smm298

Not really sure if this is allowed, or even suppose to be in this forum, but I'd figure I'd post it anyways, it's useful for installing windows on a computer without a DVD drive. This method uses PXEboot and Windows PE.

1. Download this: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V04T7KQ8 (tftpboot.exe)

2. Open tftpboot.exe and extract the contents to the root of your C: drive (or whatever drive you use)

3. Open the file tftp32.exe that you just extracted

4. Click settings and match the screenshot below:


5. Press OK and return to the main window, and now click on DHCP Server tab

6. Match your settings to the screenshot below:


7. Now plug both computers into the network, but make sure you don't have a conflicting DHCP server plugged in, or disable it.

8. Turn on the computer and now jam the f12 key until it starts to network boot. Eventually you will be in a vista-esque desktop with a cmd window open.

9. Insert or mount the CD you wish to install, and make sure it is shared on your network. Give it a share name of something you can remember.

10. Go back to the target computer and in the cmd window, type “net use y: IP\CD share name” replacing IP with your computers IP

11. For the username type "IP\User Name" replacing “User Name” with the name of a user account on the computer with the shared drive. Also enter your password, or leave it blank if you don't have one and press enter.

12. You should see “the command completed successfully.” Type “y:” and press enter. Type “setup” and press enter. The setup program on the CD will then load and you will be on your way to installing a new operating system.


This is specifically for installing vista, but can be easily changed for XP, all you need to know is the name of the exe that the cd boots off of, and instead of typing setup, you type what you found. (It might be setup still, I don't have a xp cd handy)

To do this with your router acting as a DHCP server forward ports 67, 68, 69 all UDP to your computer running the tftp server and it SHOULD work.

Hope you guys get some use out of this, it's nice to not have to use/buy DVD drives.

RussianGrimmReaper

That's interesting, I'm going to try that

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HatesFury

Nice walkthrough, but i want to know how to do this on a home router, without disabling DHCP.... Think you could hook it up???

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smm298

Added to the guide. To do this with your router acting as a DHCP server forward ports 67, 68, 69 all UDP to your computer running the tftp server and it SHOULD work. 67-69 are the requests to use a network boot, so they should go straight to your computer instead of the router.

HatesFury

Very nice, very repworthy
This should be very helpful since i have this nasty habbit of not labeling blank CD's, and loosing my XP disc's XD.

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