Tom's Hardware > Forum > Laptops & Notebooks > General Discussion > Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?

Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?

Forum Laptops & Notebooks : General Discussion Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?

iPad

I want to format my netbook but it doesnt have a cd/dvd drive which means i cant boot it up from CD and install windows. Is the only other way to buy an edternal disc drive?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to Bidybag

It depends on time and budget. Most straightforward way is to buy/borrow an external cd/dvd drive.

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ "Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds
discuss people.” -- Eleanor Roosevelt
Reply to foxy_roxy

There are many ways to install windows without CD/DVD, however the best way is by creating a windows [7, vista or xp] bootable USB drive.

Creating a Windows 7 [ Vista or XP] bootable USB drive in a few easy steps.

.............................................................................................................
Requirements:
Windows 7 ,or Vista or XP ISO
4GB+ USB Pen drive (for windows 7 or vista) or 2 GB (for windows XP)
UNetbootin tool, Download here http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ [...] latest.exe and save it. (is free software)

.............................................................................................................
(backup any data on the USB, as it will be formatted)

Step 1: Insert USB pen drive into the USB port

Step 2: From the Start menu, go to My computer, right click on the USB drive, then select Format. In format windows, under File System choose NTFS. then click Start. Once complete close the window.

Step 3: Open the UNetbootin tool (from the location you saved it in), when the the program opens up, 'Diskimage' [in the middle] should be selected . Now click on 3 dots [...] to browse
for your Windows 7, Vista, or XP ISO image file.

Step 4: At the bottom of the Unetbootin windows , the setting should be

Type: USB Drive
Drive: for this, you choose your correct usb drive letter

Step 5: Start the process by clicking OK

Wait as the ISO is extracted to your USB drive; once is done, you will have a bootable Windows 7/Vista/XP USB drive .

Your USB drive is ready to boot and install Windows. Simple hay?
.............................................................................................................

Remember you need to change the boot priorty in the Bios, change it to USB (from the HDD or CD ROM/DVD drive)

If you down't have Windows ISO, you can download Windows 7 Enterprise 90 days trial from here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb [...] ID=wtcfeed

Feed back is welcome.

Message quoted 1 times
Message edited by ibnsina on 09-17-2009 at 12:01:24 AM

Reply to ibnsina

I am at step 3, I have inserted my XP CD (Recovery Media Windows XP Home Edition Product Service Pack 3), where do I find the ISO image file?

I have a fake antivirus program on my netbook and cannot get rid of it. I want to reinstall XP.

Thanks

Reply to aneblanc

The best way to format a netbook with Windows XP is on YouTUBE!
It will require a 2go (minimum) USB key and your WindowsXP CD!

Watch it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q-Dt1EeCHM

Reply to skullman2011

how do you change it from usb to hdd?

Reply to taymajor

you can do it by a external dvd drive and you can make it yourself under 10 quids just check this link-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DVD-RW-D [...] 3cc0133917

Bidybag wrote :

I want to format my netbook but it doesnt have a cd/dvd drive which means i cant boot it up from CD and install windows. Is the only other way to buy an edternal disc drive?

Reply to santoshgurung55

hi there you can make one under 10 quid check this out-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DVD-RW-D [...] 3cc0133917

foxy_roxy wrote :

It depends on time and budget. Most straightforward way is to buy/borrow an external cd/dvd drive.

Reply to santoshgurung55

ibnsina wrote :

There are many ways to install windows without CD/DVD, however the best way is by creating a windows [7, vista or xp] bootable USB drive.

Creating a Windows 7 [ Vista or XP] bootable USB drive in a few easy steps.

.............................................................................................................
Requirements:
Windows 7 ,or Vista or XP ISO
4GB+ USB Pen drive (for windows 7 or vista) or 2 GB (for windows XP)
UNetbootin tool, Download here http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/ [...] latest.exe and save it. (is free software)

.............................................................................................................
(backup any data on the USB, as it will be formatted)

Step 1: Insert USB pen drive into the USB port

Step 2: From the Start menu, go to My computer, right click on the USB drive, then select Format. In format windows, under File System choose NTFS. then click Start. Once complete close the window.

http://www.geckoandfly.com/wp-cont [...] orial3.jpg

Step 3: Open the UNetbootin tool (from the location you saved it in), when the the program opens up, 'Diskimage' [in the middle] should be selected . Now click on 3 dots [...] to browse
for your Windows 7, Vista, or XP ISO image file.

http://techbird.files.wordpress.co [...] n_shot.jpg
Step 4: At the bottom of the Unetbootin windows , the setting should be

Type: USB Drive
Drive: for this, you choose your correct usb drive letter

Step 5: Start the process by clicking OK

Wait as the ISO is extracted to your USB drive; once is done, you will have a bootable Windows 7/Vista/XP USB drive .

Your USB drive is ready to boot and install Windows. Simple hay?
.............................................................................................................

Remember you need to change the boot priorty in the Bios, change it to USB (from the HDD or CD ROM/DVD drive)

If you down't have Windows ISO, you can download Windows 7 Enterprise 90 days trial from here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb [...] ID=wtcfeed

Feed back is welcome.

Awesome response - far more useful then anything anyone else on this page has written. Thank you so much!

Reply to junoskinner

Ask the community Add a reply

Related content

See all topics related to "Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?"

Tom's Hardware > Forum > Laptops & Notebooks > General Discussion > Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?

Go to:

There are 358 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Page generated in 1.099 seconds

Latest best answer

Delete admin password

By Saga Lout, 13 days ago:

Hello and welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums. We are not supposed to offer password help...

They won a badge

Join us in greeting them

17:08 aoaom won the Freshman badge
16:27 wuyu2241 won the Freshman badge
15:01 Cooky1992 won the Uniformed badge
15:01 medu5a won the Uniformed badge
15:01 mefa_star won the Uniformed badge
15:01 C4ptainpanda won the Uniformed badge
11:45 googlman won the Freshman badge
04:50 underwater mike won the Uniformed badge
04:40 tomstoms won the Freshman badge
04:24 dibetter won the Freshman badge

How do I win badges?

Partners

Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?

Forum Laptops & Notebooks : General Discussion Can you format a netbook without a cd/dvd drive?

General Discussion

Acer

iPad