[mth91]

I've partitioned my laptop hard drive into two ntfs partitions. I copied the windows xp cd in its entirety to the smaller partition (20 GB). What I need to do is find the boot files to bring me to a command prompt to open winnt.exe. Where exactly can I find the boot files for this? Or should I make the smaller partition fat32, then install ms dos and go from there?

 

[lavieinjuste]

How did you copy the Windows files?

Just select all and move?

Did you get all of the hidden files in the C: root? Those are your boot files.

NTLDR is your main boot file, along with a few others.

 

[mth91]

I got the hidden files too. I have a fat32 partition with the windows files from the cd, then I have an empty ntfs partition. It boots into the install now, but the problem is that it won't copy all of the files. It stops at certain ones and they won't copy.

 

[mth91]

The best of luck that i had was when I installed windows through my desktop and then put the drive back in my laptop. It booted into safe mode, but then when it found all the new devices (the entire system of parts). It gave me sixty seconds and then shut down. Is there a better way to install the drivers for my laptop parts instead of having to boot into windows or safe mode?

 

[lavieinjuste]

Is your system overclocked?

Ok I am really confused now. You are trying to install windows on a laptop using your desktop?

Why not just do it the old fashioned way and boot from your windows xp cd?

 

[mth91]

No, it's a laptop. I can't oc it.

 

[mth91]

I wish windows would install through my external cd drive. The internal one on my laptop is broken, or maybe it's the motherboard. Either way, i'll probably end up having to send it in to sambyte to have them fix it. The problem with that is that I was using it to do some work, and now I can't make any money without it working.

 

[noobdown]

if u have 2 partition on ur laptop put the copy of the disc on it (2nd partition) and install from that partition boot into dos and run the exe from dos it should start the windows instalation

 

[lavieinjuste]

It should install from your external CD drive too.

Try changing the boot order to USB device in the BIOS if you can.

I have installed from an external CD drive before...

 

[mth91]

I've done all that actually. The problem is that the installation stops at driver.cab with the cd drive, then bsod and power off. The problem isn't that the cd won't boot up, it's that the drive won't copy all of the files necessary.

 

[lavieinjuste]

Is your cd in good condition?

 

[mth91]

Do you think a bios flash would help? And can you flash bios from a bootable cd? And is it safe to do that from a usb cd drive? Yeah the cd's in great condition. The things still under warranty, but if I can find some crazy way (which usually turns out to be right) to fix it, then it'll help a lot.

 

[lavieinjuste]

Try and burn a copy of the cd on another computer.

Sometimes my cds will do that to me and if I copy them it is like having a fresh cd...

 

[mth91]

I've done that too. I've got like five copies now, two I even downloaded from a torrent. But of course we can't talk about that, because it will help the situation too much.

 

[lavieinjuste]

haha

I was about to suggest that.

!!!

There is a button you can push before the files start loading!

I had this problem and I forgot all about it!!

When it asks you to push F3 to load raid drivers, start pressing F4.

I think it is F4...

I know it is one higher than the raid button, so if the raid drivers button was F5 the button you want to push is F6.

It gives you the option of what type of computer you are installing on.

Try all of them until one works.

 

[mth91]

If I have to i'll send it in. And for my work i'll just get another computer out and do it. I'll try that real quick.

 

[mth91]

Yay, I got to that screen, two options: standard pc with c-step i486 or other. which one?

 

[mth91]

Gotta go with the first one cuz I dont have a floppy drive.

 

[lavieinjuste]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299340/

 

[mth91]

Whats a hardware abstraction layer.