Install Windows XP/7 without a CD drive when the BIOS does not support booting from USB devices

Install Windows XP/7 without a CD drive when the BIOS does not support booting from USB devices I have a computer that has a dead CD drive in it and it seriously needs a new installation of Windows (XP is on it now, but Windows 7 does not sound that bad). At first I tried making a bootable USB drive, but it does not look like the BIOS supports booting directly from a USB drive.
Asked by: Guest \| Views: 368

Total answers/comments: 3

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Guest [Entry]

I believe the method of making a Windows 7 installation pendrive should work for a hard drive partition.

Guest [Entry]

"Without CD-ROM or USB I think your last option is a network install (PXE boot).

These articles may be of interest to you:

http://en.wikipediadotorg/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment

Installing Linux over a network - I know you're after Windows, but just in case."

Guest [Entry]

"You could always go low-tech and pop the hd out, take it over to a friends computer and install it from cd there - although I'd recommend trying the USB method mentioned first.

Make sure the BIOS is set to allow USB booting, if I remember correctly there should be a boot devices category in the homescreen. From there, make sure the pendrive is plugged in and scroll down to an empty boot slot (probably 3rd or 4th in the list - try not to change the ones that are already there), set it to the name of your drive (should show up in a dropdown), and reboot! You should be good from there. Every BIOS is different, but thats the general idea of what you need to do, it shouldnt be too far off either way."