USB CD-ROM Drive in DOS?!

[DragonQ0105]

I want to install Windows XP on a machine. However, the CD I'm using is a CD-RW which I made (it has SP2 Integrated). Unfortunately, the internal CD-ROM Drive cannot read CD-Rs or CD-RWs.

I have an external iOmega ZipCD650USB Drive - but I cannot get it to work with DOS, even with "Muse.exe". When I plug it in, Muse says "Failed to load USB Storage device".

What can I do? I can't install XP without the external CD-ROM Drive. I COULD install 98 SE since I have the original CD, then copy the CD to the HDD and do an Upgrade, but I kinda wanted NTFS so this is a last resort really.

Any ideas to get this Drive working in DOS?

 

[stduc]

Once you have XP installed you can convert the drive to NTFS - I think?

 

[DragonQ0105]

Yes but with 512K Clusters....I want the usual 4K Clusters.

I just thought of another way to do this with Partition Magic 8 but I'm usure if it'll work...

1) Split the current NTFS Drive into 2 parts - one with the current Windows 2000 on it - the other blank
2) Copy the Windows XP CD to the Blank partition within Windows 2000
3) Format the original partition with Windows 2000 on it
4) Install XP from the 2nd partition
5) Merge the 2 partitions

I think I can do Step 5 using NTFSDOS...or maybe just make the temporary partition with the XP CD on it a FAT32 Partition...then delete it using PM8 once XP is on there...then remake it as a NTFS Partition and merge them...

Ahhh! So many potential problems....is this plan likely to go wrong or work?! Advise please...

 

[Xone]

Stduc is correct, here's how you convert:

Windows XP convert tool: Go to Start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt (or, from a Run box, type CMD) and, assuming you intend to convert C:, give the command:

VOL C:

CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS

It will ask for that name in confirmation. Then it will ask two further questions. Reply Y each time to set up conversion to happen at the next boot, then restart the machine. That's the gist!