install windows xp through external USB CDrom drive

hello,
i bought a new x61 laptop which doesn't have any CD rom drive.
i have an external USB drive.
the laptop come with windows vista OS.
i want to install windows XP in other partition, i.e. i want to make
it dual boot.
i can't install directly from CD while windows vista is executing as
it is not allowing me.
i am able to boot the laptop through CD rom but when it starts
installing the windows xp from CD rom it is not finding any hard
drive.
means it is not detecting any devices to install the software.
please help me and reply me back.
thanks very much in advance,
regards,
hitesh ughreja.

hitesh.ughreja@gmail.com

"hitesh ughreja" <hitesh.ughreja@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:40565aad-85d1-4476-a60e-8f655ca2e43d@c23g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> hello,
> i bought a new x61 laptop which doesn't have any CD rom drive.
> i have an external USB drive.
> the laptop come with windows vista OS.
> i want to install windows XP in other partition, i.e. i want to make
> it dual boot.
> i can't install directly from CD while windows vista is executing as
> it is not allowing me.
> i am able to boot the laptop through CD rom but when it starts
> installing the windows xp from CD rom it is not finding any hard
> drive.
> means it is not detecting any devices to install the software.
> please help me and reply me back.
> thanks very much in advance,
> regards,
> hitesh ughreja.

A newer laptop would probably have SATA drives, and XP installers can't
always detect SATA drives without drivers. You supply the drivers on
floppy (another external USB floppy in your case) at the start of setup,
where it says "press F6 to add drivers".

You'll get these drivers from the laptop manufacturer, along with all the
other XP drivers you *will need*. If XP drivers aren't available, do not
attempt to install XP on this system.

HTH
-pk

hitesh ughreja - proper way to create a dual boot system is to install the
"older" OS (XP) first followed by installation of the newer OS (Vista) to a
different partition. Installing XP on a computer with Vista preinstalled
requires boot reconfiguration (and associated knowledge).

Evidently you have an USB CD drive - keep in mind that the BIOS must provide
USB boot capability.

"Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message
news:e%23fX0skbIHA.5400@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> "hitesh ughreja" <hitesh.ughreja@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:40565aad-85d1-4476-a60e-8f655ca2e43d@c23g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>> hello,
>> i bought a new x61 laptop which doesn't have any CD rom drive.
>> i have an external USB drive.
>> the laptop come with windows vista OS.
>> i want to install windows XP in other partition, i.e. i want to make
>> it dual boot.
>> i can't install directly from CD while windows vista is executing as
>> it is not allowing me.
>> i am able to boot the laptop through CD rom but when it starts
>> installing the windows xp from CD rom it is not finding any hard
>> drive.
>> means it is not detecting any devices to install the software.
>> please help me and reply me back.
>> thanks very much in advance,
>> regards,
>> hitesh ughreja.
>
> A newer laptop would probably have SATA drives, and XP installers can't
> always detect SATA drives without drivers. You supply the drivers on
> floppy (another external USB floppy in your case) at the start of setup,
> where it says "press F6 to add drivers".
>
> You'll get these drivers from the laptop manufacturer, along with all the
> other XP drivers you *will need*. If XP drivers aren't available, do not
> attempt to install XP on this system.
>
> HTH
> -pk