I have a computer with no working CD rom drive, just a floppy disk. I have my Windows XP CD shared on another computer with a working CD-Rom (but it's a laptop, so I can't transfer it temporarily). How do I install it on my desktop using the shared CD on the network?

You don't.

Optical drives are cheap, I suggest you invest in one.

I live in the middle of nowhere and there's no store within 2 hours of where I live that sells them. If I could do that, I would have. Isn't there a way to install over networks? I would think big companies would do that rather than installing from a CD on each machine.

Big companies use Ghost, and never touch the Windows installer.

You can create a boot floppy with network drivers so you can access the share over the network (ironically, that is how my company restores Ghost images).

Here is an article on how to install XP over the network. http://www.networkcert.net/xp/insta...

I suggest those of you giving false information check your facts before posting. Just because you *think* you know the answer is not reason enough to post.

Michael J

Dear Donkor - please give thought to Jam's advise.

Almost certainly you will require a cd/dvd (rom or other) drive sometime in the future, for a purpose other than installing a o/s.

These devices are cheap and can be purchased over the internet without having to visit a store. This method is often the cheapest anyway.

As a matter of interest, where are you located? I am in Hammersmith, West London.

Good Luck - Keep us posted.

If you are in the USA, consider ordering a replacement CD/DVD drive from

Newegg.

Prices are very good, and this is one of the most reliable vendors on the Internet.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Sorry ... looks like the link in my previous response didn't work. Here is the link to NewEgg again:

www.newegg.com.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

In response to your comment that big companies install over the network. Big companies also buy volume licenses that provide for that sort of thing.

You can get a good CD/ DVD burner for $35 with shipping. That would be a good investment. How do you perform backups, or don't you?

"You can get a good CD/ DVD burner for $35 with shipping. That would be a good investment."

Agreed, however while you are waiting there is no reason you can't install over the network.

Michael J

Michael J: I suggest those of you giving false information check your facts before posting.

Excuse me? Neither I nor jam told him it couldn't be done. I just told him NOT to do it, and jam told him to invest in some hardware.

Network installs are a real pain, especially if you've never dealt with the fundamentals before. Far too many things tend to go wrong, and if you don't know what to look for, you can't even convey enough information for others to help.

Razor2.3: I was not referring to Jam, who at least gave a contructive, alternative solution.

I was referring to your response. The OP asked how to do a network install and your response was "You don't". That is not true.

At the very least you could have offered some sort of alternative solution for the OP and suggest why you think it is not worth the effort. So I, assuming you had the best intentions when posting that message, made the mistake of thinking you were ignorant of that functionality. Now I see that was not the case and I am at a loss of how you thought that was a helpful or constructive response.

Michael J

Come on guys.

Suggest now is the time we go no further along this line of responding as it appears becoming somewhat confrontational.

We are here to help or attempt to help the poster. Who I note has not replied in a couple of days now.

Regards to you all - Mike :-)

Good Luck - Keep us posted.

Thanks to everybody who actually tried to help (all two of you) instead of telling me to buy new hardware or the ever helpful "you don't". I ended up finding Bart's Network Boot Disk and installing that way. If anybody wants the step by step:

1) Share CD on other computer on the network
2) Boot from Bart's network disk
3) Map network drive (I used Z:)
4) Run i386\winnt.exe and it copies the install files over
5) Reboot and it installs just like normal, prompts for the same things it does when you install with the CD at the computer instead of shared on another drive.

Congratulations. Although I think getting a replacement optical drive is the best long-term solution, the process you took is a great learning experience and helps to come up with creative solutins in the future.

Michael J