Reinstall Windows XP

virhonestum

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Nov 20, 2013
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I bought a used netbook and I wanted to wipe the harddrive and reinstall Windows XP. The problem is, since it doesn't have a disk drive, I have to install it with a flash drive.
I didn't get a rescue usb stick or something like that from the previous owner, and I only have a Windows XP CD.

I tried various USB sticks, using various programs like UNetbootin, rufus, WinToFlash and WiNToBootic, but none of that worked. I even downloaded 2 diffrent .iso files, but that didn't work either.

It either hat a problem during installation or it didn't even started to install.
My most recent problem is "NTLDR missing". I used ImgBurn to get an iso from the files of the original Windows XP CD and used Rufus to install it on a 4GB Flash drive. The Netbook is an Acer Aspire One, model no. KAV60

Any ideas why?

Thanks a lot!

 

virhonestum

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Nov 20, 2013
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Yeah, the USB HDD is first in the boot priority list, and the Sata mode is IDE.

And the hard drive was already formated, so I can't reinstall it within the operating system.
 

virhonestum

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Nov 20, 2013
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1. Is there a way to reser the BIOS without opening the case?
2. What do you mean with "set usb boot to on"? Should i make it the first option in the boot priority?

 

Samlikesham

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Oct 27, 2013
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I think your getting confused with BIOS and BOOT MENU. Google images should show you a good example of each. Then go into BIOS, and look for something that says something like, Erase All Settings, or Reset Settings, or Set All To Default. Do that and then go to the BOOT MENU and put the usb first. And I recommend using the Windows 7 usb/dvd tool. It will work with a windows xp iso with this trick: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mis_laboratory/archive/2012/01/30/using-the-windows-7-usb-download-tool-with-any-iso-file.aspx
 

virhonestum

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I know the difference between BIOS and BOOT MENU. I already reseted the BIOS multiple times, onve even the jumper way, And I always set the usb first. And it shows the message "NTLDR missing" directly after the boot screen (the bios one, where it says "Press F2 to enter setup" and that stuff).
 
Look again in BIOS to see if there's a setting called USB Legacy Support then make sure it's enabled. Without that, USB ports can't work until the OS starts and as you don't have one, it can go nowhere. It isn't unusual for a BIOS to include a disk in the boot sequence even if it can't start early enough.
 
If all you see is the NTLDR message it means either the USB boot disk is not even seen and it's trying to boot off a blank hard drive, or it's seen but it's not setup properly as a boot device.
Test the boot stick in another system, although from the sound of what you did to create it, it should be working fine.

Failing all that, an external USB CD/DVD drive is pretty cheap, may be your last option to try, although if the system has issues booting from USB, that may not work either.
 

virhonestum

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I can't find anything called USB Legacy Suport.
It has a Main tab with System Time/Date, Quickboot Enable/Disable, Network Boot Enable/Disable, F12 Boot Menu Enable/Disable, D2D recovery Enable/Disable and SATA Mode AHCI/IDE
A Security tab for the Supervisor Password.
A Boot tab with the boot priority order.
And the info and Exit tab.
 

ramond3

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Sep 12, 2013
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your boot setup is correct.using another computer,copy paste your windows xp cd to desktop.then transfer the files to(send to USB) USB.then try this stick to boot from.maybe it lacks this ntldr that is why it doesnt install
 
Copy and paste doesn't make it bootable - it has to be burned as a Windows ISO whether it's going on to a CD, DVD or USB device. If all that was missing is NTLDR, that can be copied to the stick but if that was the case, the error message would have said as much