# Trouble installing nlite version of XP without cdrom



## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I've been trying to install a cut down n-lite cut down version of XP on old laptop. It has no cdrom. The BIOS only allows booting from floppy, hard drive, or the optional factory cdrom that replaces the floppy drive. No booting from usb anything and no booting from network.

I have a boot floppy called PLoP that will let me boot Puppy Linux off usb hard drive on this laptop. Slow to accomplish due to old usb standard, but it does work. Doesnt work to boot usb cdrom for whatever reason.

I tried the 6 boot floppies that M$ offers for installing XP on a computer that doesnt allow booting from a cdrom. After finally finding 6 trouble free floppies to make the boot floppies (not as easy as you would think) I got past it finding usb cdrom to where it asks about partitioning and formatting, then it starts actual installation and .SIF error. Retried with full factory XP cd in cdrom and same result.

Then try the dos install program winnt.exe where you put i386 directory off cd to partition on hard drive. After winnt successfully runs its course and on reboot, get the infamous hal.dll error. Both with i386 directory from nlite cd and regular cd.

Found another website suggesting installing win98 and then running winnt32.exe. But a google said its apt to also produce hal.dll error. Lot of work for simular result.

So back to looking for some 3rd party boot floppy that does support booting from a usb cdrom. Anybody actually had luck actually doing this with a particular boot floppy? If so gotta link?


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

John

I have an idea but don't know if it will work but may be worth the tinker.

Before I go into detail, can this notebook connect to the Internet or network?

Lee

PS I've found the SIF error usually related to Memory or Hardware not recognized. I've you've stuck some extra ram in, take it out and attempt it again


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Yes, has Puppy on another partition and can connect via dialup at a blazing 21k the last few days. No pcmcia ethernet card or built in ethernet port.


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

Ok does your USB work?


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

usb works, as I said I was able to boot Puppy Linux from an external usb hard drive using the PLoP floppy. I have also tethered my Boost Mobile phone via usb. Its just slow as its usb 1.1 or whatever. Ok for modem, not so great for external drives.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

rainy today so messed some more. Solved the hal.dll problem. Seems boot.ini file was pointing it to wrong partition on initialization. 

Fine so correct that and now get "STOP Error 0x0000006f Session3_initialization_failed" 

Google gets me such advice as using another cdrom (I didnt use one, this is winnt.exe instal) or another cd (didnt use one, copied from cd to partition on hardrive). This is a laptop there isnt any hardware to remove. If it doesnt like video or something then not much I can do. Does seem to be some hardware driver problem so thats that I guess.

Anybody who complains about installing linux obviously never tried to install XP on an old laptop without cdrom......


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

It is quite a poser John.

I've got an old laptop here that I'm going to try to install XP on without the use of a CD rom

I've done it before making a Virtual Machine using, Sun Virtual Box, but It's been a while so I got to redo the steps and write them down so I can pass it too you.

I think I did it using the ISO on a Thumbdrive but I will find out when I have a chance to sit and play with it.

L


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

I haven't forgotten you John.

I'm still trying this task.

I'm not having much luck.

Lee


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

If you had ANY other question about nLite I could help out; but I myself don't have much experience with boot disks. So I'm not much help in this case.


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