installing windows me to a laptop using laplink cable

[tanz]

how can i install windows ME to an IBM laptop (no cd-drive)using a laplink cable? my laptop has no operating system yet. i have a laplink cable which i use to connect my two PCs. how will i go about it? any help will be highly appreciated.

 

[edfair]

You'll need DOS on the laptop, and laplink. Then you laplink the install stuff from the CD to an install directory on the laptop. Then you install from the install directory. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[dinosnake]

If you copy the Windows install files to \windows\options\cabs, and when asked for a location to install Windows to specify \Windows (override the default alternate location), the install will (for what it's worth) conform to Microsoft standard.

You may wish to consider pulling the drive out of the laptop and connecting it directly to the desktop. All you need is the adapter cable (many hard drive shops have it). Once done you can copy the files *a lot* faster.

Don't install Windows while connected to the desktop - Windows will install the drivers for the desktop hardware, which of course is wrong. Only copy the files. Your mileage may vary...

 

[tanz]

I've considered pulling the HDD out of the laptop (as what dinosnake suggested), but that would void the warranty. I've purchased the laptop with no OS. It would be better that way since I have my own licensed Windows ME and I don't want to pay for an additional price just to have a licensed windows installed on my laptop. Thanks for the suggestions anyway.

To edfair: DOS is already installed on my laptop but my PC doesn't seem to recognize my laptop or vice-cersa. Are you telling that I need a laplink software?

 

[edfair]

I assumed that since you mentioned a laplink cable you had laplink software, which would be installed on both machines to use. The software doesn't need to be installed on the hard drive, you could load it from floppy.
There is DOS capability for direct connect to transfer files. Try interlnk and intersvr. I haven't used it and can't speak for capability. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[dinosnake]

Very, very good point. Interlnk and Intersrv do work, and work quite well. They only came (AFAIK) with DOS 6.2. I use it on that old IBM laptop between it and another computer when I don't want to pull out the drive and move it over.

Again, if you use it go with the parallel cable, and set both BIOS parallel ports to their fastest speed (EPP / ECP). Serial is way slower.

You can even run Intersrv from inside a DOS box in Windows. This way if you have any Windows-only supported drives you can still access them.

Pulling out the HD is no problem on IBM laptops (I have 3) - it's so easy it shouldn't void the warranty, should it??

Which IBM do you have? If it is a new one the drive is inside a small mu-metal 'carrier' that pulls out easily. Once outside the laptop the IDE connector is directly accessible - just add the cable. IFAIK they couldn't even tell. Anyway, the HD is upgradable. And if you upgraded...

I have a 755c, a 701c Butteryfly, and a 390e. Love them all and do quite a bit of drive swapping as the (2) old units don't have CD. So, so easy.

Your mileage may vary...

 

[tanz]

edfair: i am actually using a DB-25 (male-male connector) cable. I guess it's also called a laplink cable. somebody told me that I could use this cable to copy files (win ME CD) from my PC to my laptop. i just don't know how will I go about it!

dinosnake: this is actually my first laptop (mine is IBM 560Z), so i am basically new at it. there are stickers on certain parts of the laptop that are covering the screws and that would void the warranty if i'm gonna remove it. unless of course the HDD can be pulled out somewhere (im not even sure where is it located since the manual of course, doesn't illustrate it).

 

[Guest_imported]

Be advised that loading an operating system like ME across a link of this sort, is likely to be a fairly lengthy process - nothing like as quick as using the CD...


ROGER - GØAOZ.

 

[edfair]

Male-male isn't always a laplink cable. Depends on the connections. You could have any one of about 5 different and mutually exclusive setups within the cable.
I don't know what to suggest for you to use. I have multiple options for one like this but without knowing your setup and capabilities , it is a guess.
I have used laplink, winlink, lantastic ethernet through a parallel port ethernet, lantastic z through parallel or serial connections, and have used GWBASIC through serial ports. All have worked, even though some are slow and some are slower. I can't remember if I've used DOS to transfer through the ports or not. But that would require some cable building to accomplish. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[dinosnake]

Taking out the HD in a IBM, and the 560Z, is really easy. You'll find the hard drive occuping the space immediately next to the battery pack. Unplug the laptop and remove the battery, then look for a small screw next to the edge of the laptop opposite the battery (near where the 'ribs' beside the battery pack end). Remove the screw and a very small door comes off. The hard drive is inside.

I believe IBM makes the best laptops, partly because of the best support. See:

ftp://ftp.pc.ibm.com/pub/pccbbs/mobiles/56zhmm.pdf

to directly download the Maintenence Manual for your 560Z. They have it online, unlike other companies from whom you can't get squat.

Once removed you can plug it into another computer as we talked about if that is what you want to do (it saves a heck of a lot of time!) Your mileage may vary...

 

[ceh4702]

Why not get a CD you can just plug into the laptop? Like a USB plug or pcmcia or whatever they call it. If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[FatesWebb]

uhm, you CANT load it that way GØAOZ you can only copy the files, and load them from the hdd which is faster than the CD, but copying the files is what will take a while, in my estimate like a hour or something maybee more... FatesWebb

if you do what I suggested it is not my fault...

 

[dinosnake]

Thank you for the idea ceh4702. He just may want to do that but there are 2 problems:

(1) Expense. Getting a portable CD system is the most expensive options discussed so far.

(2) Ease of use / compatability. You would have to install the PCMCIA socket services, the PCMCIA card services, the CD-ROM interface's drivers or point enablers, the CD-ROM driver and MSCDEX. Possibly maybe more.

USB for DOS exists as a development tool, so you have to figure on $$$ plus the programming.

True if you go ahead and buy it you now have a CD for when Windows is running. But, all in all, once Windows is running I personally think that a network with sharing is just so much easier. And it gives you other features, as well. Your mileage may vary...

 

[edfair]

And the last way I forgot to mention, parallel port zip to transfer across the 120 mb or so of install files. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[Guest_imported]

Yes, you're absolutely right FatesWebb... I was just testing


ROGER - GØAOZ.

 

[tanz]

thanks for your help. i'd just probably pull out the hdd from the laptop. thanks for the url dinosnake, it's a big help.

i actually bought an external cd-drive (vintech 24X) but i can't seem to install it on a dos mode.