exe through command prompt see the help "/?", it should be there cos i forgot what's the command to make it bootable.

i'll try to look at the command when i got back home if you still got problems with it

 

Great!

That's exactly the error message i got!

you mean running that from my TZ? That won't be possible because I can't boot.

Yes please!

 

ok here it goes...

1. Put everything from your XP cd to one of the drive on your external HDD (eg F

2. Open the drive content on F Drive and see if you got a folder named "boot" and see inside if there is a file called bootsect.exe

3. If the file exist then open command promt, in cmd go to the "F:/boot" and if you want to read the help just bootsect /help. The command to make it bootable should be bootsect /nt52 F:

4. After that plug the HDD to you TZ and set the bios to boot from usb HDD

 

1 Done

2 There is no folder called Boot in XP. There are files like rebootst.exe (does not seem to work) and bootcfg.ex_ (not executable)

thanks for helping me!

 

check ur PM...

 

OK, i think you are on the right track.

when i run 'bootsect /nt52 G:'

it says : 'updated NTFS filesystem. The update may be unreliable since the volume could not be locked during the update : Acces denied. " (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the partition on my hardrive is 240GB?)

When i boot with the external HD it says"NLTDR missing" again.

Edit: I am very close to a solution (i hope!). I am making a bootable USB stick.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/13257/Boot-Windows-XP-from-a-USB-flash-drive

 

You need the bootflashdos to boot a dos environment from the USB key.
Boot fom the usb key and make a partition on the TZ's SSD (fdisk). (maybe you have to set the compatibility mode in the bios to see the drive in fdisk) (make fat32 partition if it is possible, I never tried it))(xp can be installed from fat32 partition)

After a reboot transfer the system to the SSD with the sys command. SYS c:

When you made this the TZ probably can boot from the SSD.

To copy the XP Install cd to the ssd:

Download minipe from torrent sites.
This a Windows XP running from CD.
You can transfer the minipe to usb key with flashboot.
Copy the XP Install cd content and the TZ Xp drivers to the USB key.
Find smartdrv.exe from win98 and copy it to the usb key too.

When you boot from the USB key into minipe you can transfer the files to the TZ's SSD. (smartdrv.exe too)

Boot from the ssd and start smatdrv.exe and winnt.exe.

You can install the Windows XP...

 

Ok, I have surrendered.

I tried installing XP from USB stick and external drive in several different ways. None of them worked.

I now bought a external DVD drive and XP is installing. Finally.

 

http://jounin.net/

TFTPD32.
It acts as a PXE server, you can boot you computer from network.
I have a ghost boot disc and if you close the ghost you have a booted win98 bootdisk.

You have to make a fat32 partition with fdisk and after that you have to transfer the system with the above mentioned sys command.

After that you need to transfer the XP CD install files and smartdrv.exe as I described above. (minipe, usb key, flashboot)

Send me an email to peter.pdudas at gmail com if you need this ghost image or the full config of my TFTPD32 server.

 

thanks alot for your help, I just installed XP from the external DVD drive.

other people might be interested though.

 

Hey Phil,

In case you're still wondering how to do this, i think i got that error msg too last time. All i did was putting /force at the end of the command

/nt52 F: /force

and that should be fine.. maybe you can try it out, if you've time

 

Well that did work, now it says succeed. But still not able to boot from my harddrive. Still says NLTDR missing.

So if it's easy to from harddrive i might like to know that.

thanks again.

 

I managed to boot from usb stick once, but then XP said: can not install from msdos.

If i could boot from usb stick that would be perfect.

XP is installed now, and running fine, but I'd still like to figure this out.

There seem to be 1000's of webpages on this subject, all suggesting a different way.

 

Ok done this. I can now boot from the usb stick. I get a command prompt.

When I type in "fdisk". it says bad file name. any suggestion?

 

Download the following file:

http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=73db198a3fb250b9a45807869576a989

It contains a PXE boot image and you can boot your TZ intos dos over the network. You should only enable the network boot and type tz90 at the boot prompt.

Read the readme inside the archive!

 

Thanks for your help Peter, but this is getting too complicated for me.

I will just keep my DVD drive and boot from there.

 

I found a clear guide to installing XP from a USB drive or stick:

http://www.bootdisk.info/articles.php?action=show&id=70

This looks very promising, I will give it a go tomorrow.

 

I now have a Windows 98 bootable USB stick. (thanks to pdudas)

It boots, then i type Fdisk. nothing happens.

Pdudas told me to enable compatibility mode in bios, but I can not find it.

Is there a compatibility mode in Bios of TZ?

Any other suggestions?

thanks in advance!

 

Phil you want to tackle writing the definitive guide for installing Win XP? I can help edit it.

 

I will chip in after I take the plunge.

 

Sorry, I dont have TZ.

On my IBM X60s I can see the Sata drive in compatibility mode.
I installed the Xp as I wrote you in e.mail.
I'm sure there is an option in the bios of your tz.

Find it, and you can install the XP.

 

Yes cool. I already wrote a start. Should we make a thread of it?

That way anyone can jump in.

Cool!

 

Does anyone know of the compatibilty mode in TZ bios?

Or any other way to make the SSD or HDD visible in fdisk while booting from usb key (usb = c)?

 

I think I have found the solution.

It is called Acronis Disk Director. It let me format a usb stick as a bootable device with full formatting and partitioning functionality. Since I have already installed XP, I did not move any further than that.

I think this is the solution to installing XP without any optical drive.

Byhteway I am very impressed with the software by Acronis. Just discovered them last week from True Image. This is another golden application.

 

so say if you have a vgp-ddrw4 via firewire, can you make it boot at start up and install vista or xp? Because i'm receiving my ssd drive and the vgp-ddrw4 later today.