PC boot question

[alva]

ok, what files do I need to transfer to make a Hard drive bootable?

No floppy drive but I do have a different harddrive connected.
(well, it's not for me but..)

The new drive should go to a different PC and then an OS will be installed(no floppy either)

So basically I need to be able to acces the CD-rom

And no, no bootable cd's either.

Any idea's?

[reds4ever]

Alva, is there something your not telling us? Unless your OS is dodgy there shouldn't be a problem.....

[Spiffor]

Let me get this straight: you want to install an OS on a computer that has neither a floppy drive nor a bootable CD? Well, you might want to equip your computer then

[reds4ever]

He needs either a bootable pen drive, or a dodgy .exe of windows.

Just uzip the .exe from one HD to the other and way you go.

[alva]

Well, I'm trying to guide someone using MSN.

She has no floppy drive and was unsuccesfully trying to install an OS onto the second drive (doesn't let specify a folder, she using win2000 and trying to install XP but apparantly it only wants to upgrade).

She does have '98 laying about, so I was thing of installing that one and then upgrading to XP, however without the floppy drive...
That's why I need to get some files onto the new drive so she can do the install from DOS.

Let me get this straight: you want to install an OS on a computer that has neither a floppy drive nor a bootable CD? Well, you might want to equip your computer then

I meant the cd's themselves, smartass

[Sava]

she? oh lord... good luck

[alva]

Yeah, that's why I didn't mention it in the OP.

Nah, she's not stupid and does know something about PC's.

[reds4ever]

So whats the problem with the bootable CD/OS, which is it anyway?

[Spiffor]

You don't need bootable CDs if you install WinXP from a Win98 installation. You don't need boot disks either. Just start the XP installation under the old Win98, and the XP installation will take care of itself

(if, unlike me, you have a CD that works properly )

[reds4ever]

Thats what I thought, I can't see the problem

[alva]

I know that, the problem is installing '98

Dammit, so long ago I did this that I really can't remember.
You do get a prompt on a clean formatted HD right ?

[reds4ever]

yep

c:


Can't she format the new HD, take out the other HD and then install XP from CD?

[alva]

No, not a bootable CD

[alva]

unless you start manually copying files(win 32 folder?), you can't install xp from DOS

[Spiffor]

Only if you wrote "format c: /s" IIRC (/s stands for "system files"). But it only works if you do so from a DOS/98 prompt.