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afterdawn.com > forums > pc hardware > other pc hardware > resinstalling xp without a cd/dvd drive
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resinstalling XP without a CD/DVD drive
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buscuit
Junior Member
_ 		23. September 2007 @ 12:23 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
I have a DELL Latitude X1 laptop. It has no internal CD/DVD drive in it. How would I reinstall XP on this machine? I thought maybe an external CD/DVD drive, but during the start up, I can access the boot menu (F12) and it only gives the following options to boot from:

[LIST]
[*]Internal Hard drive
[*]NIC
[/LIST]

There is no option to boot from a CD/DVD drive. This DELL doesn't have the special partition with the "restore" option either (CTRL + F11). Any suggestions on how a fresh install of XP can be applied to this laptop?
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"It Never Ends"
ianski7
Suspended due to non-functional email address
_ 		23. September 2007 @ 17:33 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
Hey, there is no option for cd boot because the bios cant see one. If you plug one in you will most likely see the boot option. There may be a bios setting to enable boot from usb.

If that doesn't work you can remove the hard drive and install in a system with similar motherboard specs. Install standard XP and standard drivers only. Go to device manager>ide/ata/atapi controllers> update all to standard drivers. Install in the dell and you will have a 50%-75% chance it will boot......install proper drivers.
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First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. - Mohandas Gandhi
Auslander
AfterDawn Addict
_ 		23. September 2007 @ 17:43 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
or fire up XP on the computer and select to do a full install. when the laptop reboots, it will go straight to the disc.
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buscuit
Junior Member
_ 		27. September 2007 @ 05:13 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
Actually, an external USB CD-Rom drive seemed to be able to do the trick.

I had an external IDE/USB conversion kit. I had used it with hard drives, but never with a CD-Rom. I tried it here and when I connected it, it showed up in the boot menu (F12) as stated. I tried it out with an XP disc and it went through the whole initialization process of loading XP so I guess I will be able to do it this way.

I suspect since this laptop didn't come with a CD-Rom drive initially installed internally, it was designed to accept external ones.
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"It Never Ends"
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