Need Help installing Windows XP Pro on Laptop can't use cd and floppy

[wncads]

I have a DELL Lattitude CPi - A and it only has one bay. Thus, I can only use the floppy or the cd but not both at the same time. According to the BIOS i should be able to boot from the Cdrom but that is not the case. I have the cdrom set as the first device but it will not boot. How can I boot from floppy or format the hdd, then copy files from cdrom to a directory and then install from hdd????



Keith Buchanan
AplusNetworking.com
keith@aplusnetworking.com

 

[SESaskDFC]

Howdy:

If you have a true WinXP cd and not a copied ot pirated version, there is no reason it woun't boot from the cd.. Mine does everytime.

If you are using a pirated copy, then find another site to help you as no one will help you here.

Murray

 

[wncads]

I have tried two brand true ms WinXP pro disks with the hologram... but it reads other disks like win98se fine..

Keith Buchanan
AplusNetworking.com
keith@aplusnetworking.com

 

[wncads]

also, it will read the win98se disks and winXP disks with Win98 loaded but when i reformatted to install the new WinXP pro it will not read either the win98se or winxp pro disks as bootable

Keith Buchanan
AplusNetworking.com
keith@aplusnetworking.com

 

[bcastner]

It is too bad you did not get the external floppy disk cable. (Check around, it might be in a drawer somewhere).

Download the XP floppy disk set from here:

http://www.bootdisk.com

You will expand these into 6 or so diskettes. Use these to boot the machine. After it is started you can swap the CD ROM drive.

 

[zestril5]

I'm not sure why you would be reformatting the drive before installing XP. XP formats the drive as part of the installation. If you can get the cd to be read without reformatting try removing all partitions on the drive so you don't have a formatted drive.

Use fdisk from a Win98 startup floppy. Remove all partitions. Now set your cd to be the first boot device. If you can remove the hdd from the list of boot devices then do so. If not then make it the last device in the list.

Your cd should start running and when the Windows installation startup begins you will be asked if you want to install in the unformatted free space. Then you will be asked what type of format you want for the free space (NTFS, FAT32 etc).

One other thing to look for. On some computers you can not boot from the CD unless you catch the screen prompt that asks "Boot from CD?" and press enter while it is on the screen.

 

[colners]

A useful site to try is

http://www.nu2.nu.

The guys who run the site are seriously into boot disks - especially CD based ones.

Bcastner's advice regarding changing the CD-ROM drive over after booting from the floppies will probably not work.

If you can get any kind of Windows OS on to your computer (Win98 onwards), you should be able to do an upgrade using the XP CD.

Regards,

 

[ntwrkadmn]

Restart and press F12, this will promp you for a boot device, select CD rom and see what happens.

 

[bcastner]

Colners,

I just tried it myself on a Dell Latitude CPxH.

Your comment: "Bcastner's advice regarding changing the CD-ROM drive over after booting from the floppies will probably not work."

Could you please explain why it would not work?

I am completely at a loss as to explain why it in fact worked perfectly.

Perhaps I did something wrong?

 

[wncads]

COLNER is correct you can not switch the cdrom after bootup with the floppy drive... it must be recognized at boot or the bios will not initiate the drive if the drive is indeed and internal bay drive that swaps with the floppy....

also the i used the term reformat as a generic term... this laptop was used in Law Enforcement and we use special software to WIPE the drive clean of all partitions and/or formatting this is to satisfy state laws concerning the wiping of confidential data as my company is responsible for performing such services for different law enforcment agencies and hospitals....

and for SESaskDFC I do not much appreciate the insinuation I was using pirated software on this computer. I have been in the business for over 16 years, and do not advocate pirated software.

after further testing and evaluation of the drive, this drive was most likely damaged during shipment as I have now obtained a replacement that is working fine and booted up from the cdrom without any complications.

Keith Buchanan
AplusNetworking.com
keith@aplusnetworking.com