Guide to install windows xp without cd

This guide is to help you install windows xp via USB. You can use any form of storage for this method as long as it can be connected via usb. I use my wd passport to install xp, but I have also used thumb drives and even a sd card connected via usb. What reason could you have for doing this? Well for
starters its way way faster than installing via CD. Its also a necessary process for most people with netbooks or any computer without a cd drive.So first things first here is a list of the things you will want to have ready to go.

Nlite- This tool will allow you to slipstream your drivers and service packs into your OS. It will also allow you to automate some of the install. For example if your like me you hate it when windows first boots up at a crappy low resolution because it doesn't have the drivers for your graphics card. By slipstreaming those in you won't have to deal with that anymore. "Nlite requires you to at least install netframe work 2.0 which you can find here"

Winsetupfromusb- Probably one of the best tools for creating a usb device to install a OS from. This tool allows you to skip the cmd prompt windows for making a OS install usb device. It also provides a gui interface for installing from a usb drive.


Hp format utility and bootme files- Your probably used to using this tool to make a bootable thumb drive well it has its use here. Sometimes a device
needs to be made bootable first before being able to be used with winsetupfromsub. Its just a all around good
tool you should have handy. You can find zfactors guide on how to flash your bios here.

Windows xp service pack 3- Just like the name says its xp service pack 3. Direct link to download it from microsoft. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

Your choice of mounting tool- you will want to use this to copy the xp files from the iso you create in Nlite.

All the needed programs except the mounting tool are provided here in a download package.

So now we will move on to using nlite to slipstream service pack 3 into windows xp. I will also cover how to insert your drivers and explain automated settings.

The first thing you will want to do is insert your windows xp cd and go to my computer. Now right click on your cd drive and open/explore the disk. Create a folder on your desktop called xp cd. Now copy all the contents of your xp cd to the folder you created on the desktop. Close that all out and start nlite. "Nlite requires you to at least install net frame work 2.0"

Ok in pic one you will see that I have already created the xp cd file on my desktop and after starting nlite selected it. The picture you can see
the OS and version, the current service pack and the location of the files. The current service pack is really all you need to worry about.





Now click next, the following screen allows you to load a previous session of nlite. Since this guide is starting from scratch you can skip this and click next. The next screen should look like the picture below. This is where you select what you will be doing with nlite. The options I have boxed in red are what this guide will be covering.

I'm skipping the others because they are really tasks. Hotfixes/updates can be handy if you know which ones you want to install otherwise just keep it simple and do a windows update after installing.

Service pack- This step will allow you to insert service pack 3 into your cd. You only need to insert service pack 3 as it overwrites any previous version.

Drivers- You can insert any drivers for the devices that will be installed. The

OS will only install the device drivers that are needed.

Unattended- you can insert your cd key, set user names, turn on/off automatic updates ect

Bootable iso- This is the finishing step for nlite, the iso allows you to create the bootup disk/usb device




Click next after selecting the above tasks. Your next screen will look like this




Click select and direct it to where you downloaded service pack 3 and select it. This step can take a little while as it is now slipstreaming service pack 3 into your xp files. You will get a completion notice when done and click next.



The next screen will look like the pic provided. You can insert a single driver at a time or if you plan ahead of time put all the drivers you want to install in a single folder and you can select them all like seen below.



click next

In this screen you can see the unattended options you can select. Its all self eplanitory, so after filling in the information of your choosing click next



The next screen will ask you to proceed click yes. This will begin the integration process. Just let it run and when finished click next.



Now the last screen is for making the iso file. Select the location where you want nlite to put the iso and chose the name for it. Click next and let it run, it can take a few minutes. After its done you are now finished with nlite and can close it.



Now insert your flavor of usb storage device that you want to use as a the install device. NTFs formated devices especially external hdd's will often not be detected by winsetupfromusb. So first install hp format utility and format the usb device as a Fat 32 dos bootable device and also check quick format. Make sure you extracted the bootme files to a easy to find location. These are the dos system files that you need to direct it to. The options selected in red are what you need to check. Click start, you will get a warning saying it will erase everything on the device, click yes and let it run. Depending on the size of the device it an be very fast or take a few seconds.




Before runing winsetupfrom usb you will want to mount your new iso created from Nlite and copy the files to a new folder. This is the integrated iso you want to use or if you chose to skip the Nlite step of my guide just copy the files from your xp cd.

Now start up winsetupfromusb, I suggest only having one usb storage device plugged in while doing this as it makes things easier. When it opens it should have the selected usb device you will want to use. Click browse next to windows xp source and locate the file you saved your xp files to.




Now click RMPrepUSB button. Look at the picture provided and and check the options in red. You want it to be run as ntfs because its much much faster than being run as a fat device. "Insert joke here"



After finishing it will bring you back to pic one and all you have to do is now click Go and your done making the boot device. This can take some time depending on how much you integrated into the xp files.

Now you will want to restart your computer and go into your bios and select boot options. There are two options one is for boot devices and the other should be for hdd's. Select the hdd option first and change the #1 hdd to your usb device. Now go back and select boot devices, normally the #1 boot device is your hdd, your hdd should no longer appear as a option in here and you want to make sure its your USB device that boots first now.

Exit and save your settings. The first screen that shows up after bootup you want to select and then you will be presented with two options you want to run part #1. This will enter into the normal windows xp gui. Just run it as you normally would with a cd.

Once the computer restarts you want to run part #2 now. Once it is finished installing your computer will restart again, you need to unplug your usb device while its restarting or while the option to enter your bios is there. If you leave it in, the computer will boot to the usb device again and start the process over again. You have now finished installing your operating system with a usb device. I use my hdd as the install device and still have plenty of room for other files, so if you want to continue using it regularly you can, just create a folder on the usb device and save everything there.

Guide for Windows 7 to come, I won't be making one for vista because well its Vista. Feel free to request other guides.

 

Very nice guide, Rorschach! Thanks for posting it! +r!

 

+1 rep for your time