Help w/ Reinstalling Windows

[Aperture]

Hey,

I've been asked to help someone with their PC. It seems to have a Trojan and is running terribly slow. The computer is long overdue for a re-installation anyhow, so I figured I'd backup, wipe the disk, and reinstall XP.

I just remembered that their Dell's internal disk drive is busted and they have an external USB drive, instead. Can I still install Windows from this external drive? How would I go about it? Do I need to set it as the default optical drive?

Thanks!

[nospamboz]

And this has to do with "Windows on the Mac" how?

Seriously, go to dell.com and ask someone there!

Or maybe get your friend to buy a Mac instead.

[Aperture]

The forum staff has clarified in the past that all Windows/PC questions can be forwarded to the Windows on the Mac forum.

Thanks.

Proof. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=4109370#post4112115)

[Siberhusky]

If you click the links given for Mac Guides near the top of this forum, you will see references to one or two ways to try to accomplish this. In general they reference directions given (see "ngine") to modify the windows CD contents so one can boot off an external usb drive.

I must tell you that I tried to implement this with my Macbook, and was never able to make it work--using any of the methods offered for booting off an external drive. I finally gave up and just installed XP/OSX using bootcamp on my internal drive. Perhaps you will have more luck booting off an external USB with a PC. Something to watch for, 'tho; if the original software is OEM it might not let you install on an external drive anyway--even if the posted methods do work. There may be other problems: if you don't have SP2, if you have home vs. professional edition, if it's thursday and it's raining, etc. I don't know. Good luck.

[Siberhusky]

Just realized when you wrote that their Dell's internal disk drive is busted, you likely meant that their internal optical drive was broken, and you are merely trying to install from an external optical. Sorry, my last post is probably not relevant.

[Aperture]

Just realized when you wrote that their Dell's internal disk drive is busted, you likely meant that their internal optical drive was broken, and you are merely trying to install from an external optical. Sorry, my last post is probably not relevant.

Yep. The internal optical drive is busted - the hard drive is fine. Thanks, though. :)

[jeremy.king]

Newer Dells should support USB booting.

You can check by entering BIOS setup and look for boot device order and see if USB is an option. If so, just make sure its before the HDD.