Help: Vista Recovery Discs w/o no DVD drive

I just got my Lenovo X200 (without ultra base and I don't have a USB DVD drive)

The unit came with three recovery discs to upgrade (or downgrade depending on your views of Vista

-Disc 1 : Start Recovery Disc
-Disc 2: Operating System Recovery Disc (Vista Business SP 1)
-Disc 3: Applications and Drivers Recovery Disc

I would like to use the 3 disc "recovery disc set" to roll over the pre-installed XP to Vista Business. How can I accomplish this without having to purchase a freakin DVD drive? This will be pretty much the last time I will ever use one.

Anyways. I was hoping there would be a way to do it via my 160GB external hard drive OR some how sharing the CD/DVD drive on my old laptop over my "wireless network"??????

SO FAR---I partitioned my USB HDD into 3 and directly copied all the files on each respective disc into its respective partition. (no extra folders or anything, just as they were on the DVD. I then changed the BIOS priorities to boot from the USB HDD (it WAS recognized). However, once the boot proceeded I received "NTLDR is missing."

I hope there is a way!! I really don't want to buy a CD/DVD drive!!


Can anyone help me solve this problem?

 

you can get a dvd drive for like 20 bucks.

 

there is way that involves the use of virtual drive (partition, daemon tools, mounting your vista iso into a partition....). But I would agree with above poster that a small investment in an optical drive is the best bet in t a long run.

cheers ...

 

Make an iso on your other laptop, copy it over, use daemon or something else to mount it?
IMHO though, +1 to buying a cheapo external - you will use it again!

 

Since he wants to install a new OS I doubt this would work. Likely you have to boot off of at least one of those disks.