USB install XP onto old laptop

[Error 404]

My girlfriend has this old laptop, which is running Windows 2000. The screen brackets are broken, because she somehow manages to lose the screws that held it on.:shadedshu
But thats beside the point: She hasn't defragged or cleaned up the hard drive, registry or any old program leftovers for the last 8 years!

As you can guess, Windows 2k runs at the speed of a raging snail.
I plan on installing a nLited version of XP onto it for her, because half the drivers are screwed and the general state of the disk is just mush (over 85% fragmented!!).
I want to install XP onto it from a USB, because it is faster and means I use one less CD.
Problem is, this laptop is OLD. Its a Toshiba satellite, with a PIII Mobile @ 600 MHz and 192 MB of RAM. It wont boot off of the USB, but is there a way of tricking it into thinking that it is booting from the CD? It has a floppy and a CD drive, so I was thinking that a bootable floppy could let it boot off of the USB. Is this possible, and if so, how do I do it?

Oh, and yes, I will be teaching my girlfriend about proper PC maintenance once I've finished with laptop...

 

[echo75]

well if it has a CD drive then just bite your lips and do it the normal CD disk way.

then again just a suggestion, why not install ubuntu?

 

[Deleted member 3]

Does it support PXE boot? You could look into that.

 

[ktr]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

Download the boot disk setup, create all 6 boot disks. Insert XP CD, and run off the boot disk, and follow the on screen steps. Then the boot disk will access the XP CD to finish up the install.

I dont think there is a way to install XP via usb if your computer does not support usb booting in the first place.

 

[Error 404]

Ok, so I'll just have to make another nLite disk... oh well.
How well does Files and Settings transferr wizard work on XP? I want to keep office 2003 on the laptop if possible, as well as some sort of old photoshop.

 

[Namslas90]

Get Toshiba drivers here;

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modSel.jsp

 

[Error 404]

Get Toshiba drivers here;

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modSel.jsp

Thanks for the link, but I have one problem: I don't know what model this toshiba is.

Well, I know it's a Satellite, but I don't know the model number: it isn't on it ANYWHERE!

I'll try and find it on the internet...

 

[Namslas90]

Try looking in BIOS or even under "system" in controll panel.

You can also try running SIW on it (after OS of couse);

http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html

or even Belarc Advisor;

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

 

[Error 404]

Wow... SIW is like, 100 times better than CPU-Z! Although it is a fair bit slower...
Thanks again!

 

[instron]

why not use the cab files in c:\ windows options and reinstall windows from there ,take all the files you want to save and put them in a folder in c:\ back up your desktop icons you want to save .with a fresh install it will be back up to speed and once again you will have saved the
day and a lot of aggravation.

 

[Error 404]

why not use the cab files in c:\ windows options and reinstall windows from there ,take all the files you want to save and put them in a folder in c:\ back up your desktop icons you want to save .with a fresh install it will be back up to speed and once again you will have saved the
day and a lot of aggravation.

Well, it runs windows 2000, which is bad. I reckon a cut-down XP could run much faster on it.
Also, I found out what model it is! Its a Toshiba Satellite 2250CDT. Since it wont be using internet, should I cut out all network support? It literally can't connect to broadband, because it doesn't have an ethernet port, and the owner's mum wont let her connect it anyway.
So, what internet stuff should I remove?

 

[Deleted member 3]

Wow... SIW is like, 100 times better than CPU-Z! Although it is a fair bit slower...
Thanks again!

Nor is it free.

 

[Error 404]

Nor is it free.

Actually, there is the freeware version. I downloaded that one. Its cool.
CPU-Z isn't blocked by my school PCs, though.

 

[cookies23]

Well, it runs windows 2000, which is bad. I reckon a cut-down XP could run much faster on it.
Also, I found out what model it is! Its a Toshiba Satellite 2250CDT. Since it wont be using internet, should I cut out all network support? It literally can't connect to broadband, because it doesn't have an ethernet port, and the owner's mum wont let her connect it anyway.
So, what internet stuff should I remove?

you'd definitely have to remove internet explorer, that's for sure.

 

[jonmcc33]

Oh, and yes, I will be teaching my girlfriend about proper PC maintenance once I've finished with laptop...

Do your girlfriend a favor and throw that away. You can get a brand new laptop for ~$500 these days anyway that would destroy that old one in performance.