Install Windows XP in External hard disk for laptop

[Saaz]

Hi guys, I have a laptop and I am in a serious trouble now... No USB ports are enable and no CD-ROM. [Rom got damaged some time before and din't get a new one till now]. Now my windows is corrupt and i want to install Windows on my laptop again, how can i do that? Please help...

[SmirnOFF]

Can you get an external CD-ROM? may be that would be able to let you install the Windows XP Operating System again. Get an external CD-Rom, Boot from the CD-Rom and install Windows XP like you do it when you boot from normal CD-ROM. How far is this possible? Or you can do the best : Buy and replace the faulty internal CD-Rom with a new one. This may also help you in future... Hope this helps...

[Saaz]

Thanks for taking some time and replying to my question, i would really appreciate if you would have read the question before replying... My USB ports are disables and no USB device is usable. In such case how am i able to use any external drive? can you help me in understanding that? Also i have a PCMCIA card reader i have a 8GB memory card, will i be able to use the same for booting just as a normal pen drive? Please help guys...

[Rudra.J]

Did you check in the BIOS? There in the bios you might find an option to enable USB ports. Some bios do not have the USB ports enabled by default. So the first attempt would be to check and enable if your USB ports are not enabled... Also the next way would be to replace the CD ROM which is damaged. You cannot boot from PCMCIA card, atleast till date i have not heard any such thing... Check for the bios to enable the USB, this mey help you... All the best!