Actually, I think the deal-breaker would be copy protection. Many commercial programs use copy-protected media, and won't run (and probably won't install) without the original media in the drive. Even some of the games we have for our kids are copy protected.
Dan
February 28, 2009 7:16 PM
You could also connect to a network and use the drive from another machine through the network. That's how I got office on my netbook!!! Worked like a charm, although you may want to be hard wired to the network depending on the speed of the wi-fi!
Peace
ron
March 3, 2009 9:02 AM
I've only done this a handful of times, but it's possible to copy the image from the CD and virtually mount it. Basically, a fake media drive is created and it will treat the image just as if a cd was in that drive. Like I said, it may not work for all applications (the OS for example), and it may be what Leo was referring to as "geeky", but I was able to accomplish it without much difficulty. Good luck!
AG Wright
March 3, 2009 9:16 AM
Another alternative is to use an IDE to USB adapter. The nice thing about these is that it is possible to plug in any IDE device to your USB plug. I often use one to check out hard drives that I'm not sure about.
AG
whs
March 3, 2009 4:03 PM
It is actually quite simple to make an USB stick bootable. Here is how I did it. After plugging the USB drive in, do the following:
1. Open a command prompt (as administrator )
2. Find the drive number of your USB Drive by typing the following into the Command Prompt window:
diskpart
list disk
The number of your USB drive will be listed.
3. Type the next instructions into the same window. Replace the number “1” with the number of your disk – as found above:
select disk 1
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=NTFS
assign
exit
Now you have to unpack your ISO (e.g. with WinRar). Then move all the files from the unpacked ISO over to the USB. Now you should be able to boot from the USB - worked for me with Windows7.
I am not a computer expert. But I want to install WINDOWS-XP on 4 or 8 GB Hard Disk. Take mirror image (Acronic's TI) and copy on USB Drive. Will it work?
What you've described should work, I'm just not sure what you're attempting to accomplish.
- Leo 05-Mar-2009
neil l
April 20, 2009 11:31 AM
leo needs to go back to school...
its very easy to do...no need to be a geek...those that would fret at the complications involved would most likely struggle with a clean install anyway...
really simple..
input a USB stick, format it, copy all the contents from your windows cd, safely remove usb..
go to your netbook, enter the bios and ensure its got the boot from USB turned on and up in the list (if nothing already installed on HD then last step not necessary), restart netbook with USB inserted and hey presto...
i;ve personally done it 7-8 times, using windows and Ubuntu. Using both original disks (dont even need anydvd), and backups, and downloaded .iso versions...
there are people commenting here who dont even have the relevant experience..
Daniel
July 18, 2009 12:22 AM
Not sure how many computers can even boot from USB, Neil. Or, you can follow Leo's advice and buy an USB CD drive, stick your CD in there, and boot from USB. Simpler.
Only my two old computers could boot from USB anyway.
This new BIOS is kind of odd, it looks to be fiercely against any kind of editting.
zimmer
July 19, 2010 1:32 PM
The 1st post is working for Windows XP? It seems only work for Windows 7.
Comments
Read the article that everyone's commenting on.
February 27, 2009 9:45 AM
Actually, I think the deal-breaker would be copy protection. Many commercial programs use copy-protected media, and won't run (and probably won't install) without the original media in the drive. Even some of the games we have for our kids are copy protected.
February 28, 2009 7:16 PM
You could also connect to a network and use the drive from another machine through the network. That's how I got office on my netbook!!! Worked like a charm, although you may want to be hard wired to the network depending on the speed of the wi-fi!
Peace
March 3, 2009 9:02 AM
I've only done this a handful of times, but it's possible to copy the image from the CD and virtually mount it. Basically, a fake media drive is created and it will treat the image just as if a cd was in that drive. Like I said, it may not work for all applications (the OS for example), and it may be what Leo was referring to as "geeky", but I was able to accomplish it without much difficulty. Good luck!
March 3, 2009 9:16 AM
Another alternative is to use an IDE to USB adapter. The nice thing about these is that it is possible to plug in any IDE device to your USB plug. I often use one to check out hard drives that I'm not sure about.
AG
March 3, 2009 4:03 PM
It is actually quite simple to make an USB stick bootable. Here is how I did it. After plugging the USB drive in, do the following:
1. Open a command prompt (as administrator )
2. Find the drive number of your USB Drive by typing the following into the Command Prompt window:
diskpart
list disk
The number of your USB drive will be listed.
3. Type the next instructions into the same window. Replace the number “1” with the number of your disk – as found above:
select disk 1
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=NTFS
assign
exit
Now you have to unpack your ISO (e.g. with WinRar). Then move all the files from the unpacked ISO over to the USB. Now you should be able to boot from the USB - worked for me with Windows7.
March 3, 2009 6:58 PM
mmmm...
i use Fedora core 9. here is an excellent usb (bootable) creator: https://fedorahosted.org/liveusb-creator/
March 4, 2009 8:32 AM
I am not a computer expert. But I want to install WINDOWS-XP on 4 or 8 GB Hard Disk. Take mirror image (Acronic's TI) and copy on USB Drive. Will it work?
05-Mar-2009
April 20, 2009 11:31 AM
leo needs to go back to school...
its very easy to do...no need to be a geek...those that would fret at the complications involved would most likely struggle with a clean install anyway...
really simple..
input a USB stick, format it, copy all the contents from your windows cd, safely remove usb..
go to your netbook, enter the bios and ensure its got the boot from USB turned on and up in the list (if nothing already installed on HD then last step not necessary), restart netbook with USB inserted and hey presto...
i;ve personally done it 7-8 times, using windows and Ubuntu. Using both original disks (dont even need anydvd), and backups, and downloaded .iso versions...
there are people commenting here who dont even have the relevant experience..
July 18, 2009 12:22 AM
Not sure how many computers can even boot from USB, Neil. Or, you can follow Leo's advice and buy an USB CD drive, stick your CD in there, and boot from USB. Simpler.
Only my two old computers could boot from USB anyway.
This new BIOS is kind of odd, it looks to be fiercely against any kind of editting.
July 19, 2010 1:32 PM
The 1st post is working for Windows XP? It seems only work for Windows 7.
To post a comment on "Can I just copy an install CD to a USB device and use it that way?", please return to that article's main page.