Fresh Install - Installation Failed: D:\i386\asms

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping I could get some advice on what to do regarding this error I keep getting when I try to install XP Pro on a Compaq Presario C700. This laptop had Vista on it and I wiped the hard drive clean and trying now to install XP.

First of all here's the message on this install....

From what I've been able to gather combing the net for advice on remedying this is to 1) clean the CD disk (done), 2) change CD drives (can't do) 3) follow MS support page, which I've done and still have the problem. The page is here, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q311755/

What I would like to do is put all the files from the CD on to a thumb drive and work off of that. This laptop does allow booting off the thumb drive and it's big enough. I can read the files and the folder in question on another computer, so I don't think the CD is damaged. MS wants me to contact the manufactures but the laptop that this CD came from is far out of warranty.

Another thought is to get an external CD drive and install off of that.

Can anyone point me to directions or provide directions on getting all these files on to the USB drive and working the installation off the USB drive? If that doesn't sound like the best solution, any other ideas?

Thanks for any and all feedback regarding this matter, and happy holidays.

Allan