Setup (Install) Windows XP From USB Flash Disk

Today i'm gonna show you how to install Windows XP from USB Disk. You will need some tools to make this happen, they are : USB_PREP8, PeToUSB, and Bootsect.exe

I have already packed these applications into one downloadable archive. You can download them HERE. After downloading the file, extract all the files into one directory on your computer, then, follow these instructions bellow carrefuly :

Go to the directory where you extract the files
Execute usb_prep8.cmd, you can just double click the file through windows explorer. Then a command prompt dialog will appear
screenshot :

Press any key, then another dialog box will appear.

Choose the destination drive, which will be your usb flash disk, and set all the options, then click start

*Important, when the format process is complete don't close the application, let it open and we will continue to the next step

Open another command prompt, start – run : cmd, press enter. change directory (CD) to switch folders to where you extract the files. ex : cd c:\usbsetup (depends on where you extract the downloaded file)
type : bootsect.exe /nt52 H:

note : H: is your usb flash disk drive, if it’s E: then change it to E:
It will say : “Bootcode was successfully updated on all targeted volumes.”
Now close the command prompt (type exit) and also close PEToUSB window as well, then another command prompt dialog box will show
screenshot :

Press 1 then enter : type your cd/dvd drive letter where your windows xp installation cd exist, ex : E:

Press 3 then enter : type your USB flash disk drive letter, ex: H:

Now we’re ready to copy the windows setup files from cd your pc then to the usb disk, just press 4 then enter, this will take several minutes to complete

You will then be asked whether to format drive T: or no (the temporary dive), just press Y
Once the process is done just press enter to continue, then yes (Y) again till the last process
Quit usbprep8, press q then enter, now you already have a bootable windows xp installatin USB disk

You can now use that USB Disk to do the windows setup without using any CD/DVD drive, make sure to set the BIOS setting to make the USB Disk as the first boot option, when you’re booting from the usb disk, it will show you two option, choose 1, usually at line 2 to setup the windows for the first time and after restart choose 2, usually at the first line. Dont remove the usb disk till setup process is really complete (the desktop shows). The setup process might take you several times to restart. When you can see windows XP desktop, it’s done, you can now safely remove the usb disk and boot from harddisk as the first boot.

Hope this information will help you a lot as many netbook around doesnt have internal CD/DVD drive. Happy trying