bootable usb hard disk

Question

sir my name is nirmal singh i m system administrator in goel institute of technology and mangement in this engnieering collage there is 120 pc and 60 lappys installing window xp in each machine is very complicated by CD so how i can make a usb hard disk bootable.i want to install windows xp operating system by usb hard disk .how i can make my usb hard disk bootable with windows xp setup files.please send my answer with all steps. thank u.

Former member · Answer

Clarifications

older mycroft · Answer

First of all, you must check that each PC and each Laptop [b]CAN BOOT FROM USB.[/b]

However - your question holds little or no value at all, since you will STILL need to perform 180 installations locally on each machine.

Quite why you would want to go to the additional difficulty of performing this task from a USB HDD, when you already have the CD path available, is beyond me. ?:|

computercookie · Answer

the ability to install using PXE, however if that's not possible it would be quicker to install using images.

Not sure what type of licences you have but you can change any using 'Windows Product Key Update Tool'

oh smeg · Answer

But you need hardware that is capable of booting from the USB and to achieve this the BIOS Must support this option.

Ideally if all you want to do is install from a USB Device you can copy the XP Install Disc to the Root of the USB Device and then install from there after changing the BIOS to boot from the USB as the first option. Then when you are prompted to [b]Press Any Key to Boot From CD[/b] you press any key and start the process off.

However this will be slow and not the best option but if you do not have identical hardware it may be the only option that you have available.

If you however have lots of the same system you can make an Image with something like Ghost or Acronis True Image and using that software restore an Image.

Now just why do I think that I'm answering a Home Work Question?

Col

computercookie · Answer

in a good mood!!!! Did it hurt that much Col?

tsec05 · Answer

Windows have a utility called sysprep for a reason. It the the tool that can save you lots of time ...If 120 pc and laptops are the same specs well continue with this ideal if not find something else like maybe do an unattended script for installation... Sysprep a clean windows machine with every program needed.... then by syspreping it will do an image with a different SID that won't be in conflict with your hardware...
You can combine unattended script with the image you just build ... it will do it all most by itself....

rob miners · Answer

Your best bet would be to look at Cloning the Workstations using Ghost or Acronis. Especially if they have Multisession avaiable. Another alternative is to look into RIS.

Remote Installation Services

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc786442.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325862

An alternative is to use the AIK and Capture the wim using ImageX and then deploying the wim. You should use Sysprep to prepare the Operating System.

How to use the Sysprep tool to automate successful deployment of Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Quick and dirty guide to create PE boot key and capture/apply images using imagex

guide to create PE boot key