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    How do I clean install a Netbook?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by MobileGamer13, Oct 25, 2009.

  1. MobileGamer13

    MobileGamer13 Notebook Geek

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    Netbooks dont have a optical drive, obviously, to wipe and fresh clean a netbook.

    Is there a reset button in the BIOS or something? Or would I need and external optical drive to fresh clean?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
     
    MobileGamer13, Oct 25, 2009
    #1
  2. makaveli72

    makaveli72 Eat.My.Shorts

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    makaveli72, Oct 25, 2009
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  3. Lanaya

    Lanaya Templar Assassin

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    or if you have another PC and a USB flash drive, you can make a bootable flash drive.
     
    Lanaya, Oct 25, 2009
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  4. MobileGamer13

    MobileGamer13 Notebook Geek

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    How would I go about that?
     
    MobileGamer13, Oct 25, 2009
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  5. deeastman

    deeastman Notebook Deity

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    First you need a 4GB Flash Drive or larger capacity.

    Follow these instructions on Microsoft Technet. I can validate that they work.

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535816.aspx with Video "How to" also.

    Edit:
    I am not sure the article mentions it but you have to run diskpart from either a Vista or Windows 7 OS, diskpart does not recognize a USB drive using XP.
     
    deeastman, Oct 25, 2009
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  6. MobileGamer13

    MobileGamer13 Notebook Geek

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    I was about ready to do that until you said it wont recognize XP. Unfortunately that is what Im using as the OS T_T

    Anyone else out there know how to clean install a netbook without an optical drive or I am SOL without one? Thanks.
     
    MobileGamer13, Oct 25, 2009
    #6
  7. deeastman

    deeastman Notebook Deity

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    I am not sure you understood my post on how to make the USB bootable drive.

    In your case you need to make the USB bootable drive on a PC with an optical disk running Vista or W7. You can then use the USB to install on your netbook running XP.

    If you make an ISO of your Windows Upgrade disk there are many ways to create a USB bootable drive from the iso. Let me know how you want to proceed.

    The easiest way is to just follow my instructions and use a friends PC with Vista. It will take less than 30 minutes to complete the task.
     
    deeastman, Oct 26, 2009
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  8. MobileGamer13

    MobileGamer13 Notebook Geek

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    Thank you for the info. I would like to keep my XP on the netbook. As I read your post I would make a bootable drive on my Vista/7 comp. But how would I go about leaving the OS as XP? Any further help would greatly be appreciated.

    Sorry Im still a semi-noob when it comes to these things, but none-the-less learning. Thanks!
     
    MobileGamer13, Oct 27, 2009
    #8
  9. fred2028

    fred2028 Sexy member

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    A mountable file like an ISO works well.
     
    fred2028, Oct 27, 2009
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  10. deeastman

    deeastman Notebook Deity

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    I am not sure where I got the idea you wanted to install W7 on your netbook, sorry. No wonder we were both confused.

    Follow my instructions to make the bootable USB drive then just copy all the files from a Windows XP disk to the USB drive (just follow the instructions substituting XP for Windows 7). Boot your Netbook from the USB drive and you will be able to install XP without the optical drive.

    You will need a copy of a Windows XP disk with product key to perform the install.
     
    deeastman, Oct 28, 2009
    #10