a NTFS BOOT DISK?

[bheagle]

anyone know how I can install XP from my harddrive rather than from the CD? I have two Hard drives both formatted NTFS..

so if I make a MS-DOS bootdisk how can I see the NTFS files???

any suggestions???

 

[Kahuna]

bootdisk

Check out http://www.bootdisk.com

 

[bheagle]

Thanks for that info, but after checking on the sites, I still can't find a disk that allows an install from the Hard drive, Most all of the bootdisks allow formatting and all of the ntfs partitions, but then will only allow setup from the CD-ROM...

So far as I can tell anyway....

 

[Black_Pride]

I want to know the same thing.

Every time I build a new system I like to create a backup of the original file system on the HD and install from there. Besides installing the OS faster it is good to have a backup for future installs.

How do we install XP from the drive onto itself?

 

[dijital]

go to www.winternals.com

they have a program called ntfsdos. its exactly what your looking for, however, the cost is huge. look for the program on the net if you can.

 

[dejav00]

...

yeah, the free version "ntfsdos.exe" is read-only, but it may help you.

 

[westy1]

I dont know if this will help.

XP Home.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290

XP Pro.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291

 

[bheagle]

No... those still require a CD ROM... thanks for the try tho...

I am beginning to think this is not doable unless the hard drive is FAT32 and then I could boot from a 98SE disk and see the install dir, but I see no doing it from a NTFS disk...

can you safely convert from NTFS to FAT32 using partition Magic and not lose data?

 

[NetRyder]

Yeah, NTFSDOS from WinInternals is the best option you have. It will create a couple of boot floppies which allow you to mount NTFS volumes from within DOS.
Hope this helps!

 

[westy1]

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/NTFSDOS.shtml

JUST DONE A SEARCH ON GOOGLE IS THIS ANY GOOD.

 

[NetRyder]

Yep, that's the one I was talking about ... NTFSDOS mounts NTFS volumes in DOS and the other one does it for Win98. I've created boot disks already .. but hopefully, I'll never have to use 'em

 

[Narciccus]

Originally posted by bheagle
anyone know how I can install XP from my harddrive rather than from the CD? I have two Hard drives both formatted NTFS..

so if I make a MS-DOS bootdisk how can I see the NTFS files???

any suggestions???

Why Install from the Hard Disk when its so easy from CD????

You Do have a Windows XP CD-ROM dont you??

 

[bheagle]

yes I do have a cd-rom... the problem is, my cd rom seems to have a problem of some kind during install, but it copied the cd to the HD fine

 

[Narciccus]

Does SETUP Start??
Mine wouldnt install untill i did this....
go into the Bios (Del Key) before windows starts and select "cd rom" as first boot device with IDE0 as second, then it should start setup from the cd rom!

goodluck

 

[bheagle]

I have done this already....

it starts setup, gets about half way through the copying setup files and then I get a disk read error, but the cd is fine... I have another computer that reads it perfectly, and like I said, I copied the whole cd to the HD fine to.

 

[Narciccus]

Something like this happened to a friend, it wasnt to do with XP installation thou.. it might work... is your DVD drive your main cd rom?

Try swapping so your cdrw is the main drive, or try using the cd drive from your other computer

ive had loads of things that will read on one cd rom but not another and i dont know what causes it

 

[bheagle]

have done that too...
if I could just read the HD from a floppy, all my troubles would go away, can I convert my NTFS files back to Fat32 and not damage the files?

 

[Narciccus]

what is on your hard disk now, just the copy of xp ?

 

[Narciccus]

and no you cant covert back to fat 32 you have to reformat the drive for that

 

[bheagle]

I have about 5000 Mp3 files, and a bunch of documents and such... basically it would take a BUNCH of CD's to back it all up and the other drive does not have the room for it all either... well, thanks for the help all... I'll have to try other things.