HOW-TO: Install XP via ANY USB Key

the link for the pdf generates an error.

 

Why will it have to take place on another computer? I have a usb dvdrom drive? xp and linux both recognize this drive. Perhaps you should have meant... if you don't have a usb dvdrom drive...

 

Well in its standard configuration, the acer doesnt have a cd rom drive, this article is for people wanting to install xp from a usb key, and so if they were reading this they probably dont have a usb cdrom drive, if they did they wouldnt need to do all of this....they could simply stick the cd in....

 

But I am a user who has an external dvd rom drive and would still like to know how to install xp via a usb key because its a bit difficult to carry around a dvd rom drive when a usb will do.

 

I did say, most users looking at this tutorial probably dont have a usb cd rom drive. I dont get what point you are having to make except that maybe i should have included that people with a usb cd rom drive could also make a repair/reformat usb linux drive for their acer, on their acer. :S

 

Thank you for posting an excellent guide. Each step worked as you described and was very easy to follow. XP Pro runs like a dream.

One, very happy AAO user !!!

 

Hi was wondering if someone can help i have the 110-ab model and followed the instructions but i must be doing something wrong somewhere as once it is installed it freezes on me frequently . it will freeze for about 5 seconds at a time

any help resolving this would be gratefully recieved

glo

 

Does this work with vista. I am trying to install XP on my daughters ACER One but I can't create a bootable USB on my computer which has vista installed. I have followed the instructions to the letter, and have been at this all week and still have been unable to install XP. I have reached the point now were I am pulling my hair out because of the frustration :x . I have also downloaded multiboot_10, but this shows that a file is missing and it won't load, I have downloaded it from several sources but all show the same error. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

thank you!! i have found a similar guide in other places but they never mentioned it was for 32bit only!!!
your a life saver!! cuz i was trying to make it work on my 64bit vista and it was giving me errors w/no solution.

haha, again, thanks a ton!!

 

I have followed the instructions and finished the USB part of the process. I have started the installation process to install Windows XP Professional from the Kingston DataTraveller 1GB stick. I get as far as the TEXT installation, choose this and then get this error message:

File\$WIN_NT$. ~BT\biosinfo.inf could not be loaded. The error code is 14
Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit

This process was used previously to install (which worked) but as my daughter had a slight accident with her Acer it had to go back to Acer to have a new screen fitted and they also reset it back to its original linux and so we re-formatted the Kingston DataTraveller and repeated all the steps again but this time it will not install.

Can you think of anything else I could try?

 

Well I have managed to do it at last. I followed the instructions given by somebody on you tube and it worked 1st time. - I set up my Toshiba NB100 next to my daughters Acer so that I could follow step by step but used the desktop tcomputer to format the memory stick. I just got to get the drivers downloaded now!

 

Hi i have followed everythingto the letter or so i believe, but when i boot from USB and selext TXT option i get the error message:

file win_nt . bt biosinfo.inf could not be loaded the error code is 14

anyone know of this and more so how to fix it ?

Im using XP Proffessional OEM software

Thanks Josh

 

I kept getting an Error 14 when I followed the instructions too. I started from scratch and followed the directions from the link on Youtube.com and it worked perfect.

 

ive spent 4 hours following these instructions to the lettter. ive tried many different ways and everything works up to the point where i enter thedrive letter for the usb drive destination to create the boot drive and it consistently says "d: is not a valid drive". please help im tearing my hair out

 

open up my computer just to double check, once i had been trying to do this to my usb, which was usually g:, but for some reason it had decided to switch letters with my virtual cdrom drive

 

thanks, it was windows mixing up the drives as usual..

ive got the files copying now but a lot of them are saying 'file not found' on copy..

any suggestions?

 

the file not found occurs after the attempted parsing of dosnet.inf, its followed by a heap of file not found, which ultimately corrupts the finished product.

anyone have insight on this??

 

ok i've got it all installed. This is for those who had problems getting a vista system to run the setup process. Got around the 'no optical drive' problem by putting the XP disc in my vista desktop system, sharing the optical drive then mapping it as a network drive on the netbook. Then when you get to the part where you need to select the XP source drive, I typed the full path of the networked optical drive, eg. \\yourcomputername\nameofdrive. I stress, you have to type out the full pathname as simply selecting it from the drive list results in file not found errors, the rest of the process should go without a problem. Just thought I'd put this information up for those assuming you need an optical drive attached. Cheers.

 

Hi Everyone,
Been trying this for a few days now, Still no luck! I get the hal.dll error... I understand you must delete the partitions first, and that this may do the trick. However I don't even get that far.. Windows starting ,then after a minute the error comes up..

I have tried this on text and 2/3 just to see if I can get any further but to no avail.


Any ideas??


Thanks

I have also tried two different Winxp's thinking maybe one was corrupt..

 

I was getting the hal.dll error too. It was happening because when i was doing the 'copying files' part of the install (in the text phase) it was claiming not to be able to copy 4 files in a row. I simply ignored and finished the copying phase, then manually copied the 4 missing files from a successful install on another pc, using the 'recovery console', then continued the install on reboot using graphics mode and it worked. hal.dll errors can mean many things but usually missing/corrupted files.

Not sure if this helps you at all, but there you go.