How to install an OS with no CD drive and no Thumb drive...

[gaate]

I am trying to install windows server 2012 onto a new server I just got. But I CANNOT, for WHATEVER REASON, get a CD drive to work with it. I have spent a lot of time on this problem and am very much past fixing it. I don't need a cd drive, just need to get an os installed. I also don't have a thumb drive ATM, I'll get one if its impossible without one.

I was wondering if there was a way to install windows directly through the hard drive when it was attached to a different computer, I know windows sets up all the drivers when it installs so I don't want to actually install it on the hard drive, but if I put the ISO on the hard drive, is there some way I could run it on the server through the bios or something?

Thanks

 

[unksol]

No.

 

[rearendhat]

Have you tried an external USB DVD drive?

 

[rearendhat]

Also, if you can't get a DVD drive to work on a server, maybe you should find someone who can. Its really not too difficult.

 

[gaate]

Also, if you can't get a DVD drive to work on a server, maybe you should find someone who can. Its really not too difficult.

I'm sure Eventually I could get it to work, but there is no sata power in the server powersupply nor is there a molex, otherwise i would use an adapter. I don't have a SATA power extendor or anything so short of taking out the HDD backplane there is no way to use the SATAs the HDD's connect to. Windows wont install with a external CD drive so I can't do that. The only USB to powered sata I own is also a sata data connector, so again with the not being able to install from the external CD drive. I got another power supply (a new one which I ordered for the server) and hooked it up to the CD drive with the server psu hooked up to the 24 pin and two 4 pin cpus, with the SATA data connector in the server and jumped it, turned out the new PSU I got it DOA (first DOA i'v ever had.) So short of ripping out the PSU from my main rig I don't see an option here.

Thanks for the other answers, I'll just get a thumb drive tomorrow.

 

[mrmez]

No.

Am I the only one thinking... "what the heck are you doing with windows server when you don't even have a thumb drive???"?

 

[eshepard]

dude, spend $7 bucks on a thumb drive.

that being said you could hook up the server hard drive to a different computer, partition it, load the install files onto one partition, put the drive in the server, install on the second partition.

but I reiterate, just get a thumb drive